Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1349
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1349
16 May 2024
 | 16 May 2024

Large Spatiotemporal Variability in Aerosol Properties over Central Argentina during the CACTI Field Campaign

Jerome D. Fast, Adam C. Varble, Fan Mei, Mikhail Pekour, Jason Tomlinson, Alla Zelenyuk, Art J. Sedlacek III, Maria Zawadowicz, and Louisa K. Emmons

Abstract. Few field campaigns with extensive aerosol measurements have been conducted over continental areas in the southern hemisphere. To address this data gap and better understand the interactions of convective clouds and the surrounding environment, extensive in situ and remote sensing measurements were collected during the Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) field campaign conducted between October 2018 and April 2019 over the Sierras de Córdoba range of central Argentina. This study describes measurements of aerosol number, size, composition, mixing state, and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) collected at the ground and from a research aircraft during seven weeks of the campaign. Large spatial and multi-day variations in aerosol number, size, composition, and CCN were observed due to transport from upwind sources controlled by mesoscale to synoptic-scale meteorological conditions. Large vertical wind shears, back trajectories, single particle measurements, and chemical transport model predictions indicate that different types of emissions and source regions, including biogenic emissions and biomass burning from the Amazon and anthropogenic emissions from Chile and eastern Argentina, contribute to aerosols observed during CACTI. Repeated aircraft measurements near the boundary layer top reveal strong spatial and temporal variations in CCN and demonstrate that understanding the complex co-variability of aerosol properties and clouds is critical to quantify the impact of aerosol-cloud interactions. In addition to quantifying aerosol properties in this data-sparse region, these measurements will be valuable to evaluate predictions over the mid latitudes of South America and improve parameterized aerosol processes in local, regional, and global models.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Jerome D. Fast, Adam C. Varble, Fan Mei, Mikhail Pekour, Jason Tomlinson, Alla Zelenyuk, Art J. Sedlacek III, Maria Zawadowicz, and Louisa K. Emmons

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1349', Anonymous Referee #1, 22 May 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1349', Anonymous Referee #2, 25 Jul 2024
  • AC1: 'response to referee comments for egusphere-2024-1349', Jerome Fast, 23 Sep 2024
Jerome D. Fast, Adam C. Varble, Fan Mei, Mikhail Pekour, Jason Tomlinson, Alla Zelenyuk, Art J. Sedlacek III, Maria Zawadowicz, and Louisa K. Emmons
Jerome D. Fast, Adam C. Varble, Fan Mei, Mikhail Pekour, Jason Tomlinson, Alla Zelenyuk, Art J. Sedlacek III, Maria Zawadowicz, and Louisa K. Emmons

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Short summary
Aerosol property measurements recently collected at the ground and by a research aircraft in central Argentina during the CACTI campaign exhibit large spatial and temporal variability. These measurements coupled with coincident meteorological information provide a valuable dataset needed to evaluate and improve model predictions of aerosols in a traditionally data sparse region of South America.