The Effect of Varying Aerosol Concentrations on Visibility and Particle Size Distribution in Urban Atmosphere: Validating OPAC Results using MERRA Satellite Aerosol Data

Well validated simulation software and models are meant to add value through a more precise representation of different atmospheric features climate characteristics that physically out reach. In this work, comparison validation was carried using the Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research Applications (MERRA) averaged Angstrom Exponents (α) visibilities ten urban countries against simulated Optical Properties Aerosols Clouds (OPAC) components. The simulations OPAC were performed at 0%, 50%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98% 99% relative humidities (RH) while MERRA satellite data extracted an average 78% humidity. results based on α values showed only able simulate well insoluble soot aerosol particle size distributions India’s atmosphere such it had approximately same as India. For rest nine (USA, Brazil, Indonesia, China, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan Ethiopia), seen either overestimate or underestimate water soluble, distributions. visibility soluble concentrations, good those found within Ethiopia’s Japan’s atmosphere. also concentration China’s all other (India, USA, Nigeria Pakistan) overestimated their underestimated concentrations vice versa. With both MERRA, presence fine mode particles in established with > 1. But otherwise three (Nigeria, Ethiopia < 1 which implied coarse particles. relationship between satisfied direct power law OPAC, most countries.