scholarly journals Summertime nitrate aerosol in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over the Tibetan Plateau and the South Asian summer monsoon region

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 6641-6663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yixuan Gu ◽  
Hong Liao ◽  
Jianchun Bian
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
South Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Asian Summer ◽  
Nitrate Aerosol

Abstract. We use the global three-dimensional Goddard Earth Observing System chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to examine the contribution of nitrate aerosol to aerosol concentrations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) over the Tibetan Plateau and the South Asian summer monsoon (TP/SASM) region during summertime of year 2005. Simulated surface-layer aerosol concentrations are compared with ground-based observations, and simulated aerosols in the UTLS are evaluated by using the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II satellite data. Simulations show elevated aerosol concentrations of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, black carbon, organic carbon, and PM2.5 (particles with diameter equal to or less than 2.5 µm, defined as the sum of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, black carbon, and organic carbon aerosols in this study) in the UTLS over the TP/SASM region throughout the summer. Nitrate aerosol is simulated to be of secondary importance near the surface but the most dominant aerosol species in the UTLS over the studied region. Averaged over summertime and over the TP/SASM region, CNIT (the ratio of nitrate concentration to PM2.5 concentration) values are 5–35 % at the surface, 25–50 % at 200 hPa, and could exceed 60 % at 100 hPa. The mechanisms for the accumulation of nitrate in the UTLS over the TP/SASM region include vertical transport and the gas-to-aerosol conversion of HNO3 to form nitrate. The high relative humidity and low temperature associated with the deep convection over the TP/SASM region are favorable for the gas-to-aerosol conversion of HNO3.

scholarly journals Summertime nitrate aerosol in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over the Tibetan Plateau and the South Asian summer monsoon region

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (21) ◽  
pp. 32049-32099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Gu ◽  
H. Liao
Keyword(s):  
Surface Layer ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
South Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Asian Summer ◽  
Nitrate Aerosol

Abstract. We use the global three-dimensional Goddard Earth Observing System chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to examine the contribution of nitrate aerosol to aerosol concentrations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) over the Tibetan Plateau and the South Asian summer monsoon (TP/SASM) region during summertime of year 2005. Simulated surface-layer aerosol concentrations are compared with ground-based observations, and simulated aerosols in the UTLS are evaluated by using the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II satellite data. Simulations show elevated aerosol concentrations of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, black carbon, organic carbon, and PM2.5 (particles with diameter equal or less than 2.5 μm) in the UTLS over the TP/SASM region throughout the summer. Nitrate aerosol is simulated to be the second largest aerosol species in the surface-layer but the most dominant aerosol species in the UTLS over the studied region. Averaged over summertime and over the TP/SASM region, CNIT (the ratio of nitrate concentration to PM2.5 concentration) values are 5–35 % at the surface, 25–50 % at 200 hPa, and exceed 60 % at 100 hPa. The mechanisms for the accumulation of nitrate in the UTLS over the TP/SASM region include vertical transport and the gas-to-aerosol conversion of HNO3 to form nitrate. The high relative humidity and low temperature associated with the deep convection over the TP/SASM region are favorable for the gas-to-aerosol conversion of HNO3.

scholarly journals Modelling the aerosol chemical composition of the tropopause over the Tibetan Plateau during the Asian summer monsoon

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianzhong Ma ◽  
Christoph Brühl ◽  
Qianshan He ◽  
Benedikt Steil ◽  
Vlassis A. Karydis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Mineral Dust ◽  
Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Aerosol Extinction ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Asian Summer

Abstract. Enhanced aerosol abundance in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) associated with the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), is referred to as the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL). The chemical composition, microphysical properties and climate effects of aerosols in the ATAL have been the subject of discussion over the past decade. In this work, we use the ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) general circulation model at a relatively fine grid resolution (about 1.1 × 1.1 degrees) to numerically simulate the emissions and chemistry of aerosols and their precursors in the UTLS within the ASM anticyclone during the years 2010–2012. We find a pronounced maximum in aerosol extinction in the UTLS over the Tibetan Plateau, which to a large extent is caused by mineral dust emitted from the northern Tibetan Plateau and slope areas, lofted to an altitude of at least 10 km, and accumulating within the anticyclonic circulation. Our simulations show that mineral dust, water soluble compounds, such as nitrate and sulfate, and associated liquid water dominate aerosol extinction in the UTLS within the ASM anticyclone. Due to shielding of high background sulfate concentrations outside the anticyclone from volcanoes, a relative minimum of aerosol extinction within the anticyclone in the lower stratosphere is simulated, being most pronounced in 2011 when the Nabro eruption occurred. In contrast to mineral dust and nitrate concentrations, sulfate increases with increasing altitude due to the larger volcano effects in the lower stratosphere compared to the upper troposphere. Our study indicates that the UTLS over the Tibetan Plateau can act as a well-defined conduit for natural and anthropogenic gases and aerosols into the stratosphere.

