Effects of urban aerosol variations on the Angstrom coefficient and relative humidity above the Ateneo de Manila University and surrounding areas.

Abstract

The Angstrom coefficient is the measure of the dominance of fine particles in the atmosphere. Soot and sulfate are dominant aerosol types in the vicinity of the Manila Observatory. This study aims to infer the area’s soot to sulfate concentration ratio based on the Angstrom coefficient and relative humidity measurements made at the Manila Observatory using its Aerosol Robotic NETwork (AERONET) sun photometer and the modeling program Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds (OPAC). The results show that Manila Observatory has a high soot to sulfate concentration ratio, typical of an urban setting.