Biomass Burning Smoke and Its Influence on Clouds Over the Western U. S.

Twohy, Cynthia H.; Toohey, Darin W.; Levin, Ezra J. T.; DeMott, Paul J.; Rainwater, Bryan; Garofalo, Lauren A.; Pothier, Matson A.; Farmer, Delphine K.; Kreidenweis, Sonia M.; Pokhrel, Rudra P.; Murphy, Shane M.; Reeves, J. Michael; Moore, Kathryn A.; Fischer, Emily V.

doi:10.1029/2021GL094224

i

Biomass Burning Smoke and Its Influence on Clouds Over the Western U. S.

Supporting Files

2021
By Twohy, Cynthia H. ; Toohey, Darin W. ; Levin, Ezra J. T. ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Geophysical Research Letters
Personal Author:

Twohy, Cynthia H. ; Toohey, Darin W. ; Levin, Ezra J. T. ; DeMott, Paul J. ; Rainwater, Bryan ; Garofalo, Lauren A. ; Pothier, Matson A. ; Farmer, Delphine K. ; Kreidenweis, Sonia M. ; Pokhrel, Rudra P. ; Murphy, Shane M. ; Reeves, J. Michael ; Moore, Kathryn A. ; Fischer, Emily V.
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; CPO (Climate Program Office)
Description:

Small cumulus clouds over the western United States were measured via airborne instruments during the wildfire season in summer of 2018. Statistics of the sampled clouds are presented and compared to smoke aerosol properties. Cloud droplet concentrations were enhanced in regions impacted by biomass burning smoke, at times exceeding 3,000 cm−3. Images and elemental composition of individual smoke particles and cloud droplet residuals are presented and show that most are dominantly organic, internally mixed with some inorganic elements. Despite their high organic content and relatively low hygroscopicity, on average about half of smoke aerosol particles >80 nm diameter formed cloud droplets. This reduced cloud droplet size in small, smoke-impacted clouds. A number of complex and competing climatic impacts may result from wide-spread reductions in cloud droplet size due to wildfires prevalent across the region during summer months.
Keywords:

Aerosols Atmospheric Chemistry Clouds Wildfires Atmospheric Chemistry
Source:

Geophysical Research Letters 48(15): e2021GL094224
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL094224
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA17OAR4310010
Place as Subject:

United States
Rights Information:

Other
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:15a9713713f75aece2a57aa5204cb8586f7e6e6f8bffe85d59d29ffddd43a942
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/45559/noaa_45559_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.32 MB ]

Supplemental media

Download docx

ON THIS PAGE

Details Supporting Files

The NOAA IR serves as an archival repository of NOAA-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other information authored or co-authored by NOAA or funded partners. As a repository, the NOAA IR retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.