ABSTRACT
Aerosols in the atmosphere can be externally and/or internally mixed owing to aging, transportation, and transformation. The size distribution, life cycle, and radiative effects of aerosols that are mixed are different than that of the individual species, and it also depends on the mixing type. Inputs on atmospheric and geophysical parameters such as atmospheric profiles of temperature, pressure, ozone, water vapor, and surface albedo are required for aerosol radiative transfer calculations in addition to aerosol properties. In the case of radiative flux, forward scattering by aerosols is generally disregarded as forward scattering only redistributes intensities; however, backward scattering can be considered equivalent to reflection. The radiative transfer algorithms used in calculating the radiative effects of aerosols in the shortwave and longwave regions are different. The atmospheric/planetary boundary layer height plays an important role in the columnar aerosol concentration as it strongly affects the vertical mixing of aerosols.
