Preliminary results of lidar based studies of the aerosol vertical distribution in the lower troposphere over urban coastal areas

The paper reports the results of lidar measurements performed in the lower troposphere during several measurement sessions in Athens (Greece) in 2000. For the sake of comparison, results of a similar study performed in Kołobrzeg (Poland) in 2001 are also given. These data indicate that the exhaust gases produced by motor transportation in the cities resulted in the formation of an inversion layer. The rate of convection of the inversion layer depends on the intensity of sunlight, the strength of winds and the morphology of the land. The inversion layer reaches the highest altitudes in the middle of summer, lower in early and late summer and the lowest in autumn. Over the sea the inversion layer altitude extends to several meters, but on moving inland it rises to a fewh undred meters.