Variability of the Aerosol Content in the Tropical Lower Stratosphere from 2013 to 2019: Evidence of Volcanic Eruption Impacts
Mariam Tidiga,
Gwenaël Berthet,
Fabrice Jégou,
Corinna Kloss,
Nelson Bègue,
Jean-Paul Vernier,
Jean-Baptiste Renard,
Adriana Bossolasco,
Lieven Clarisse,
Ghassan Taha,
Thierry Portafaix,
Terry Deshler,
Frank G. Wienhold,
Sophie Godin-Beekmann,
Guillaume Payen,
Jean-Marc Metzger,
Valentin Duflot,
Nicolas Marquestaut
Affiliations
Mariam Tidiga
Laboratoire de Physique de Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E), CNRS, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
Gwenaël Berthet
Laboratoire de Physique de Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E), CNRS, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
Fabrice Jégou
Laboratoire de Physique de Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E), CNRS, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
Corinna Kloss
Laboratoire de Physique de Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E), CNRS, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
Nelson Bègue
Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Météo-France), Université de la Réunion, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
Jean-Paul Vernier
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681, USA
Jean-Baptiste Renard
Laboratoire de Physique de Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E), CNRS, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
Adriana Bossolasco
Laboratoire de Physique de Chimie de l’Environnement et de l’Espace (LPC2E), CNRS, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
Lieven Clarisse
Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Ghassan Taha
Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, USA
Thierry Portafaix
Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Météo-France), Université de la Réunion, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
Terry Deshler
Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
Frank G. Wienhold
Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science (IAC), Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Sophie Godin-Beekmann
LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75000 Paris, France
Guillaume Payen
Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers de La Réunion (OSU-Réunion), UAR 3365, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, Météo-France, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
Jean-Marc Metzger
Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers de La Réunion (OSU-Réunion), UAR 3365, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, Météo-France, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
Valentin Duflot
Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones (LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Météo-France), Université de la Réunion, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
Nicolas Marquestaut
Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers de La Réunion (OSU-Réunion), UAR 3365, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, Météo-France, 97400 Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
This paper quantifies the tropical stratospheric aerosol content as impacted by volcanic events over the 2013–2019 period. We use global model simulations by the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) which is part of the Community Earth System Model version 1.0 (CESM1). WACCM is associated with the Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA) sectional aerosol microphysics model which includes full sulphur chemical and microphysical cycles with no a priori assumption on particle size. Five main volcanic events (Kelud, Calbuco, Ambae, Raikoke and Ulawun) have been reported and are shown to have significantly influenced the stratospheric aerosol layer in the tropics, either through direct injection in this region or through transport from extra-tropical latitudes. Space-borne data as well as ground-based lidar and balloon-borne in situ observations are used to evaluate the model calculations in terms of aerosol content, vertical distribution, optical and microphysical properties, transport and residence time of the various volcanic plumes. Overall, zonal mean model results reproduce the occurrence and vertical extents of the plumes derived from satellite observations but shows some discrepancies for absolute values of extinction and of stratospheric aerosol optical depth (SAOD). Features of meridional transport of the plumes emitted from extra-tropical latitudes are captured by the model but simulated absolute values of SAOD differ from 6 to 200% among the various eruptions. Simulations tend to agree well with observed in situ vertical profiles for the Kelud and Calbuco plumes but this is likely to depend on the period for which comparison is done. Some explanations for the model–measurement discrepancies are discussed such as the inaccurate knowledge of the injection parameters and the presence of ash not accounted in the simulations.
