Articles | Volume 22, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
10 Aug 2022
Research article |
| 10 Aug 2022
| 10 Aug 2022
Sensitivity analysis of an aerosol-aware microphysics scheme in Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) during case studies of fog in Namibia
Michael John Weston
Research and Development Division, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi,
UAE
Stuart John Piketh
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Geo- and Spatial Science, North-West University,
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Frédéric Burnet
CNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS,
Toulouse, France
Stephen Broccardo
School of Geo- and Spatial Science, North-West University,
Potchefstroom, South Africa
now at: Bay Area Environmental Research Institute/NASA Ames
Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
Cyrielle Denjean
CNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS,
Toulouse, France
Thierry Bourrianne
CNRM, Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS,
Toulouse, France
Paola Formenti
Université Paris Cité and Univ Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, LISA, 75013 Paris, France
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Chenjie Yu, Ludovico Di Antonio, Peter F. DeCarlo, Benjamin A. Nault, Alejandra Velazquez-Garcia, Eleonora Aruffo, Piero Di Carlo, Cyrielle Denjean, Sarah Tinorua, Thierry Bourrianne, Diana L. Pereira, Kevin Tu, Edouard Pangui, Mathieu Cazaunau, Astrid Bauville, Noël Grand, Antonin Bergé, Claudia Di Biagio, Aline Gratien, Matthias Beekmann, Guillaume Siour, Gilles Foret, Barbara D'Anna, Julien Kammer, Huihui Wu, Christopher Cantrell, Paola Formenti, and Vincent Michoud
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 15055–15079, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15055-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15055-2026, 2026
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Coordinated ground-based and airborne measurements in Paris revealed urban-to-downwind aerosol differences over transport times of 2–6 h. Downwind organic aerosol was more oxidized, and aerosols exhibited higher single-scattering albedo, higher real and lower imaginary refractive indices, and stronger wavelength dependence of absorption. These findings highlight the need to represent evolving aerosol properties in atmospheric models and remote-sensing retrievals.
Dongchul Kim, Mian Chin, Hongbin Yu, Peter R. Colarco, Toshihiko Takemura, Paolo Tuccella, Paul Ginoux, Xiaohong Liu, Yang Shi, Hitoshi Matsui, Zhibo Zhang, Jianyu Zheng, Jasper F. Kok, Sophie Vandenbussche, Lieven Clarisse, Simon Whitburn, Virginie Capelle, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, and Michael Schulz
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5264, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5264, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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The present AeroCom–AeroSat study addresses the gaps in the current state of DOD10 using satellite products, model simulations, an observation-constrained database. The analysis reveals substantial differences in DOD10 across satellite products and models, sometimes exceeding a factor of ten. Analysis with the laboratory measurements highlight the potential of combining shortwave and longwave remote sensing to advance dust compositions analysis through their distinct spectral sensitivities.
Viola Hipler, Hendrik Andersen, Robert Spirig, Roland Vogt, Stuart Piketh, Bianca Adler, and Jan Cermak
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 14367–14384, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14367-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14367-2026, 2026
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Fog is a key component of the Namib Desert ecosystem, and is mostly associated with the advection of marine stratus clouds. Here, we use local measurements near the coast to distinguish fog situations from lifted low-cloud situations. Using reanalysis data, we find synoptic and regional-scale processes over the ocean and over the continent that are connected to stratus altitude and therefore fog occurrence patterns. The results lead to a better understanding of the coastal desert fog system.
Jenine McCutcheon, James B. McQuaid, Helen Freeman, Jeffrey Paulo H. Perez, Jon Hawkings, Stefanie Lutz, Lou-Anne Chevrollier, Paola Formenti, Servanne Chevaillier, Martyn Tranter, and Liane G. Benning
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5031, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5031, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
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Soot can travel long distances and settle on snow and ice, where it absorbs light and promotes melting. We examined the size and shape of soot particles deposited on the Greenland Ice Sheet. By combining aerosol and geochemical methods, we show that the soot particles accumulate on the ice sheet surface, especially alongside dense glacier ice algal blooms. Soot accounts for ~15% of the combined darkening effect of algae and soot, highlighting the role of soot in ice albedo reduction and melting.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Chenjie Yu, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Michel Maillé, Paola Formenti, Benedicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
Aerosol Research Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-31, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-31, 2026
Preprint under review for AR
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We retrieve refractive indices of laboratory-generated soot from measured particle properties using Mie and RDG-FA optical calculations, and quantify uncertainties via Monte Carlo simulations. The inferred refractive indices strongly depend on the theory employed, highlighting the need for consistency between optical theory and refractive index. Mie retrievals are sensitive to coagulation and size growth, while RDG-FA retrievals depend strongly on the uncertainty of assumed particle morphology.
Paola Formenti and Claudia Di Biagio
Aerosol Research, 4, 429–440, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-429-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-429-2026, 2026
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This study improves the accuracy of optical particle counters (OPCs), instruments used to measure airborne particles important for air quality and climate research. Because OPC measurements depend not only on particle size but also on composition and shape, results can be uncertain. The paper provides a standardized database of correction factors for five commercial OPCs, helping researchers produce more reliable and consistent aerosol measurements across a wide range of atmospheric conditions.
