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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • chlorophyll
  • effective radius
  • aerosol effect

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions
  • Atmospheric Processes: Clouds and aerosols
  • Atmospheric Processes: Clouds and cloud feedbacks
  • Atmospheric Processes: Remote sensing

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L13807, 7 PP., 2008
doi:10.1029/2008GL034354

Lack of correlation between chlorophyll a and cloud droplet effective radius in shallow marine clouds

Matthew A. Miller

Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Sandra E. Yuter

Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

The hypothesis that areas of high oceanic productivity affect the physical properties of shallow marine clouds via the production of secondary organic aerosols is evaluated using satellite data. The correlation between chlorophyll a concentrations, an indication of oceanic productivity, and low cloud droplet liquid phase effective radius (R e ) is examined for several ocean regions and time periods. While a strong correlation between chlorophyll a and low R e can occur for specific periods in some locations, the correlation is not reproducible in other regions and time periods. The intermittent correlation between high concentrations of chlorophyll a and low R e is a coincidence and is not representative of a dominant, monotonic, causative relation between secondary organic aerosols and marine shallow cloud properties.

Received 14 April 2008; accepted 2 June 2008; published 8 July 2008.

Citation: Miller, M. A., and S. E. Yuter (2008), Lack of correlation between chlorophyll a and cloud droplet effective radius in shallow marine clouds, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L13807, doi:10.1029/2008GL034354.

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