Abstract. New particle formation (NPF), which generates nucleation mode aerosol, was observed in the tropical Upper Troposphere (UT) and Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL) by in situ airborne measurements over South America (JanuaryMarch 2005), Australia (November-December 2005), West Africa (August 2006) and Central America (2004. Particularly intense NPF was found at the bottom of the TTL. Measurements with a set of condensation particle counters (CPCs) with different d p50 (50 % lower size detection efficiency diameter or "cut-off diameter") were conducted on board the M-55 Geophysica in the altitude range of 12.0-20.5 km and on board the DLR Falcon-20 at up to 11.5 km altitude. On board the NASA WB-57F size distributions were measured over Central America in the 4 to 1000 nm diameter range with a system of nucleation mode aerosol specCorrespondence to: R. Weigel (weigelr@uni-mainz.de) trometers. Nucleation mode particle concentrations (N NM ) were derived from these measurements which allow for identifying many NPF events with N NM in the range of thousands of particles per cm 3 . Over Australia and West Africa, we identified NPF in the outflow of tropical convection, in particular of a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS). Newly formed particles with N NM > 1000 cm −3 were found to coexist with ice cloud particles (d p > 2 µm) as long as cloud particle concentrations remained below 2 cm −3 . The occurrence of NPF within the upper troposphere and the TTL was generally confined within 340 K to 380 K potential temperature, but NPF was of particular strength between 350 K and 370 K (i.e. ∼1-4 km below the cold point tropopause). Analyses of the aerosol volatility (at 250 • C) show that in the TTL on average 75-90 % of the particles were volatile, compared to typically only 50 % in the extra-tropical UT, indicative for the particles to mainly consist of H 2 SO 4 -H 2 O and possibly organic compounds. Along two flight segments over Central and South America (24 February 2005 and 7 August Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 2006, at 12.5 km altitude) in cloud free air, above thin cirrus, particularly high N NM were observed. Recent lifting had influenced the probed air masses, and N NM reached up to 16 000 particles cm −3 (ambient concentration). A sensitivity study using an aerosol model, which includes neutral and ion induced nucleation processes, simulates N NM in reasonable agreement with the in situ observations of clear-air NPF. Based on new, stringent multi-CPC criteria, our measurements corroborate the hypothesis that the tropical UT and the TTL are regions supplying freshly nucleated particles. Our findings narrow the altitude of the main source region to the bottom TTL, i.e. to the level of main tropical convection outflow, and, by means of measurements of carbon monoxide, they indicate the importance of anthropogenic emissions in NPF. After growth and/or coalescence the nucleation mode particles may act as cloud condensation nuclei in the tropical UT, or, upon ...
Abstract. In-situ ice crystal size distribution measurements are presented within the tropical troposphere and lower stratosphere. The measurements were performed using a combination of a Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP-100) and a Cloud Imaging Probe (CIP), which were installed on the Russian high altitude research aircraft M55 "Geophysica" during the SCOUT-O 3 campaign in Darwin, Australia. One of the objectives of the campaign was to characterise the Hector convective system, which appears on an almost daily basis during the pre-monsoon season over the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin. In total 90 encounters with ice clouds, between 10 and 19 km altitude were selected from the dataset and were analysed. Six of these encounters were observed in the lower stratosphere, up to 1.4 km above the local tropopause. Concurrent lidar measurements on board "Geophysica" indicate that these ice clouds were a result of overshooting convection. Large ice crystals, with a maximum dimension up to 400 µm, were observed in the stratosphere. The stratospheric ice clouds included an ice water content ranging from 7.7×10 −5 to 8.5×10 −4 g m −3 and were observed at ambient relative humidities (with respect to ice) between 75 and 157%. Three modal lognormal size distributions were fitted to the average size distributions for different potential temperature intervals, showing that the Correspondence to: S. Borrmann (stephan.borrmann@mpic.de) shape of the size distribution of the stratospheric ice clouds are similar to those observed in the upper troposphere.In the tropical troposphere the effective radius of the ice cloud particles decreases from 100 µm at about 10 km altitude, to 3 µm at the tropopause, while the ice water content decreases from 0.04 to 10 −5 g m −3 . No clear trend in the number concentration was observed with altitude, due to the thin and inhomogeneous characteristics of the observed cirrus clouds.The ice water content calculated from the observed ice crystal size distribution is compared to the ice water content derived from two hygrometer instruments. This independent measurement of the ice water content agrees within the combined uncertainty of the instruments for ice water contents exceeding 3×10 −4 g m −3 .Stratospheric residence times, calculated based on gravitational settling, and evaporation rates show that the ice crystals observed in the stratosphere over the Hector storm system had a high potential of humidifying the stratosphere locally.