Marie Mazoyer, Christine Lac, Frédéric Burnet, Benoît Vié, Marie Taufour, Théophane Costabloz, Salomé Antoine, and Maroua Fathalli
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 12837–12864, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-12837-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-12837-2026, 2026
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Fog modelling remains a significant challenge due to the complex, interrelated physical processes involved, including microphysics. We evaluated the ability of an advanced microphysical scheme to reproduce the fog life cycle by comparing it with new vertical microphysical observations obtained using a tethered balloon during an extensive field campaign. Although realistic modelling performance was achieved, some biases remain that require further microphysics observations.
Clarissa Baldo, Servanne Chevaillier, Sophie Nowak, Gael Noyalet, Sandra Lafon, Claudia Di Biagio, Amelie Chaput, James King, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-Francois Doussin, Remi Stanus, Nadine Mattielli, Heleen C. Vos, Gregory S. Okin, Brigitte Language, Tjaart Van Der Walt, Stuart Piketh, Karine Desboeufs, Akinori Ito, Silvia Becagli, Eugene Marais, Laurie Barrier, Stéphane Jacquemoud, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 10727–10749, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-10727-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-10727-2026, 2026
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Our results show that crustal element ratios and clay contents distinguish dust aerosols from arid western coastal areas and humid eastern inland regions in Southern Africa. This dust contains key micronutrients that can become bioaccessible during atmospheric transport to nearby and remote marine ecosystems. It is also enriched in carbonates and K-feldspar, serving as a source of cloud condensation and ice nuclei, with potential implications ranging from regional to sub-hemispheric scales.
Alejandra Velazquez-Garcia, Chenjie Yu, Sarah Tinorua, Hichem Bouzidi, Eleonora Aruffo, Piero Di Carlo, Peter DeCarlo, Benjamin A. Nault, Thierry Bourrianne, Kevin Tu, Edouard Pangui, Diana L. Pereira, Mathieu Cazaunau, Ludovico Di Antonio, Guillaume Siour, Matthias Beekmann, Astrid Bauville, Christopher Cantrell, Paola Formenti, Vincent Michoud, and Cyrielle Denjean
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4423, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4423, 2026
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As city air pollution travels downwind, its climate impact evolves. Using a research aircraft, we tracked the Paris pollution plume and found that sunlight rapidly transforms urban emissions, forming secondary organic particles that absorb more sunlight within six hours. These findings show that urban pollution changes chemically during transport, providing key constraints to improve future climate models.
Hendrik Fuchs, Niklas Illmann, Amalia Muñoz, Mila Ródenas, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, M. Rami Alfarra, Cecilia Arsene, Iustinian G. Bejan, David M. Bell, Merete Bilde, Alexander Böhmländer, Mixtli Campos-Pineda, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Véronique Daële, Claudia Di Biagio, Michael Flynn, Paola Formenti, Hartmut Herrmann, Kristina Höhler, Thorsten Hohaus, Matthew S. Johnson, Eija Juurola, Niku Kivekäs, Jan Kaiser, Christos Kaltsonoudis, Paolo Laj, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Gordon McFiggans, Max R. McGillen, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Peter Mettke, Ottmar Möhler, Falk Mothes, Dennis Niedermeier, Anna Novelli, Romeo I. Olariu, Spyros N. Pandis, Iulia Patroescu-Klotz, Rosa Maria Petracca Altieri, Paolo Prati, Claudiu Roman, Albert A. Ruth, Harald Saathoff, Silvio Schmalfuß, Frank Stratmann, Virginia Vernocchi, Aristeidis Voliotis, Jens Voigtländer, Annele Virtanen, Andreas Wahner, Robert Wagner, John Wenger, Sören Zorn, Peter Wiesen, and Jean-Francois Doussin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 4165–4199, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4165-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4165-2026, 2026
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Atmospheric simulation chambers enable experiments to be conducted under controlled conditions, improving our understanding of, and ability to predict, changes in the composition of the atmosphere. This is important for assessing air quality and its effects on human health, climate, the environment, and the economy. This paper describes the chambers of the European ACTRIS research infrastructure and discusses topics and directions that can be addressed in future chamber experiments.
Paola Formenti, Danitza Klopper, Anais Feron, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Karine Desboeufs, Claudia Di Biagio, Clarissa Baldo, Cécile Gaimoz, Vincent Michoud, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, François Hemeret, Richard Valorso, Stephen Broccardo, Andreas Namwoonde, Mattheus Hanghome, Chiara Giorio, and Stuart J. Piketh
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-95, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-95, 2026
Revised manuscript under review for ESSD
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The southern African west coast is highly impacted by climate change and aerosols from natural and human sources, yet observations are scarce. We present measurements (2014–2019) from the Henties Bay Aerosol Observatory in Namibia, including aerosol properties, ozone and meteorology. This unique dataset will support process studies and improve regional climate modelling.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Chenjie Yu, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Paolo Laj, Michel Maillé, Paola Formenti, Benedicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-Francois Doussin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1867, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1867, 2026
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Large simulation chamber experiments were performed to investigate the impact of non-absorbing coating on the absorption of fractal BC-containing soot. Results show the strong and combined effect of morphological modifications and mixing state heterogeneity on BC absorption, both depending on the reaction dynamics of coating formation and ageing of the coated soot. The range of measured absorption cannot be captured by common model approximations, highlighting the need for new formalisms.
