Amazon boundary layer aerosol concentration sustained by vertical transport during rainfall.

The nucleation of atmospheric vapours is an important source of new aerosol particles that can subsequently grow to form cloud condensation nuclei in the atmosphere. Most field studies of atmospheric aerosols over continents are influenced by atmospheric vapours of anthropogenic origin (for example, ref. 2) and, in consequence, aerosol processes in pristine, terrestrial environments remain poorly understood. The Amazon rainforest is one of the few continental regions where aerosol particles and their precursors can be studied under near-natural conditions, but the origin of small aerosol particles that grow into cloud condensation nuclei in the Amazon boundary layer remains unclear. Here we present aircraft- and ground-based measurements under clean conditions during the wet season in the central Amazon basin. We find that high concentrations of small aerosol particles (with diameters of less than 50 nanometres) in the lower free troposphere are transported from the free troposphere into the boundary layer during precipitation events by strong convective downdrafts and weaker downward motions in the trailing stratiform region. This rapid vertical transport can help to maintain the population of particles in the pristine Amazon boundary layer, and may therefore influence cloud properties and climate under natural conditions.

Fast in situ airborne measurement of ammonia using a mid-infrared off-axis ICOS spectrometer.

A new ammonia (NH3) analyzer was developed based on off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy. Its feasibility was demonstrated by making tropospheric measurements in flights aboard the Department of Energy Gulfstream-1 aircraft. The ammonia analyzer consists of an optical cell, quantum-cascade laser, gas sampling system, control and data acquisition electronics, and analysis software. The NH3 mixing ratio is determined from high-resolution absorption spectra obtained by tuning the laser wavelength over the NH3 fundamental vibration band near 9.67 µm. Excellent linearity is obtained over a wide dynamic range (0-101 ppbv) with a response rate (1/e) of 2 Hz and a precision of ±90 pptv (1σ in 1 s). Two research flights were conducted over the Yakima Valley in Washington State. In the first flight, the ammonia analyzer was used to identify signatures of livestock from local dairy farms with high vertical and spatial resolution under low wind and calm atmospheric conditions. In the second flight, the analyzer captured livestock emission signals under windy conditions. Our results demonstrate that this new ammonia spectrometer is capable of providing fast, precise, and accurate in situ observations of ammonia aboard airborne platforms to advance our understanding of atmospheric compositions and aerosol formation.

New particle formation in the remote marine boundary layer.

Marine low clouds play an important role in the climate system, and their properties are sensitive to cloud condensation nuclei concentrations. While new particle formation represents a major source of cloud condensation nuclei globally, the prevailing view is that new particle formation rarely occurs in remote marine boundary layer over open oceans. Here we present evidence of the regular and frequent occurrence of new particle formation in the upper part of remote marine boundary layer following cold front passages. The new particle formation is facilitated by a combination of efficient removal of existing particles by precipitation, cold air temperatures, vertical transport of reactive gases from the ocean surface, and high actinic fluxes in a broken cloud field. The newly formed particles subsequently grow and contribute substantially to cloud condensation nuclei in the remote marine boundary layer and thereby impact marine low clouds.

Dust and biological aerosols from the Sahara and Asia influence precipitation in the western U.S.

Winter storms in California's Sierra Nevada increase seasonal snowpack and provide critical water resources and hydropower for the state. Thus, the mechanisms influencing precipitation in this region have been the subject of research for decades. Previous studies suggest Asian dust enhances cloud ice and precipitation, whereas few studies consider biological aerosols as an important global source of ice nuclei (IN). Here, we show that dust and biological aerosols transported from as far as the Sahara were present in glaciated high-altitude clouds coincident with elevated IN concentrations and ice-induced precipitation. This study presents the first direct cloud and precipitation measurements showing that Saharan and Asian dust and biological aerosols probably serve as IN and play an important role in orographic precipitation processes over the western United States.