Analysis of AERONET Inversion Algorithm’s Products at “El Arenosillo” Station, Southwest Spain

The present work shows the main results of the analysis of AERONET inversion algorithm’s products of a sun‐photometer installed at the Atmospheric Sounding Station “El Arenosillo.” This station belongs to INTA (Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aerosoespacial) and is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (37.1 N—6.7 W). The aim of this work is the study of the optical aerosol properties of a long data series (August 2002–December 2005) that are products of the AERONET inversion algorithm: volume size distribution (VSD) and complex refractive index (REF), and a wide set of derived parameters: volume concentration (VolCon), asymmetry parameter (g), single scattering albedo (SSA), etc. Version 2 of the AERONET algorithm inversion is used here. A general statistic is carried out which includes the interannual monthly behaviour of the aerosol microphysical parameters. Aerosol volume concentration shows a good correlation with the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and also the fine mode volume fraction (Vf/Vt) with the alpha Ångström exponent (AE). A characterization of the VSD and derived parameters is performed depending on aerosol type. Optical properties will be analyzed only for cases of high AOD, because of the quality assured criteria of these parameters. These cases include desert dust, showing a scattering behaviour, and biomass burning aerosol, with an absorbing character.