• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.79-87
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• 2024

This study introduces a method for estimating Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) using Broadband Aerosol Optical Depth (BAOD) derived from direct normal irradiance and meteorological factors observed between 2016 and 2017. Through correlation analyses between BAOD and atmospheric components such as Rayleigh scattering, water vapor, and tropospheric nitrogen dioxide, significant relationships were identified, enabling accurate AOD estimation. The methodology demonstrated high correlation coefficients and low Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) compared to actual AOD₅₀₀ measurements, indicating that the attenuation effects of water vapor and the direct impact of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide concentration are crucial for precise aerosol optical depth estimation. The application of BAOD for estimating AOD₅₀₀ across various time scales-hourly, daily, and monthly-showed the approach's robustness in understanding aerosol distributions and their optical properties, with a high coefficient of determination (0.96) for monthly average AOD₅₀₀ estimates. This study simplifies the aerosol monitoring process and enhances the accuracy and reliability of AOD estimations, offering valuable insights into aerosol research and its implications for climate modeling and air quality assessment. The findings underscore the viability of using BAOD as a surrogate for direct AOD₅₀₀ measurements, presenting a promising avenue for more accessible and accurate aerosol monitoring practices, crucial for improving our understanding of aerosol dynamics and their environmental impacts.