ANALYSIS OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF AEROSOL OPTICAL DEPTH OVER KARABUK USING MODIS

Abstract

The concept of aerosol refers to the combination of microscopic solid or liquid particles present in the atmosphere along with a mixture of gases. These particles are suspended in the air at different sizes and are evaluated based on their ability to scatter or absorb light, which is quantified through a measurement known as aerosol optical depth. These particles' quantities are determined using specialized devices, commonly referred to as "aerosol optical depth meters" or "optical thickness meters." Additionally, through remote sensing technology, aerosol optical depth can also be measured via satellites. In this study, aerosol optical depth has been examined temporally and spatially in the Karabük province for 2022. For this aim, data from National Air Quality Monitoring Stations (NAQMS) situated nationwide was employed, along with MODIS satellite images. Data from five stations in Karabük province, namely Kardemir1, Kardemir2, Tören Alanı, 75.yıl, and Safranbolu, were used for temporal analysis, while satellite imagery was used for spatial analysis. The relationship between aerosol optical depths derived from MODIS satellite data using green and blue band information and station data was investigated. As a result, a 99% positive correlation was found between the two bands obtained from the MODIS satellite, and a significant correlation was observed between ground-based particulate matter 2.5(PM2.5) and particulate matter 10 (PM10) data. Data from the Tören Alanı station, which had a higher amount of data (357 days) compared to other stations, was used to determine this correlation. It was found that there was an 86.35% positive correlation among particulate matters. A moderate correlation was also identified between ground-based data and aerosol optical depth obtained from satellite imagery.