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Rainforest Aerosols as Biogenic Nuclei of Clouds and Precipitation in the Amazon

Poeschl, U. ; Martin, S. T. ; Sinha, B. ; Chen, Q. ; Gunthe, S. S. ; Huffman, J. A. ; Borrmann, S. ; Farmer, D. K. ; Garland, R. M. and Helas, G. , et al. (2010) In Science 329(5998). p.1513-1516
Abstract
The Amazon is one of the few continental regions where atmospheric aerosol particles and their effects on climate are not dominated by anthropogenic sources. During the wet season, the ambient conditions approach those of the pristine pre-industrial era. We show that the fine submicrometer particles accounting for most cloud condensation nuclei are predominantly composed of secondary organic material formed by oxidation of gaseous biogenic precursors. Supermicrometer particles, which are relevant as ice nuclei, consist mostly of primary biological material directly released from rainforest biota. The Amazon Basin appears to be a biogeochemical reactor, in which the biosphere and atmospheric photochemistry produce nuclei for clouds and... (More)
The Amazon is one of the few continental regions where atmospheric aerosol particles and their effects on climate are not dominated by anthropogenic sources. During the wet season, the ambient conditions approach those of the pristine pre-industrial era. We show that the fine submicrometer particles accounting for most cloud condensation nuclei are predominantly composed of secondary organic material formed by oxidation of gaseous biogenic precursors. Supermicrometer particles, which are relevant as ice nuclei, consist mostly of primary biological material directly released from rainforest biota. The Amazon Basin appears to be a biogeochemical reactor, in which the biosphere and atmospheric photochemistry produce nuclei for clouds and precipitation sustaining the hydrological cycle. The prevailing regime of aerosol-cloud interactions in this natural environment is distinctly different from polluted regions. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Science
volume
329
issue
5998
pages
1513 - 1516
publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
external identifiers
  • wos:000281869000038
  • scopus:77956658485
  • pmid:20847268
ISSN
1095-9203
DOI
10.1126/science.1191056
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Nuclear Physics (Faculty of Technology) (011013007)
id
68a9d193-ca43-4480-9fab-089b542991f7 (old id 1696218)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:08:39
date last changed
2025-04-04 13:53:35
@article{68a9d193-ca43-4480-9fab-089b542991f7,
  abstract     = {{The Amazon is one of the few continental regions where atmospheric aerosol particles and their effects on climate are not dominated by anthropogenic sources. During the wet season, the ambient conditions approach those of the pristine pre-industrial era. We show that the fine submicrometer particles accounting for most cloud condensation nuclei are predominantly composed of secondary organic material formed by oxidation of gaseous biogenic precursors. Supermicrometer particles, which are relevant as ice nuclei, consist mostly of primary biological material directly released from rainforest biota. The Amazon Basin appears to be a biogeochemical reactor, in which the biosphere and atmospheric photochemistry produce nuclei for clouds and precipitation sustaining the hydrological cycle. The prevailing regime of aerosol-cloud interactions in this natural environment is distinctly different from polluted regions.}},
  author       = {{Poeschl, U. and Martin, S. T. and Sinha, B. and Chen, Q. and Gunthe, S. S. and Huffman, J. A. and Borrmann, S. and Farmer, D. K. and Garland, R. M. and Helas, G. and Jimenez, J. L. and King, S. M. and Manzi, A. and Mikhailov, E. and Pauliquevis, T. and Petters, M. D. and Prenni, A. J. and Roldin, Pontus and Rose, D. and Schneider, J. and Su, H. and Zorn, S. R. and Artaxo, P. and Andreae, M. O.}},
  issn         = {{1095-9203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5998}},
  pages        = {{1513--1516}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
  series       = {{Science}},
  title        = {{Rainforest Aerosols as Biogenic Nuclei of Clouds and Precipitation in the Amazon}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1191056}},
  doi          = {{10.1126/science.1191056}},
  volume       = {{329}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}