Distribution, optical properties, and radiative effect of pollution aerosols in the western mediter- ranean basin from TRAQA and SAFMED airborne observations.

Abstract : Pollution aerosols strongly influence the composition of the western Mediterranean basin, but at present little is known on their distribution, optical properties and radiative effects. We report in this study in situ observations of pollution aerosol plumes obtained over the sea in the western Mediterranean during the TRAQA (TRansport and Air QuAlity) and the SAFMED (Secondary Aerosol Formation in the MEDiterranean) airborne campaigns in summers 2012 and 2013 (Di Biagio et al, 2015). The TRAQA and SAFMED flights explored an extended region of the western Mediterranean between 40°-45°N latitude and 2°W-12°E longitude including the Gulf of Genoa, Southern France, the Gulf of Lion, and the Spanish coasts. Measurements were performed over the sea at various distances from the coastline and up to 5000 m altitude. TRAQA and SAFMED successfully measured a wide range of meteorological conditions which favoured the pollution export from different sources around the basin.