The Influence of Dust and Black Carbon on Clouds, in Africa

Rushingabigwi, Gerard; Zhang, Jiahua; Bachagha, Tarak; Kalisa, Wilson; Henchiri, Malak; Ali, Shahzad; Nsengiyumva, Philibert; Bugingo, Cesar Nduwayo

doi:10.4236/jcc.2018.611031

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Numerous studies have delved into BC assessment through the absorption mode, as demonstrated in the works of Morais et al [28]28 and Dehkhoda et al [29]. From a different perspective, the study by Rushingabigwi et al [30]30 analyzes the extinction mode, resembling the approach utilized in our present study.…”

Section: Merra-2mentioning

confidence: 93%

Relationship Between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Atmospheric Aerosols in the Legal Amazon

Pereira,

Palácios,

Santos

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) stands as the paramount tropical phenomenon of climatic magnitude resulting from ocean-atmosphere interaction. Due to its atmospheric teleconnection mechanism, ENSO wields influence over diverse environmental variables spanning distinct atmospheric scales, thereby potentially impacting the spatiotemporal distribution of atmospheric aerosols. Within this framework, this study aims to appraise the relationship between ENSO and atmospheric aerosols across the Legal Amazon during the period between 2006 and 2011. Over this quinquennium, four ENSO events were identified. Concurrently, an analysis was conducted on the spatiotemporal variability of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and AOD extinction for Black Carbon (EAOD-BC), concomitant with said ENSO events, utilizing data derived from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET), MERRA-2 model, and ERSSTV5. Through the Windowed Cross Correlation (WCC) approach, statistically significant phase lags of up to 4 to 6 months were observed between ENSO indicators and atmospheric aerosols. Moreover, conspicuous increases of over 100% in atmospheric aerosol concentration were evidenced subsequent to El Niño periods, especially during the intervals encompassing the La Niña phase, particularly within the La Niña CP (Central Pacific)/Modoki category. By analyzing specific humidity anomalies (QA), exceptional scenarios in the region were detectable. This observation suggests a notable singularity when juxtaposed with antecedent investigations and typical average patterns characterizing the impacts on the Amazonian region.

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Section: Merra-2mentioning

confidence: 93%

Relationship Between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Atmospheric Aerosols in the Legal Amazon

Pereira,

Palácios,

Santos

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Numerous studies have delved into BC assessment through the absorption mode, as demonstrated in the works of Morais et al [28] and Dehkhoda et al [29]. From a different perspective, the study by Rushingabigwi et al [30] 30 analyzes the extinction mode, resembling the approach utilized in our present study.…”

Section: Merra-2mentioning

confidence: 95%

Relationship between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Atmospheric Aerosols in the Legal Amazon

Pereira,

Palácios,

Santos

et al. 2024

Climate

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The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) stands out as the most significant tropical phenomenon in terms of climatic magnitude resulting from ocean–atmosphere interaction. Due to its atmospheric teleconnection mechanism, ENSO influences various environmental variables across distinct atmospheric scales, potentially impacting the spatiotemporal distribution of atmospheric aerosols. Within this context, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between ENSO and atmospheric aerosols across the entire Legal Amazon during the period from 2006 to 2011. Over this five-year span, four ENSO events were identified. Concurrently, an analysis of the spatiotemporal variability of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Black Carbon radiation extinction (EAOD-BC) was conducted alongside these ENSO events, utilizing data derived from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET), MERRA-2 model, and ERSSTV5. Employing the Windowed Cross-Correlation (WCC) approach, statistically significant phase lags of up to 4 to 6 months between ENSO indicators and atmospheric aerosols were observed. There was an approximate 100% increase in AOD immediately after El Niño periods, particularly during intervals encompassing the La Niña phase. The analysis of specific humidity anomaly (QA) revealed that, contrary to expectations, positive values were observed throughout most of the El Niño period. This result suggests that while there is a suppression of precipitation events during El Niño due to the subsidence of drier air masses in the Amazon, the region still exhibits positive specific humidity (Q) conditions. The interaction between aerosols and humidity is intricate. However, Q can exert influence over the microphysical and optical properties of aerosols, in addition to affecting their chemical composition and aerosol load. This influence primarily occurs through water absorption, leading to substantial alterations in radiation scattering characteristics, and thus affecting the extinction of solar radiation.

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“…The photographs document the occurrence of grassy charcoal laden dust devils over recently burned savannah. The entrainment of large quantities of charcoal contributes to the black appearance to the whirlwinds (Giersch and Raasch 2021) and potentially lifts charcoal and black carbon aerosols higher into the atmosphere and clouds (Rushingabigwi et al 2018). This may be an important component of the organic and minerogenic matter flux to highlands, which burn less frequently than savannahs (Hempson et al 2018, Probert et al 2019, and more distant depositional basins, such as Lake Victoria (Temoltzin-Loranca et al 2022).…”

Section: Serengeti Whirlwinds With Charcoal Loadsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Charcoal Whirlwinds and Post-Fire Observations in Serengeti National Park Savannahs

et al. 2022

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Whirlwinds and visible dust devils occur over semi-arid ecosystems and entrain particles from the ground surface. Fires produce abundant charcoal across savannahs and the resulting blackened surfaces create a large albedo contrast. Whirlwinds have been observed associated with active fires; yet, there are few published observations on post-fire landscapes. Spatiotemporal patterns of whirlwinds have been documented for a limited number of regions and have not been made for the ecosystems of eastern Africa. From field-based sightings in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, we report on whirlwinds over burned savannah patches that entrained large quantities of charcoal to produce black coloured charcoal devils that lofted charcoal into the atmosphere. Two occurrences of charcoal devils were sighted and photographed, one each in the Western Corridor (Bunda District) and Lamai (Serengeti District), Mara Region. The observations were compared with regional scale meteorological data and remote sensing satellite imagery and albedo estimates of the land cover conditions. Although direct meteorological or particulate matter measurements were not made, the observations show that both charcoal devils differed in colour, funnel shape, height, and savannah land cover types (different woody to grass fuel canopies), and thus different charcoal morphologies. Charcoal laden whirlwinds require further study and characterization to analyse the contribution to local-scale redistribution of matter and regional-to-global fluxes of terrestrially derived atmospheric particulates. Future research focusing on the spatiotemporal patterns of whirlwinds over burned patches of savannah, the formation, duration and dissipation mechanisms, and characterisation of the entrained material would contribute to our understanding of the phenomena. The redistribution of organic and clastic material would contribute to understanding of detrital fluxes to depositional environments, such as lakes, wetlands, and snow. Keywords: Atmospheric boundary layer; Convection; Detritus; Dust devils; Fires; Particulate matter.

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The Influence of Dust and Black Carbon on Clouds, in Africa

Cited by 4 publications

References 23 publications

Relationship Between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Atmospheric Aerosols in the Legal Amazon

Relationship Between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Atmospheric Aerosols in the Legal Amazon

Relationship between El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Atmospheric Aerosols in the Legal Amazon

Charcoal Whirlwinds and Post-Fire Observations in Serengeti National Park Savannahs

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