On the link between ocean biota emissions, aerosol, and maritime clouds: Airborne, ground, and satellite measurements off the coast of California

• Published in: Global biogeochemical cycles Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. GB4007 - n/a
• Main Authors: Sorooshian, Armin, Padró, Luz T., Nenes, Athanasios, Feingold, Graham, McComiskey, Allison, Hersey, Scott P., Gates, Harmony, Jonsson, Haflidi H., Miller, Steven D., Stephens, Graeme L., Flagan, Richard C., Seinfeld, John H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Geophysical Union 01.12.2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Aerosols and particles; amines; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Atmospheric Composition and Structure; Atmospheric Processes; Biological and medical sciences; Cloud physics and chemistry; Clouds and aerosols; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geochemistry; ocean-aerosol-cloud interactions; Ocean/atmosphere interactions; secondary organic aerosol; Synecology; United States; Pacific Ocean; California; IE, Pacific; INE, USA, California; ocean-aerosol-cloud interactions; secondary organic aerosol; amines; atmosphere; biota; aerosols; droplets; chlorophyll; satellite measurements; Wind velocity; concentration; exhibits; clouds; Perturbation; North America; dynamics; condensation; Water absorption; growth; size distribution
• ISSN: 0886-6236; 1944-9224
• DOI: 10.1029/2009GB003464

Surface, airborne, and satellite measurements over the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of California during the period between 2005 and 2007 are used to explore the relationship between ocean chlorophyll a, aerosol, and marine clouds. Periods of enhanced chlorophyll a and wind speed are coincident with increases in particulate diethylamine and methanesulfonate concentrations. The measurements indicate that amines are a source of secondary organic aerosol in the marine atmosphere. Subsaturated aerosol hygroscopic growth measurements indicate that the organic component during periods of high chlorophyll a and wind speed exhibit considerable water uptake ability. Increased average cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) activity during periods of increased chlorophyll a levels likely results from both size distribution and aerosol composition changes. The available data over the period of measurements indicate that the cloud microphysical response, as represented by either cloud droplet number concentration or cloud droplet effective radius, is likely influenced by a combination of atmospheric dynamics and aerosol perturbations during periods of high chlorophyll a concentrations.