Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3832
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3832
18 Dec 2024
 | 18 Dec 2024

Aircraft Observations of Continental Pollution In the Equatorial Lower Stratosphere over the Tropical Western Pacific During Boreal Winter

Jasna V. Pittman, Bruce C. Daube, Steven C. Wofsy, Elliot L. Atlas, Maria A. Navarro, Eric J. Hintsa, Fred L. Moore, Geoff S. Dutton, James W. Elkins, Troy D. Thornberry, Andrew W. Rollins, Eric J. Jensen, Thaopaul Bui, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, and Leonhard Pfister

Abstract. Recent studies hypothesize that emissions from fires reaching the stratosphere can provide aerosols and aerosol precursors that initiate stratospheric ozone loss and lead to radiative heating of the stratosphere and cooling of the surface. Air from the troposphere enters the stratosphere primarily over the tropical western Pacific (TWP) during boreal winter. We report observations in the TWP of persistent, ubiquitous continental pollution in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) and lower stratosphere (LS) during the Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) campaign in February–March 2014. We found concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) enhanced up to 65 % over background levels in the deep tropics (5° S–15° N, 16 –17 km). Correlations of CO with hydrocarbon and halocarbon species indicated a biomass burning source, with the largest CO enhancements found in warmer, clear air. Satellite observations of CO did not detect the thin pollution layers observed by the aircraft, but did indicate Africa, Indonesia, and the western/central Pacific as geographical hot spots for CO in the TTL. Backward trajectories identified convective encounters in these areas as the dominant sources of polluted air in the TWP. Africa and Indonesia contributed about 60 % of the excess CO, transported to the TWP in two to four weeks. Our study confirms that air in the TTL over the TWP is affected by emissions from distant fires that can rapidly reach the LS in the principal source region for air entering the stratosphere, supporting the view that fires in tropical regions could impact stratospheric ozone and temperatures.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

18 Jul 2025
Aircraft observations of biomass burning pollutants in the equatorial lower stratosphere over the tropical western Pacific during boreal winter
Jasna V. Pittman, Bruce C. Daube, Steven C. Wofsy, Elliot L. Atlas, Maria A. Navarro, Eric J. Hintsa, Fred L. Moore, Geoff S. Dutton, James W. Elkins, Troy D. Thornberry, Andrew W. Rollins, Eric J. Jensen, Thaopaul Bui, Jonathan Dean-Day, and Leonhard Pfister
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7543–7562, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7543-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7543-2025, 2025
Short summary
Jasna V. Pittman, Bruce C. Daube, Steven C. Wofsy, Elliot L. Atlas, Maria A. Navarro, Eric J. Hintsa, Fred L. Moore, Geoff S. Dutton, James W. Elkins, Troy D. Thornberry, Andrew W. Rollins, Eric J. Jensen, Thaopaul Bui, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, and Leonhard Pfister

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3832', Anonymous Referee #1, 13 Jan 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Jasna Pittman, 13 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3832', Anonymous Referee #2, 22 Jan 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Jasna Pittman, 13 Mar 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3832', Anonymous Referee #1, 13 Jan 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Jasna Pittman, 13 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3832', Anonymous Referee #2, 22 Jan 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Jasna Pittman, 13 Mar 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Jasna Pittman on behalf of the Authors (13 Mar 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
EF by Katja Gänger (17 Mar 2025)  Supplement 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (20 Mar 2025) by Marc von Hobe
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (04 Apr 2025)
ED: Publish as is (14 Apr 2025) by Marc von Hobe
AR by Jasna Pittman on behalf of the Authors (23 Apr 2025)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

18 Jul 2025
Aircraft observations of biomass burning pollutants in the equatorial lower stratosphere over the tropical western Pacific during boreal winter
Jasna V. Pittman, Bruce C. Daube, Steven C. Wofsy, Elliot L. Atlas, Maria A. Navarro, Eric J. Hintsa, Fred L. Moore, Geoff S. Dutton, James W. Elkins, Troy D. Thornberry, Andrew W. Rollins, Eric J. Jensen, Thaopaul Bui, Jonathan Dean-Day, and Leonhard Pfister
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7543–7562, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7543-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7543-2025, 2025
Short summary
Jasna V. Pittman, Bruce C. Daube, Steven C. Wofsy, Elliot L. Atlas, Maria A. Navarro, Eric J. Hintsa, Fred L. Moore, Geoff S. Dutton, James W. Elkins, Troy D. Thornberry, Andrew W. Rollins, Eric J. Jensen, Thaopaul Bui, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, and Leonhard Pfister
Jasna V. Pittman, Bruce C. Daube, Steven C. Wofsy, Elliot L. Atlas, Maria A. Navarro, Eric J. Hintsa, Fred L. Moore, Geoff S. Dutton, James W. Elkins, Troy D. Thornberry, Andrew W. Rollins, Eric J. Jensen, Thaopaul Bui, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, and Leonhard Pfister

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Short summary
Wildfires emit aerosols and precursors that once in the stratosphere could initiate stratospheric ozone loss. The Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment campaign sampled the western Pacific, the dominant longitudes where surface air lofted by convection enters the global stratosphere. Aircraft measurements provided evidence of persistent pollution layers of biomass burning character at these longitudes in the lower stratosphere, largely originating from distant fires over Africa and Indonesia.
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