African volcanic emissions influencing atmospheric aerosols over the Amazon rain forest

J. Saturno; F. Ditas; M. Penning de Vries; B. A. Holanda; M. L. Pöhlker; S. Carbone; S. Carbone; D. Walter; N. Bobrowski; N. Bobrowski; J. Brito; J. Brito; X. Chi; A. Gutmann; I. Hrabe de Angelis; L. A. T. Machado; D. Moran-Zuloaga; J. Rüdiger; J. Schneider; C. Schulz; Q. Wang; M. Wendisch; P. Artaxo; T. Wagner; U. Pöschl; M. O. Andreae; M. O. Andreae; C. Pöhlker

doi:10.5194/acp-18-10391-2018

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Jul 2018)

African volcanic emissions influencing atmospheric aerosols over the Amazon rain forest

J. Saturno,
F. Ditas,
M. Penning de Vries,
B. A. Holanda,
M. L. Pöhlker,
S. Carbone,
S. Carbone,
D. Walter,
N. Bobrowski,
N. Bobrowski,
J. Brito,
J. Brito,
X. Chi,
A. Gutmann,
I. Hrabe de Angelis,
L. A. T. Machado,
D. Moran-Zuloaga,
J. Rüdiger,
J. Schneider,
C. Schulz,
Q. Wang,
M. Wendisch,
P. Artaxo,
T. Wagner,
U. Pöschl,
M. O. Andreae,
M. O. Andreae,
C. Pöhlker

Affiliations

J. Saturno: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
F. Ditas: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
M. Penning de Vries: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
B. A. Holanda: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
M. L. Pöhlker: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
S. Carbone: Department of Applied Physics, Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), Rua do Matão, Travessa R, 187, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
S. Carbone: Institute of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
D. Walter: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
N. Bobrowski: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
N. Bobrowski: Institute for Environmental Physics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
J. Brito: Department of Applied Physics, Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), Rua do Matão, Travessa R, 187, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
J. Brito: Laboratory for Meteorological Physics, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
X. Chi: Institute for Climate and Global Change Research & School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
A. Gutmann: Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
I. Hrabe de Angelis: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
L. A. T. Machado: Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil
D. Moran-Zuloaga: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
J. Rüdiger: Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Bayreuth, Dr.-Hans-Frisch-Straße 1–3, 95448 Bayreuth, Germany
J. Schneider: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
C. Schulz: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
Q. Wang: Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
M. Wendisch: Leipziger Institut für Meteorologie (LIM), Universität Leipzig, Stephanstr. 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
P. Artaxo: Department of Applied Physics, Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), Rua do Matão, Travessa R, 187, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
T. Wagner: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
U. Pöschl: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
M. O. Andreae: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
M. O. Andreae: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92098, USA
C. Pöhlker: Biogeochemistry, Multiphase Chemistry, and Particle Chemistry Departments, and Satellite Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-10391-2018
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 18
pp. 10391 – 10405

Abstract

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The long-range transport (LRT) of trace gases and aerosol particles plays an important role for the composition of the Amazonian rain forest atmosphere. Sulfate aerosols originate to a substantial extent from LRT sources and play an important role in the Amazonian atmosphere as strongly light-scattering particles and effective cloud condensation nuclei. The transatlantic transport of volcanic sulfur emissions from Africa has been considered as a source of particulate sulfate in the Amazon; however, direct observations have been lacking so far. This study provides observational evidence for the influence of emissions from the Nyamuragira–Nyiragongo volcanoes in Africa on Amazonian aerosol properties and atmospheric composition during September 2014. Comprehensive ground-based and airborne aerosol measurements together with satellite observations are used to investigate the volcanic event. Under the volcanic influence, hourly mean sulfate mass concentrations in the submicron size range reached up to 3.6 µg m−3 at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory, the highest value ever reported in the Amazon region. The substantial sulfate injection increased the aerosol hygroscopicity with κ values up to 0.36, thus altering aerosol–cloud interactions over the rain forest. Airborne measurements and satellite data indicate that the transatlantic transport of volcanogenic aerosols occurred in two major volcanic plumes with a sulfate-enhanced layer between 4 and 5 km of altitude. This study demonstrates how African aerosol sources, such as volcanic sulfur emissions, can substantially affect the aerosol cycling and atmospheric processes in Amazonia.

Published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

ISSN: 1680-7316 (Print); 1680-7324 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Science: Physics; Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/

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