West coast aerosol measurements using lidar

气溶胶在全球辐射平衡和云过程(因此气候变化)中发挥着重要作用，影响大气化学以及海洋和陆地生物地球化学过程，甚至是微生物的载体。颗粒物(PM)形式的气溶胶也会影响空气质量。直到最近，加拿大西部的气溶胶污染被认为主要是由当地造成的。然而，现在很明显，来自遥远来源的地壳尘埃、生物质燃烧羽流和人为气溶胶(来自燃烧过程)时不时地影响该区域。主要来源包括：来自亚洲沙漠的尘埃；亚洲发电、工业和交通造成的空气污染；加利福尼亚州和俄勒冈州的森林火柱；不列颠哥伦比亚省当地的野火羽流。拟议的研究描述了一种新颖和系统的战略，采用了一套最先进的测量方法，旨在描述该区域气溶胶输送的规模和性质及其对人类健康和能见度的影响。这项研究的基石是在不列颠哥伦比亚省与加拿大环境部合作建立的一个新的激光雷达设施。该仪器通过在线实时提供的数据，对整个大气深度的气溶胶进行连续测量。这项研究将确定中远程气溶胶输送的基准值，从而为评估趋势奠定基础。预计这些成果将大大有助于对与气溶胶输送有关的气象过程和变化的科学理解。除了这些可靠的科学知识所涉政策问题外，预计这项研究将为及时提供与气溶胶污染有关的公共信息和警告提供基础。

Aerosols play a significant role in the global radiation balance and cloud processes (hence climate change), influence atmospheric chemistry as well as oceanic and terrestrial biogeochemical processes, and even serve as carriers of microbes. Aerosol in the form of Particulate Matter (PM) also affects air quality. Until recently, aerosol pollution in western Canada was considered to be largely of local origin. However, it is now apparent that crustal dust, biomass burning plumes and anthropogenic aerosol (from combustion processes) originating from distant sources affect the region episodically. Major sources include; dust from Asian deserts; air pollution from power generation, industry and transportation in Asia; forest fire plumes from California and Oregon; local wild fire plumes in British Columbia. The proposed research describes a novel and systematic strategy employing a suite of state-of -the-art measurements designed to characterize the scale and nature of aerosol transport in the region and the impacts on human health and visibility. The cornerstone of the research is a new lidar facility established in collaboration with Environment Canada at UBC. This instrument provides continuous measurements of aerosol throughout the full depth of the atmosphere with data available in real time online. The research will establish the baseline values for medium and long range aerosol transport and in so doing establish the basis for assessment of trends. It is expected that these results will contribute significantly to scientific understanding of the meteorological processes and transformations associated with aerosol transport. In addition to the policy implications of such sound scientific knowledge, it is anticipated that this research will provide a basis for the provision of timely public information and warnings related to aerosol pollution.