An analysis of the effects of Mount Pinatubo aerosols on atmospheric radiances

Abstract

Using a single layer radiative transfer approach, this paper studies the effects of Mount Pinatubo's perturbations to atmospheric aerosol characteristics, as deduced from long-term ground based observations at a tropical station, on atmospheric radiances, as would be seen by a nadir-looking remote sensor in the visible and near infrared spectral range. We reveal that during the first one-year period after the eruption, direct radiance has been depleted by 30 to 40% while the path radiance increased up to 400%, (more at the near infrared wavelengths). The total radiance is found to decrease, significantly at the longer wavelengths, whereas at the shorter wavelengths the effect is much smaller.