FastFind »   Lastname: doi:10.1029/ Year: | Advanced Search  

AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Cloud physics and chemistry
  • Atmospheric Processes: Clouds and aerosols

Abstract

Direct observational evidence linking atmospheric aerosol formation and cloud droplet activation

Veli-Matti Kerminen

Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Heikki Lihavainen

Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Mika Komppula

Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Yrjö Viisanen

Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Markku Kulmala

Department of Physical Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

In order to predict the current state and future development of the Earth's climate system, detailed knowledge on how atmospheric aerosol particles from various sources interact with clouds is needed. In this article we present, based on continuous aerosol measurements in a remote continental location, direct observational evidence that aerosol particles formed in the atmosphere from gaseous precursors eventually participate into cloud droplet activation. By combining the measurement data with theoretical calculations, we further demonstrate that the albedo of clouds may be significantly influenced by atmospheric aerosol formation, and that this process needs to be taken into account when estimating the indirect climatic effects of aerosols in the global atmosphere.

Received 1 April 2005; accepted 16 June 2005; published 16 July 2005.

Citation: Kerminen, V.-M., H. Lihavainen, M. Komppula, Y. Viisanen, and M. Kulmala (2005), Direct observational evidence linking atmospheric aerosol formation and cloud droplet activation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L14803, doi:10.1029/2005GL023130.

Cited By

Please wait one moment ...