The Aerosol Characterization Experiments were a series of experiments planned by the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Program (IGAC) to integrate in-situ measurements, satellite observations, and models to reduce the uncertainty in calculations of the climate forcing due to aerosol particles.
The fourth of these experiments, ACE-Asia, took place from 30 March to 3 May 2001 in the Asia/Pacific region. In this region the aerosol loadings have been seriously perturbed by anthropogenic activities and these perturbations are increacing rapidly with time. The studies of aerosol-climate interactions in eastern Asia and the northwestern Pacific complimented and extended the earlier ACE experiments, in large measure due to the unique characteristics of the emissions from Asia.
Group photo of ACE-Asia participants taken on 5 May 2001 at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.
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The goals of ACE-Asia were to determine and understand the properties and controlling factors of the aerosol in the anthropogenically modified atmosphere of Eastern Asia and the Northwest Pacific and to assess their relevance for radiative forcing of climate. To achieve these goals, ACE-Asia defined three specific objectives:
Aerosol optical depth over the oceans as measured by AVHRR. The red ellipse shows the plume
from the Asian continent that was studied in ACE-Asia.
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ACE-Asia utilized several aircraft, ships and a network of land stations to accomplish the goals of the project.
ACE-Asia measurement methodology.
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The NSF/NCAR C-130 conducted 19 research and 6 ferry flights from the Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) and was equipped with a wide assortment of instrumentation including measurements of aerosol chemical/physical/optical properties, radiation, meteorology and trace gases. Its operations included flights near Gosan, over the Yellow Sea, and throughout the Sea of Japan.
The CIRPAS Twin Otter conducted 19 research flights from the Iwakuni MACS. The primary objective of the Twin Otter was to survey the air leaving Eastern Asia to characterize aerosol physical, chemical, and optical properties and their variation with time and space, emphasizing variations with altitude and distance from the continent with a suite of instrumentation.
The ARA King Air conducted 12 flights from a base at the Kagoshima Airport (there were also 15 ferry flights) and was focused on the impact of aerosols on clouds and was equipped with a package optimized for cloud physics with a few aerosol measurements. Most of its operations were over the East China Sea between Kyushu and Amami Ohshima.
The Japanese R/V Hakuho-Maru and R/V Mirai as well as the NOAA R/V Ron Brown conducted several cruises over the ocean to the south of the Japanese mainland. R/V Hakuho-Maru sailed from 20 June to 27 July 2000; R/V Mirai had three cruises 9 May to 10 June 2000, 13 June to 6 July 2000, and 14-28 May 2001; and R/V Ron Brown from 14 March to 20 April 2001. Each R/V had an assortment of aerosol chemical, physical, and optical measurements as well as radiation and meteorology instrumentation (click on the cruise dates for information).
ACE-Asia also utilized a network of ground stations to quantify the chemical, physical, and radiative properties of aerosols in the study area and assess their spatial and temporal (seasonal and inter-annual) variability. The network was composed of basic and enhanced stations that operated in routine and intensive modes. The basic stations were outfitted with a standard aerosol sampler. The enhanced stations were in four subnetworks and were equipped with comparable sets of instruments to investigate (1) multiphase chemistry, (2) aerosol optics, (3) aerosol deposition, and (4) vertical structure of the atmosphere.
ACE-Asia ground network sampling sites.
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Among the scientific findings from ACE-Asia are the following:
Further information on ACE-Asia is available in the overview article published in the ACE-Asia special issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Data Policy
Data Submission Guidelines
Documentation Guidelines
Discussion in the Operations Center at Iwakuni MCAS.
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Publications
Publications (last updated 2003)
Journal of Geophysical Research Overview Paper
Journal of Geophysical Research Special Issue
R/V Hakuho-Maru.
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Project Prospectus
Science and Implementation Plan for Network Studies
What Have We Learned from ACE-ASIA
Group Photos
Teacher at Sea Photos
Gosan Site Photos
NOAA Press Release
Iwakuni MCAS News Clip
UCAR Quarterly (Spring 2001)
UCAR Quarterly (Winter 2001)
A presentation during the ACE-Asia Public Media Day.
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Science Team Meetings
Network Sites
Japanese Ship Cruises
NOAA R/V Ron Brown
Aircraft
Low Turbulence Inlet
NOAA/PMEL
R/V Ron Brown Ship Data Page
NCAR/EOL C-130 Documentation
University of Iowa
NRL
NASA/LARC
NOAA/ESRL Gosan Station
Teacher at Sea
Gosan Station
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TRACE-P (NASA/LARC)
ACE-2 Tellus Special Issue
Asian Particulate Environment Change Studies (APEX)
SKYNET
Barry Huebert (University of Hawaii; lead scientist)
Timothy Bates (NOAA/PMEL)
Thomas Choularton (University of Manchester
John Gras (CSIRO; ground station coordinator)
Kimitaka Kawamura (Hokkaido University)
Young-Joon Kim (KJIST)
Shaw Liu (Northern Taiwan University
Mingxing Wang (Institute of Atmospheric Physics
ACE-Asia Lead Scientist Barry Huebert.
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