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Composition and physical properties of the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer and the North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer

Yu, Pengfei ; Toon, Owen B. ; Neely, Ryan R. ; Martinsson, Bengt LU and Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M. (2015) In Geophysical Research Letters 42(7). p.2540-2546
Abstract
Recent studies revealed layers of enhanced aerosol scattering in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over Asia (Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL)) and North America (North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer (NATAL)). We use a sectional aerosol model (Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA)) coupled with the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) to explore the composition and optical properties of these aerosol layers. The observed aerosol extinction enhancement is reproduced by CESM1/CARMA. Both model and observations indicate a strong gradient of the sulfur-to-carbon ratio from Europe to the Asia on constant pressure surfaces. We found that the ATAL is mostly composed of sulfates,... (More)
Recent studies revealed layers of enhanced aerosol scattering in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over Asia (Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL)) and North America (North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer (NATAL)). We use a sectional aerosol model (Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA)) coupled with the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) to explore the composition and optical properties of these aerosol layers. The observed aerosol extinction enhancement is reproduced by CESM1/CARMA. Both model and observations indicate a strong gradient of the sulfur-to-carbon ratio from Europe to the Asia on constant pressure surfaces. We found that the ATAL is mostly composed of sulfates, surface-emitted organics, and secondary organics; the NATAL is mostly composed of sulfates and secondary organics. The model also suggests that emission increases in Asia between 2000 and 2010 led to an increase of aerosol optical depth of the ATAL by 0.002 on average which is consistent with observations. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ATAL, NATAL
in
Geophysical Research Letters
volume
42
issue
7
pages
2540 - 2546
publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
external identifiers
  • wos:000353988700059
  • pmid:26709320
  • scopus:84928695762
  • pmid:26709320
ISSN
1944-8007
DOI
10.1002/2015GL063181
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
20018d59-8d6c-4508-ba6b-93169b6f059c (old id 7432663)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:04:08
date last changed
2022-04-06 08:34:49
@article{20018d59-8d6c-4508-ba6b-93169b6f059c,
  abstract     = {{Recent studies revealed layers of enhanced aerosol scattering in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over Asia (Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL)) and North America (North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer (NATAL)). We use a sectional aerosol model (Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA)) coupled with the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) to explore the composition and optical properties of these aerosol layers. The observed aerosol extinction enhancement is reproduced by CESM1/CARMA. Both model and observations indicate a strong gradient of the sulfur-to-carbon ratio from Europe to the Asia on constant pressure surfaces. We found that the ATAL is mostly composed of sulfates, surface-emitted organics, and secondary organics; the NATAL is mostly composed of sulfates and secondary organics. The model also suggests that emission increases in Asia between 2000 and 2010 led to an increase of aerosol optical depth of the ATAL by 0.002 on average which is consistent with observations.}},
  author       = {{Yu, Pengfei and Toon, Owen B. and Neely, Ryan R. and Martinsson, Bengt and Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M.}},
  issn         = {{1944-8007}},
  keywords     = {{ATAL; NATAL}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{2540--2546}},
  publisher    = {{American Geophysical Union (AGU)}},
  series       = {{Geophysical Research Letters}},
  title        = {{Composition and physical properties of the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer and the North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2015GL063181}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/2015GL063181}},
  volume       = {{42}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}