Record Details

Deep convection as a source of new particles in the midlatitude upper troposhere

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Field Value
Title Deep convection as a source of new particles in the midlatitude upper troposhere
Names Twohy, Cynthia (creator)
Clement, Charles F. (creator)
Gandrud, Bruce W. (creator)
Weinheimer, Andrew J. (creator)
Campos, Teresa L. (creator)
Baumgardner, Darrel (creator)
Brune, William H. (creator)
Faloona, Ian (creator)
Sachse, Glen W. (creator)
Vay, Stephanie A. (creator)
Tan, David (creator)
Date Issued 2002 (iso8601)
Note copyrighted by American Geophysical Union
Abstract A case study of new particle formation in the region downwind of a mesoscale
convective system stretching across much of the central United States is presented.
Airborne measurements were made of condensation nuclei (CN), cloud particle surface
area, water vapor, and other gases. CN concentrations were greatly enhanced above and
downwind of the cirrus anvil, with maximum concentrations of 45,000 per standard cm3.
Volatility and electron microscope measurements indicated that most of the particles were
likely to be small sulfate particles. The enhancement extended over at least a 600-km
region. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that high CN concentrations were
associated with surface tracers, as well as convective elements. Convection apparently
brings gas-phase particle precursors from the surface to the storm outflow region, where
particle nucleation is favored by the extremely low temperatures. Simple calculations
showed that deep convective systems may contribute to a substantial portion of the
background aerosol in the upper troposphere at midlatitudes.
Genre Article
Identifier Twohy, C. H., Clement, C. F., Gandrud, B. W., Weinheimer, A. J., Campos, T., Baumgardner, D., Brune, W. H. Faloona, I., Tan, D., Sachse D. W. and Vay, S. A., 2002, Deep convection as a source of new particles in the mid-latitude upper troposphere: J. Geophys. Res., v. 107 p. 1-10.

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