The EARLINET database represents a comprehensive, quantitative, and statistically significant collection of data for the aerosol distribution on European scale. The data quality of the database is assured by intercomparisons at both instrument and algorithm levels. It is an important source of data to contribute to the quantification of anthropogenic and biogenic emissions and concentrations of aerosol, quantification of their budgets, radiative properties and prediction of future trends. It can improve the understanding of physical and chemical processes related to the aerosols, their long-range transport and deposition, and their interaction with clouds.
The EARLINET database is publicly available system that allows scientists to search, download and visualize aerosol LIDAR data from the EARLINET network.
A login account can be obtained through the Login-page. It is necessary to read and accept the data access policy before requesting a login password.
The EARLINET database includes aerosol backscatter coefficient profiles (as a function of height above mean sea level), together with their errors, mainly at one or more out of the following wavelengths: 355 nm, 532 nm and 1064 nm, but a subset of measurements is related also to different wavelengths. The database includes also volume and particle depolarization ratio profiles at 532 nm (some stations also at 355 nm). In case Raman-lidars are operated, both backscatter and extinction coefficients are provided, together with vertical profiles of lidar ratio. The database provides also the aerosol layer height (top of dust layer) and
the mixing layer height (top of convective boundary layer). All the data data are stored in CF-compliant Netcdf-Format.
Data are classified on the basis of four categories:
More detailed information are reported in the Data file structure.
Level1 and Level 2 data
Data included in the database are labelled as Level 1 and Level 2. Data are labelled as Level 1 if the files have overcome Basic quality controls (BQC), consisting in checking the presence of technical problems in the data files. Data are labelled as Level 2 if they have overcome Advanced quality controls (AQC), consisting in checking the data from a physical point of view. A detailed description of the quality control tests can be found in the Quality Control web page.
Level 3 data
Since 28 March 2019, ACTRIS/EARLINET Level 3 Data products are also available. Level 3 data are the climatological products obtained from the fully quality controlled (Level 2) data for providing useful aggregated information to the users. The Level 3 data are centrally obtained by the ACTRIS aerosol remote sensing Data Center node of the CNR in Potenza. This allows the harmonization and reproducibility of the products. The detailed documentation and the data products can be found at the Level 3 data webpage.
Specific dataset related to particular set of measurements are available. They are related to the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in 2010 and to the EARLINET 72h operativity exercise held in 2012.
They can be found at the Special dataset page.