New approach using lidar measurements to characterize spatiotemporal aerosol mass distribution in an underground railway station in Paris

International audienceFor the first time eye safe lidar measurements were performed at 355 nm simultaneously to in situ measurements in an underground station so as to test the potential interest of active remote sensing measurements to follow the spatiotemporal evolution of aerosol content inside such a confined microenvironment. The purpose of this paper is to describe different methods enabling the conversion of lidar-derived aerosol extinction coefficient into aerosol mass concentrations (PM2.5 and PM10). A theoretical method based on a well marked linear regression between mass concentrations simulated from the size distribution and extinction coefficients retrieved from Mie calculations provides averaged mass to optics' relations over the campaign for traffic (6.47 × 105 μg m−2) or no traffic conditions (3.73 × 105 μg m−2). Two empirical methods enable to significantly reduce CPU time. The first one is based upon the knowledge of size distribution measurements and scattering coefficients from nephelometer and allows retrieving mass to optics' relations for well determined periods or particular traffic conditions, like week-ends, with a good accuracy. The second method, that is more direct, is simply based on the ratio between TEOM concentrations and extinction coefficients obtained from nephelometer. This method is easy to set up but is not suitable for nocturnal measurements where PM stabilization time is short. Lidar signals thus converted into PM concentrations from those approaches with a fine accuracy (30%) provide a spatiotemporal distribution of concentrations in the station. This highlights aerosol accumulation in one side of the station, which can be explained by air displacement from the tunnel entrance. Those results allow expecting a more general use of lidar measurement to survey indoor air quality