Volcanoes as a Source of Atmospheric Ice Nuclei

Isono, K.; Komabayasi, M.; Ono, Akira

doi:10.1038/183317a0

Cited by 57 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…These studies have resulted in varied conclusions, suggesting that volcanoes are a source of good ice nuclei (IN) (e.g., Isono et al, 1959), that volcanoes are not a source of IN (e.g., Schnell and Delany, 1976), or even that background IN can be deactivated as a result of volcanic activity (e.g., Langer et al, 1974).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ice nucleation properties of volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull

et al. 2011

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Abstract. The ice nucleation ability of volcanic ash particles collected close to the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull during its eruptions in April and May 2010 is investigated experimentally, in the immersion and deposition modes, and applied to atmospheric conditions by comparison with airborne measurements and microphysical model calculations. The number of ash particles which are active as ice nuclei (IN) is strongly temperature dependent, with a very small minority being active in the immersion mode at temperatures of 250-263 K. Average ash particles show only a moderate effect on ice nucleation, by inducing freezing at temperatures between 236 K and 240 K (i.e. approximately 3-4 K higher than temperatures required for homogeneous ice nucleation, measured with the same instrument). By scaling the results to aircraft and lidar measurements of the conditions in the ash plume days down wind of the eruption, and by applying a simple microphysical model, it was found that the IN active in the immersion mode in the range 250-263 K generally occurred in atmospheric number densities at the lower end of those required to have an impact on ice cloud formation. However, 3-4 K above the homogeneous freezing point, immersion mode IN number densities a few days down wind of the eruption were sufficiently high to have a moderate influence on ice cloud formation. The efficiency of IN in the deposition mode was found to be poor except at very cold conditions (<238 K), when they reach an efficiency similar to that of mineral dust with the onset of freezing at 10 % supersaturation with respect to ice, and with the frozen fraction nearing its maximum value at a supersaturation 20 %. In summary, these investigations suggest volcanic ash particles to have only moderate effects on atmospheric ice formation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elevated IN concentrations were observed with an IN counter during the eruptions of the volcanoes Mihara and Asama in Japan, by Isono et al (1959). Langer et al (1974) conducted measurements with an NCAR IN counter on ash collected near an active vent of a Hawaiian volcano, as well as of crushed lava, and smoke from burnt vegetation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ice nucleation properties of volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull

et al. 2011

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“…Some studies state that volcanic ash particles act as good ice nuclei (IN) (e.g. Isono et al, 1959;Durant et al, 2008;Fornea et al, 2009;Prenni et al, 2009), while others suggest that the volcanic ash particles have no further impact as IN (e.g. Langer et al, 1974;Schnell and Delany, 1976).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lidar observation and model simulation of a volcanic-ash-induced cirrus cloud during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption

Rolf

Krämer

Schiller³

et al. 2012

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Heterogeneous ice formation induced by volcanic ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in April 2010is investigated based on the combination of a cirrus cloud observed with a backscatter lidar over Jülich (western Germany) and model simulations along backward trajectories. The microphysical properties of the cirrus cloud could only be represented by the microphysical model under the assumption of an enhanced number of efficient ice nuclei originating from the volcanic eruption. The ice nuclei (IN) concentration determined by lidar measurements directly before and after cirrus cloud occurrence implies a value of around 0.1 cm −3 (in comparison normal IN conditions: 0.01 cm −3 ). This leads to a cirrus cloud with rather small ice crystals having a mean radius of 12 µm and a modification of the ice particle number (0.08 cm −3 instead of 3 × 10 −4 cm −3 under normal IN conditions). The effectiveness of ice nuclei was estimated by the use of the microphysical model and the backward trajectories based on ECMWF data, establishing a freezing threshold of around 105 % relative humidity with respect to ice in a temperature range from −45 to −55 • C . Only with these highly efficient ice nuclei was it possible for the cirrus cloud to be formed in a slightly supersaturated environment.

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“…Volcanic ash has long been suggested to influence heterogeneous ice nucleation following explosive eruptions [8,[14][15][16][17]. There are three main modes of heterogeneous nucleation [18][19][20], which include (1) depositional nucleation, where ice forms on the surface of a solid particle directly from the vapor phase; (2) immersion freezing, where a solid particle is immersed in a supercooled water droplet and ice nucleation occurs on the particle; and (3) contact freezing, where ice forms from the contact between a supercooled water droplet and a solid particle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compositional and Mineralogical Effects on Ice Nucleation Activity of Volcanic Ash

et al. 2018

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Volcanic ash produced during explosive eruptions may serve as ice nuclei in the atmosphere, contributing to the occurrence of volcanic lightning due to tribocharging from ice-ice or ice-ash collisions. Here, different ash samples were tested using deposition-mode and immersion-mode ice nucleation experiments. Results show that bulk composition and mineral abundance have no measurable effect on depositional freezing at the temperatures tested, as all samples have similar ice saturation ratios. In the immersion mode, there is a strong positive correlation between K 2 O content and ice nucleation site density at −25 • C and a strong negative correlation between MnO and TiO 2 content at temperatures from −35 to −30 • C. The most efficient sample in the immersion mode has the highest surface area, smallest average grain size, highest K 2 O content, and lowest MnO content. These results indicate that although ash abundance-which creates more available surface area for nucleation-has a significant effect on immersion-mode freezing, composition may also contribute. Consequently, highly explosive eruptions of compositionally evolved magmas create the necessary parameters to promote ice nucleation on grain surfaces, which permits tribocharging due to ice-ice or ice-ash collisions, and contribute to the frequent occurrence of volcanic lightning within the eruptive column and plume during these events.

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Volcanoes as a Source of Atmospheric Ice Nuclei

Cited by 57 publications

References 3 publications

Ice nucleation properties of volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull

Ice nucleation properties of volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull

Lidar observation and model simulation of a volcanic-ash-induced cirrus cloud during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption

Compositional and Mineralogical Effects on Ice Nucleation Activity of Volcanic Ash

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