Enhanced aerosol mass in the tropical tropopause layer linked to ozone abundance

LIU, S., Thornberry, T. D., Yu, P., Woods, S., Rosenlof, K. H., et al. (2024). Enhanced aerosol mass in the tropical tropopause layer linked to ozone abundance. Geophysical Research Letters, doi:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107451

Title Enhanced aerosol mass in the tropical tropopause layer linked to ozone abundance
Genre Article
Author(s) S. LIU, T. D. Thornberry, P. Yu, Sarah Woods, K. H. Rosenlof, R. Gao
Abstract Aerosol particles play a critical role in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) through cloud formation and heterogeneous chemistry, influencing the radiative and chemical balance of the stratosphere. However, aerosol measurements in the TTL are sparse, resulting in poor knowledge of aerosol abundance and distribution in this important region. Here, we present in situ aircraft measurements over the western tropical Pacific, revealing a persistent and altitude-dependent enhancement of aerosol mass in the TTL compared to the convectively influenced troposphere below. Notably, our data demonstrate a striking positive correlation between aerosol mass and ozone. Model simulations suggest that organic materials constitute a substantial fraction of the total aerosol mass within the TTL. We further derived an empirical parameterization of TTL aerosol mass as a function of ozone based on their linear relationship. This framework holds potential for estimating the TTL aerosol abundance but requires further validation and refinement through future measurements.
Publication Title Geophysical Research Letters
Publication Date Apr 28, 2024
Publisher's Version of Record https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107451
OpenSky Citable URL https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7dr30pj
OpenSky Listing View on OpenSky
EOL Affiliations RAF

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