Apparent absorption of solar spectral irradiance in heterogeneous ice clouds
[1] Coordinated flight legs of two aircraft above and below extended ice clouds played an important role in the Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling Experiment (Costa Rica, 2007). The Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer measured up- and downward irradiance on the high-altitude (ER-2) and the low-altitude (DC-8) aircraft, which allowed deriving apparent absorption on a point-by-point basis along the flight track. Apparent absorption is the vertical divergence of irradiance, calculated from the difference of net flux at the top and bottom of a cloud. While this is the only practical method of deriving absorption from aircraft radiation measurements, it differs from true absorption when…
Aerosol layers from the 2008 eruptions of Mount Okmok and Mount Kasatochi: In situ upper troposphere and lower stratosphere measurements of sulfate and organics over Europe
In 2008 Mount Okmok and Mount Kasatochi started erupting on 12 July and 7 August, respectively, in the Aleutians, depositing emissions of trace gases and aerosols as high as 15.2 km into the atmosphere. During an aircraft campaign, conducted over Europe in between 27 October and 2 November 2008, the volcanic aerosol was measured by an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer, capable of particle chemical composition measurements covering a size diameter range between 40 nm and 1 mm. In the volcanic aerosol layer enhanced submicron particulate sulfate concentrations of up to 2.0 mg mâÂÂ3 standard temperature and pressure (STP) were observed between 8 and 12 km altitude, while background values …
Competition of coagulation sink and source rate: New particle formation in the Pearl River Delta of China
The coagulation sink and its role in new particle formation are investigated based on data obtained during the PRIDE-PRD2004 campaign at Xinken of Pearl River Delta, China. Analysis of size distributions and mode contributions of the coagulation sink show that the observed higher load of accumulation mode particles impose a significant effect on the coagulation sink and result in higher coagulation sinks at Xinken despite of the lower total particle number compared with other areas. Hence it is concluded that the higher coagulation sink may depress the occurrence frequency of new particle formation events. The strategies targeting at controlling accumulation mode particles may have influenc…
In-situ observations of young contrails – overview and selected results from the CONCERT campaign
Lineshaped contrails were detected with the research aircraft Falcon during the CONCERT – CONtrail and Cirrus ExpeRimenT – campaign in October/November 2008. The Falcon was equipped with a set of instruments to measure the particle size distribution, shape, extinction and chemical composition as well as trace gas mixing ratios of sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), reactive nitrogen and halogen species (NO, NO<sub>y</sub>, HNO<sub>3</sub>, HONO, HCl), ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) and carbon monoxide (CO). During 12 mission flights over Europe, numerous contrails, cirrus clouds and a volcanic aerosol layer were probed at altitudes between 8.5 and 11.6 km…