Diurnal to Seasonal Variability of Aerosols Above the Mediterranean

This section analyses the temporal evolution (from diurnal to seasonal time scales) of atmospheric aerosols and their chemical composition in order to examine and compare the variations in aerosol characteristics from the near surface to the vertical column at different sites across the Mediterranean. Examining the seasonality and diurnal cycles of the aerosol optical, physical and chemical properties could provide evidence of the relative strength of the various emission sources, the mixing processes in the atmosphere, and boundary-layer dynamics that affect the amount and composition of aerosols near the surface. This chapter provides an overview of the seasonality in columnar aerosols, including dust over the whole Mediterranean basin based on satellite observations, as well as the diurnal to seasonal variability of the near-surface (in-situ) aerosol concentrations and chemical composition at regional background, urban, and remote sites across the Mediterranean.