Variation of atmospheric aerosol optical depth and its relationship with climate change in China east of 100°E over the last 50 years

Understanding the role of aerosols in global and regional climate change requires the long-term measurements of aerosol optical properties. We use an indirect method to infer aerosol optical depths (AODs) based on atmospheric visibility and water vapor pressure measured at 504 key climate stations in eastern China (east of 100° E) over 1951–2002. Inferred AODs are compared with the MODIS satellite measurements for year of 2002. Results show that AODs averaged over 1951–2000 exhibit large values in Sichuan Basin and Changjiang River Delta, and there are two belts of high AODs, one from Beijing to South China by the middle reaches of Changjiang River and the other from Beijing to Changjiang Delta. Inferred AODs in eastern China show the lowest value in 1960s, increase dramatically in 1980s, and reach maximum in 1990s. The ratios of the regional and decadal mean AOD in 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s to that in 1960s are 1.085, 1.0, 1.066, 1.195, and 1.22, respectively. Statistical analysis shows that variations in AODs correlate with the changes in precipitation and air temperature in eastern China over the past 50 years. Correlation coefficients between annual mean AOD and precipitation are 0.39, 0.37, and 0.57 in the upper (Sichuan Basin), middle, and lower reaches of the Changjiang River, respectively. In the Sichuan Basin, the increase in annual mean AOD correlates with the reduction in air temperature with a correlation coefficient of −0.33 at 95% confidence level.