Spatial and seasonal variations of aerosols over China from two decades of multi-satellite observations – Part 1: ATSR (1995–2011) and MODIS C6.1 (2000–2017)

Aerosol optical depth (AOD) patterns and interannual and seasonal variations over China are discussed based on the AOD retrieved from the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR-2, 1995–2002), the Advanced ATSR (AATSR, 2002–2012) (together ATSR) and the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite (2000–2017). The AOD products used were the ATSR Dual View (ADV) v2.31 AOD and the MODIS/Terra Collection 6.1 (C6.1) merged dark target (DT) and deep blue (DB) AOD product. Together these datasets provide an AOD time series for 23 years, from 1995 to 2017. The difference between the AOD values retrieved from ATSR-2 and AATSR is small, as shown by pixel-by-pixel and monthly aggregate comparisons as well as validation results. This allows for the combination of the ATSR-2 and AATSR AOD time series into one dataset without offset correction. ADV and MODIS AOD validation results show similar high correlations with the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) AOD (0.88 and 0.92, respectively), while the corresponding bias is positive for MODIS (0.06) and negative for ADV (−0.07). Validation of the AOD products in similar conditions, when ATSR and MODIS/Terra overpasses are within 90min of each other and when both ADV and MODIS retrieve AOD around AERONET locations, show that ADV performs better than MODIS in autumn, while MODIS performs slightly better in spring and summer. In winter, both ADV and MODIS underestimate the AERONET AOD. Similar AOD patterns are observed by ADV and MODIS in annual and seasonal aggregates as well as in time series. ADV–MODIS difference maps show that MODIS AOD is generally higher than that from ADV. Both ADV and MODIS show similar seasonal AOD behavior. The AOD maxima shift from spring in the south to summer along the eastern coast further north. The agreement between sensors regarding year-to-year AOD changes is quite good. During the period from 1995 to 2006 AOD increased in the southeast (SE) of China. Between 2006 and 2011 AOD did not change much, showing minor minima in 2008–2009. From 2011 onward AOD decreased in the SE of China. Similar patterns exist in year-to-year ADV and MODIS annual AOD tendencies in the overlapping period. However, regional differences between the ATSR and MODIS AODs are quite large. The consistency between ATSR and MODIS with regards to the AOD tendencies in the overlapping period is rather strong in summer, autumn and overall for the yearly average; however, in winter and spring, when there is a difference in coverage between the two instruments, the agreement between ATSR and MODIS is lower. AOD tendencies in China during the 1995–2017 period will be discussed in more detail in Part 2 (a following paper: Sogacheva et al., 2018), where a method to combine AOD time series from ADV and MODIS is introduced, and combined AOD time series are analyzed