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A large source of cloud condensation nuclei from new particle formation in the tropics

Author

Listed:
  • Christina J. Williamson

    (University of Colorado
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

  • Agnieszka Kupc

    (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    University of Vienna)

  • Duncan Axisa

    (University of Denver
    Droplet Measurement Technologies)

  • Kelsey R. Bilsback

    (Colorado State University)

  • ThaoPaul Bui

    (NASA Ames Research Center)

  • Pedro Campuzano-Jost

    (University of Colorado
    University of Colorado)

  • Maximilian Dollner

    (University of Vienna)

  • Karl D. Froyd

    (University of Colorado
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

  • Anna L. Hodshire

    (Colorado State University)

  • Jose L. Jimenez

    (University of Colorado
    University of Colorado)

  • John K. Kodros

    (Colorado State University
    ICE/FORTH)

  • Gan Luo

    (State University of New York at Albany)

  • Daniel M. Murphy

    (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

  • Benjamin A. Nault

    (University of Colorado
    University of Colorado)

  • Eric A. Ray

    (University of Colorado
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

  • Bernadett Weinzierl

    (University of Vienna)

  • James C. Wilson

    (University of Denver)

  • Fangqun Yu

    (State University of New York at Albany)

  • Pengfei Yu

    (University of Colorado
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    Jinan University)

  • Jeffrey R. Pierce

    (Colorado State University)

  • Charles A. Brock

    (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Abstract

Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) can affect cloud properties and therefore Earth’s radiative balance1–3. New particle formation (NPF) from condensable vapours in the free troposphere has been suggested to contribute to CCN, especially in remote, pristine atmospheric regions4, but direct evidence is sparse, and the magnitude of this contribution is uncertain5–7. Here we use in situ aircraft measurements of vertical profiles of aerosol size distributions to present a global-scale survey of NPF occurrence. We observe intense NPF at high altitudes in tropical convective regions over both Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Together with the results of chemical-transport models, our findings indicate that NPF persists at all longitudes as a global-scale band in the tropical upper troposphere, covering about 40 per cent of Earth’s surface. Furthermore, we find that this NPF in the tropical upper troposphere is a globally important source of CCN in the lower troposphere, where CCN can affect cloud properties. Our findings suggest that the production of CCN as new particles descend towards the surface is not adequately captured in global models, which tend to underestimate both the magnitude of tropical upper tropospheric NPF and the subsequent growth of new particles to CCN sizes.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina J. Williamson & Agnieszka Kupc & Duncan Axisa & Kelsey R. Bilsback & ThaoPaul Bui & Pedro Campuzano-Jost & Maximilian Dollner & Karl D. Froyd & Anna L. Hodshire & Jose L. Jimenez & John K. K, 2019. "A large source of cloud condensation nuclei from new particle formation in the tropics," Nature, Nature, vol. 574(7778), pages 399-403, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:574:y:2019:i:7778:d:10.1038_s41586-019-1638-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1638-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Zengxin Pan & Feiyue Mao & Daniel Rosenfeld & Yannian Zhu & Lin Zang & Xin Lu & Joel A. Thornton & Robert H. Holzworth & Jianhua Yin & Avichay Efraim & Wei Gong, 2022. "Coarse sea spray inhibits lightning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.

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