Characterisation of hygroscopic aerosol processes using remote sensing and in situ techniques at the MeteoSwiss Payerne station
- 1Universidad de Granada (Granada, Spain)
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive assessment of aerosol hygroscopicity during the HYGRO19 field campaign conducted at the MeteoSwiss station in Payerne (Switzerland) from June to December 2019. Continuous profiles of aerosol backscatter, water vapour mixing ratio, and temperature provided by the Raman Lidar for Meteorological Observations (RALMO) during both daytime and nighttime allowed aerosol hygroscopic growth to be investigated temporally and vertically under different atmospheric conditions. The campaign also provided a unique experimental framework by combining continuous Raman lidar observations with vertically resolved in situ measurements from the balloon-borne Compact Backscatter Aerosol Detector coupled with Vaisala RS41 radiosondes (COBALD-RS41), ground-based tandem nephelometers, and complementary surface aerosol chemical analyses, enabling aerosol hygroscopicity to be evaluated using three complementary approaches. Two contrasting aerosol regimes were observed: a summer period characterised by relatively high aerosol loading and frequent influence from long-range transported particles, and a second period dominated by low-pressure systems, persistent cloudiness, and reduced aerosol concentrations. Through these different atmospheric conditions, more than 200 well-mixed hygroscopic aerosol layers were identified with RALMO, with median hygroscopicity parameters of f β (355 nm) =2.64±0.64 and γ β (355 nm) =0.70±0.18. Statistical analyses revealed no systematic dependence of aerosol hygroscopicity on altitude, with comparable values in the atmospheric boundary layer and free troposphere. Multi-instrument comparisons showed generally consistent hygroscopic behaviour among RALMO, COBALD-RS41, and tandem nephelometer observations in the analysed cases, despite differences between the techniques. Surface chemical analyses showed a predominance of organic matter, with inorganic species accounting for approximately 11 % of the aerosol mass. No clear dependence of aerosol hygroscopicity on particle size was identified. These results show that continuous Raman lidar observations, complemented by vertically resolved and ground-based in situ measurements, provide a robust framework for characterising aerosol hygroscopicity under ambient atmospheric conditions.
Versions
Related
- Spring-summer atmospheric circulation and boundary layer processes modulating aerosol and cloud characteristics over the coastal Northeast Pacific during EPCAPE
- Hydraulic Activation of Stomata Induced by Hygroscopic Fertilizer Salts Alters Crop Carbon–Water Exchange: Field Evidence From Cereal Crops
- Resilient Stratospheric Aerosol Injection is Cooperative
- Forcing closure suggests stronger aerosol forcing and higher climate sensitivity than the consensus
- Spatial variation of aerosol properties over Europe derived from satellite observations and comparison with model calculations
BibTeX
@article{diazzurita2026characterisation,
title = {{Characterisation of hygroscopic aerosol processes using remote sensing and in situ techniques at the MeteoSwiss Payerne station}},
author = {Arlett Díaz-Zurita and Simone Brunamonti and Alexander Haefele and Martine Collaud Coen and Giovanni Martucci and Benjamin Tobias Brem and Martin Gysel-Beer and Hassan Lyamani and Gloria Titos and Daniel Pérez-Ramírez and Christoph Hüglin and Lucas Alados-Arboledas and Alejandro Keller and Frank Gunther Wienhold and Maxime Hervo and Francisco Navas-Guzmán},
journal = {Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.5194/acp-26-15653-2026},
url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15653-2026},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Characterisation of hygroscopic aerosol processes using remote sensing and in situ techniques at the MeteoSwiss Payerne station
AU - Arlett Díaz-Zurita
AU - Simone Brunamonti
AU - Alexander Haefele
AU - Martine Collaud Coen
AU - Giovanni Martucci
AU - Benjamin Tobias Brem
AU - Martin Gysel-Beer
AU - Hassan Lyamani
AU - Gloria Titos
AU - Daniel Pérez-Ramírez
AU - Christoph Hüglin
AU - Lucas Alados-Arboledas
AU - Alejandro Keller
AU - Frank Gunther Wienhold
AU - Maxime Hervo
AU - Francisco Navas-Guzmán
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/09
JO - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
DO - 10.5194/acp-26-15653-2026
UR - https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15653-2026
AB - This study presents a comprehensive assessment of aerosol hygroscopicity during the HYGRO19 field campaign conducted at the MeteoSwiss station in Payerne (Switzerland) from June to December 2019. Continuous profiles of aerosol backscatter, water vapour mixing ratio, and temperature provided by the Raman Lidar for Meteorological Observations (RALMO) during both daytime and nighttime allowed aerosol hygroscopic growth to be investigated temporally and vertically under different atmospheric conditions. The campaign also provided a unique experimental framework by combining continuous Raman lidar observations with vertically resolved in situ measurements from the balloon-borne Compact Backscatter Aerosol Detector coupled with Vaisala RS41 radiosondes (COBALD-RS41), ground-based tandem nephelometers, and complementary surface aerosol chemical analyses, enabling aerosol hygroscopicity to be evaluated using three complementary approaches. Two contrasting aerosol regimes were observed: a summer period characterised by relatively high aerosol loading and frequent influence from long-range transported particles, and a second period dominated by low-pressure systems, persistent cloudiness, and reduced aerosol concentrations. Through these different atmospheric conditions, more than 200 well-mixed hygroscopic aerosol layers were identified with RALMO, with median hygroscopicity parameters of f β (355 nm) =2.64±0.64 and γ β (355 nm) =0.70±0.18. Statistical analyses revealed no systematic dependence of aerosol hygroscopicity on altitude, with comparable values in the atmospheric boundary layer and free troposphere. Multi-instrument comparisons showed generally consistent hygroscopic behaviour among RALMO, COBALD-RS41, and tandem nephelometer observations in the analysed cases, despite differences between the techniques. Surface chemical analyses showed a predominance of organic matter, with inorganic species accounting for approximately 11 % of the aerosol mass. No clear dependence of aerosol hygroscopicity on particle size was identified. These results show that continuous Raman lidar observations, complemented by vertically resolved and ground-based in situ measurements, provide a robust framework for characterising aerosol hygroscopicity under ambient atmospheric conditions.
SN - 1680-7324
ER -