Estimation of radiative forcing by the dust and non-dust content in mixed East Asian pollution plumes on the basis of depolarization ratios measured with lidar

► We calculated the respective radiative forcing of dust and non-dust part of the Asian dust plumes. ► Vertically resolved optical properties of the aerosols derived by Lidar were used as inputs for RTM. ► The non-dust particles contributed larger to the radiative forcing at the surface than the dusts. ► Asian dust radiative forcing can be enhanced largely due to non-dust particles mixed into dust layer. ► Pollution particles play a key role in stabilizing the dust layer by increasing the heating rates.