COMPLEX REFRACTIVE-INDEX OF ATMOSPHERIC DUST AEROSOLS

This paper compares published data on the complex refractive index of atmospheric dust aerosols, for different geographical regions, with da ta obtained for dust aerosol samples collected during the joint U.S.S. R.-U.S. experiment in Tadzhikistan, 1989. The disadvantages of methods used for estimation of the imaginary part, alpha of the refractive in dex are discussed. There is a considerable range of values of alpha fo r dust aerosols, which is crucial for optical characteristic simulatio n. The existing discrepancy in alpha can be due to uncertainties in me thods used as well as due to the specific chemical composition of dust aerosols from various geographic locations.