scholarly journals Modeling the aerosol chemical composition of the tropopause over the Tibetan Plateau during the Asian summer monsoon

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (17) ◽  
pp. 11587-11612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianzhong Ma ◽  
Christoph Brühl ◽  
Qianshan He ◽  
Benedikt Steil ◽  
Vlassis A. Karydis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Summer Monsoon ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Mineral Dust ◽  
Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Aerosol Extinction ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Asian Summer

Abstract. Enhanced aerosol abundance in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) associated with the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) is referred to as the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL). The chemical composition, microphysical properties, and climate effects of aerosols in the ATAL have been the subject of discussion over the past decade. In this work, we use the ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) general circulation model at a relatively fine grid resolution (about 1.1×1.1∘) to numerically simulate the emissions, chemistry, and transport of aerosols and their precursors in the UTLS within the ASM anticyclone during the years 2010–2012. We find a pronounced maximum of aerosol extinction in the UTLS over the Tibetan Plateau, which to a large extent is caused by mineral dust emitted from the northern Tibetan Plateau and slope areas, lofted to an altitude of at least 10 km, and accumulating within the anticyclonic circulation. We also find that the emissions and convection of ammonia in the central main body of the Tibetan Plateau make a great contribution to the enhancement of gas-phase NH3 in the UTLS over the Tibetan Plateau and ASM anticyclone region. Our simulations show that mineral dust, water-soluble compounds, such as nitrate and sulfate, and associated liquid water dominate aerosol extinction in the UTLS within the ASM anticyclone. Due to shielding of high background sulfate concentrations outside the anticyclone from volcanoes, a relative minimum of aerosol extinction within the anticyclone in the lower stratosphere is simulated, being most pronounced in 2011, when the Nabro eruption occurred. In contrast to mineral dust and nitrate concentrations, sulfate increases with increasing altitude due to the larger volcano effects in the lower stratosphere compared to the upper troposphere. Our study indicates that the UTLS over the Tibetan Plateau can act as a well-defined conduit for natural and anthropogenic gases and aerosols into the stratosphere.

scholarly journals Observational evidence of particle hygroscopic growth in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS) over the Tibetan Plateau

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (13) ◽  
pp. 8399-8406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianshan He ◽  
Jianzhong Ma ◽  
Xiangdong Zheng ◽  
Xiaolu Yan ◽  
Holger Vömel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Hygroscopic Growth ◽  
Upper Troposphere

Abstract. We measured the vertical profiles of backscatter ratio (BSR) using the balloon-borne, lightweight Compact Optical Backscatter AerosoL Detector (COBALD) instruments above Linzhi, located in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, in the summer of 2014. An enhanced aerosol layer in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS), with BSR (455 nm) > 1.1 and BSR (940 nm) > 1.4, was observed. The color index (CI) of the enhanced aerosol layer, defined as the ratio of aerosol backscatter ratios (ABSRs) at wavelengths of 940 and 455 nm, varied from 4 to 8, indicating the prevalence of fine particles with a mode radius of less than 0.1 µm. We find that unlike the very small particles (mode radius smaller than 0.04 µm) at low relative humidity (RHi < 40 %), the relatively large particles in the aerosol layer were generally very hydrophilic as their size increased dramatically with relative humidity. This result indicates that water vapor can play a very important role in increasing the size of fine particles in the UTLS over the Tibetan Plateau. Our observations provide observation-based evidence supporting the idea that aerosol particle hygroscopic growth is an important factor influencing the radiative properties of the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL) during the Asian summer monsoon.

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