Ash and fine-mode particle mass profiles from EARLINET-AERONET observations over central Europe after the eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010

[1] A combined lidar-photometer method that permits the retrieval of vertical profiles of ash and non-ash (fine-mode) particle mass concentrations is presented. By using a polarization lidar, the contributions of non-ash and ash particles to total particle backscattering and extinction are separated. Sun photometer measurements of the ratio of particle volume concentration to particle optical thickness (AOT) for fine and coarse mode are then used to convert the non-ash and ash extinction coefficients into respective fine-mode and ash particle mass concentrations. The method is applied to European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Sun photometer observations of volcanic aerosol layers at Cabauw, Netherlands, and Hamburg, Munich, and Leipzig, Germany, after the strong eruptions of the Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull volcano in April and May 2010. A consistent picture in terms of photometer-derived fine- and coarse-mode AOTs and lidar-derived non-ash and ash extinction profiles is found. The good agreement between the fine- to coarse-mode AOT ratio and non-ash to ash AOT ratio ( 15 μm.

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