Abstract. Processes occurring in the tropical upper troposphere (UT), the Tropical Transition Layer (TTL), and the lower stratosphere (LS) are of importance for the global climate, for stratospheric dynamics and air chemistry, and for their influence on the global distribution of water vapour, trace gases and aerosols. In this contribution we present aerosol and trace gas (in-situ) measurements from the tropical UT/LS over Southern Brazil, Northern Australia, and West Africa. The instruments were operated on board of the Russian high altitude research aircraft M-55 "Geophysica" and the DLR Falcon-20 during the campaigns TROCCI-
Abstract. Motivated by the need to predict how the Arctic atmosphere will change in a warming world, this article summarizes recent advances made by the research consortium NETCARE (Network on Climate and Aerosols: Addressing Key Uncertainties in Remote Canadian Environments) that contribute to our fundamental understanding of Arctic aerosol particles as they relate to climate forcing. The overall goal of NETCARE research has been to use an interdisciplinary approach encompassing extensive field observations and a range of chemical transport, earth system, and biogeochemical models. Several major findings and advances have emerged from NETCARE since its formation in 2013. (1) Unexpectedly high summertime dimethyl sulfide (DMS) levels were identified in ocean water (up to 75 nM) and the overlying atmosphere (up to 1 ppbv) in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA). Furthermore, melt ponds, which are widely prevalent, were identified as an important DMS source (with DMS concentrations of up to 6 nM and a potential contribution to atmospheric DMS of 20 % in the study area). (2) Evidence of widespread particle nucleation and growth in the marine boundary layer was found in the CAA in the summertime, with these events observed on 41 % of days in a 2016 cruise. As well, at Alert, Nunavut, particles that are newly formed and grown under conditions of minimal anthropogenic influence during the months of July and August are estimated to contribute 20 % to 80 % of the 30–50 nm particle number density. DMS-oxidation-driven nucleation is facilitated by the presence of atmospheric ammonia arising from seabird-colony emissions, and potentially also from coastal regions, tundra, and biomass burning. Via accumulation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), a significant fraction of the new particles grow to sizes that are active in cloud droplet formation. Although the gaseous precursors to Arctic marine SOA remain poorly defined, the measured levels of common continental SOA precursors (isoprene and monoterpenes) were low, whereas elevated mixing ratios of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) were inferred to arise via processes involving the sea surface microlayer. (3) The variability in the vertical distribution of black carbon (BC) under both springtime Arctic haze and more pristine summertime aerosol conditions was observed. Measured particle size distributions and mixing states were used to constrain, for the first time, calculations of aerosol–climate interactions under Arctic conditions. Aircraft- and ground-based measurements were used to better establish the BC source regions that supply the Arctic via long-range transport mechanisms, with evidence for a dominant springtime contribution from eastern and southern Asia to the middle troposphere, and a major contribution from northern Asia to the surface. (4) Measurements of ice nucleating particles (INPs) in the Arctic indicate that a major source of these particles is mineral dust, likely derived from local sources in the summer and long-range transport in the spring. In addition, INPs are abundant in the sea surface microlayer in the Arctic, and possibly play a role in ice nucleation in the atmosphere when mineral dust concentrations are low. (5) Amongst multiple aerosol components, BC was observed to have the smallest effective deposition velocities to high Arctic snow (0.03 cm s−1).
Abstract. Size-resolved and vertical profile measurements of single particle chemical composition (sampling altitude range 50-3000 m) were conducted in July 2014 in the Canadian high Arctic during an aircraft-based measurement campaign (NETCARE 2014). We deployed the single particle laser ablation aerosol mass spectrometer ALABAMA (vacuum aerodynamic diameter range approximately 200-1000 nm) to identify different particle types and their mixing states. On the basis of the single particle analysis, we found that a significant fraction (23 %) of all analyzed particles (in total: 7412) contained trimethylamine (TMA). Two main pieces of evidence suggest that these TMA-containing particles originated from emissions within the Arctic boundary layer. First, the maximum fraction of particulate TMA occurred in the Arctic boundary layer. Second, compared to particles observed aloft, TMA particles were smaller and less oxidized. Further, air mass history analysis, associated wind data and comparison with measurements of methanesulfonic acid give evidence of a marine-biogenic influence on particulate TMA. Moreover, the external mixture of TMAcontaining particles and sodium and chloride ("Na / Cl-") containing particles, together with low wind speeds, suggests particulate TMA results from secondary conversion of precursor gases released by the ocean. In contrast to TMAcontaining particles originating from inner-Arctic sources, particles with biomass burning markers (such as levoglucosan and potassium) showed a higher fraction at higher altitudes, indicating long-range transport as their source. Our measurements highlight the importance of natural, marine inner-Arctic sources for composition and growth of summertime Arctic aerosol.
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