Observations of continental biogenic impacts onmarine aerosol and clouds off the coast of California

Author
Coggon, M.M.
Sorooshian, A.
Wang, Z.
Craven, J.S.
Metcalf, A.R.
Lin, J.J.
Nenes, A.
Jonsson, H.H.
Flagan, R.C.
Seinfeld, J.H.
Date
2014Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
During the 2011 Eastern Pacific Emitted Aerosol Cloud Experiment (E-PEACE) and 2013 Nucleation in California Experiment (NiCE) field campaigns, a predominantly organic aerosol (> 85%
by mass) was observed in the free troposphere over marine stratocumulus off the coast of California.
These particles originated from a densely forested region in the Northwestern United States. The organic
mass spectrum resolved by positive matrix factorization is consistent with the mass spectra of previously
measured biogenic organic aerosol. Particulate organic mass exhibits a latitudinal gradient that corresponds
to the geographical distribution of vegetation density and composition, with the highest concentration over
regions impacted by densely populated monoterpene sources. Due to meteorological conditions during
summer months, cloud-clearing events transport aerosol from the Northwestern United States into the free
troposphere above marine stratocumulus. Based on the variation of meteorological variables with altitude,
dry air containing enhanced biogenic organic aerosol is shown to entrain into the marine boundary layer.
Fresh impacts on cloud water composition are observed north of San Francisco, CA which is consistent
with fresh continental impacts on the marine atmosphere at higher latitudes. Continental aerosol size
distributions are bimodal. Particles in the 100 nm mode are impacted by biogenic sources, while particles in
the ~ 30 nm mode may originate from fresh biogenic emissions. Continental aerosol in the 100 nm mode is
cloud condensation nuclei active and may play a role in modulating marine stratocumulus microphysics.
Description
The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2013JD021228
Includes a supplemental bitstream.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
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