Pasquale Sellitto, Maxim Eremenko, Paola Formenti, Perla Alalam, Michael Höpfner, and Claudia Di Biagio
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2751–2762, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2751-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2751-2026, 2026
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The Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission will bring the first satellite instrument capable of observing the Earth's far infrared (FIR) spectra with a high spectral resolution. FORUM will crucially contribute to water vapour, clouds and surface observations. We found that FORUM will provide also a significant sensitivity to dust aerosol, especially in cases of large burdens of mid-to-long-range transported plumes of dust in the free and upper troposphere.
Chenjie Yu, Paola Formenti, Joel F. de Brito, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Hichem Bouzidi, Mathieu Cazaunau, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Ludovico Di Antonio, Cécile Gaimoz, Franck Maisonneuve, Pascal Zapf, Tobias Seubert, Simone T. Andersen, Patrick Dewald, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, John N. Crowley, Alexandre Kukui, Chaoyang Xue, Cyrielle Denjean, Olivier Garrouste, Jean-Claude Etienne, Huihui Wu, James D. Allan, Dantong Liu, Yangzhou Wu, Christopher Cantrell, and Vincent Michoud
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 5313–5332, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5313-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5313-2026, 2026
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We presented a field measurement in a Paris suburban forest region to characterise the impacts of photochemical aging process on aerosol physical chemical properties. Photochemical production of organic aerosols increased forest fine particle mass and significantly enhanced absorption of short-wavelength sunlight. This study highlights the critical need to incorporate light absorbing carbonaceous particles formation mechanisms into models to accurately simulate their direct radiative impacts.
Laura Renzi, Claudia Di Biagio, Johannes Heuser, Marco Zanatta, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Jérôme Yon, Tommaso Isolabella, Dario Massabò, Virginia Vernocchi, Martina Mazzini, Franziska Vogel, Chenjie Yu, Paola Formenti, Benedicte Picquet-Varrault, Jean-Francois Doussin, and Angela Marinoni
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1365–1383, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1365-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1365-2026, 2026
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This study investigates how particle properties affect the accuracy of a common air pollution instrument, the dual-spot aethalometer. By combining lab experiments with real-world data from a mountain site in Italy, we found that the correction factor for this instrument varies mainly due to particle size and measurement conditions. Understanding these influences helps improve air quality monitoring, which is important for assessing pollution impacts on health and climate.
Claudia Di Biagio, Elisa Bru, Avila Orta, Servanne Chevaillier, Clarissa Baldo, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Sandra Lafon, Sophie Nowak, Edouard Pangui, Meinrat O. Andreae, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Kebonyethata Dintwe, Konrad Kandler, James S. King, Amelie Chaput, Gregory S. Okin, Stuart Piketh, Thuraya Saeed, David Seibert, Zongbo Shi, Earle Williams, Pasquale Sellitto, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 1079–1091, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1079-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1079-2026, 2026
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Spectroscopy measurements show that the absorbance of dust in the far-infrared up to 25 µm is comparable in intensity to that in the mid-infrared (3–15 µm) suggesting possible relevance for its direct radiative effect. Absorption signatures differ between Icelandic and low/mid-latitude dust due to differences in mineralogical composition. Spectral differences could be used to characterise the mineralogy and trace the origin of airborne dust based on infrared remote sensing observations.
Diana L. Pereira, Aline Gratien, Chiara Giorio, Emmanuelle Mebold, Thomas Bertin, Cécile Gaimoz, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1–19, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1-2026, 2026
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This study provides two methods for the quantification of molecular markers to improve the description of secondary organic aerosols using chromatographic techniques coupled with mass spectrometry. Compounds from various chemical functionalities (alcohols, acids, aldehydes), from biogenic and anthropogenic origin, were identified. Improved method performance was observed for nitro compounds, which have been associated with anthropogenic activities.
Paola Formenti, Chiara Giorio, Karine Desboeufs, Alexander Zherebker, Marco Gaetani, Clarissa Baldo, Gautier Landrot, Simona Montebello, Servanne Chevaillier, Sylvain Triquet, Guillaume Siour, Claudia Di Biagio, Francesco Battaglia, Jean-François Doussin, Anais Feron, Andreas Namwoonde, and Stuart John Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16127–16145, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16127-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16127-2025, 2025
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The elemental composition and solubility of several metals, including iron, at a coastal site in Namibia in August–September 2017, indicate that natural and anthropogenic dust had different solubility depending on mineralogy but mostly on the processing by fluoride ions from marine emissions, pointing to the complexity of atmospheric--oceanic interactions in this region of the world influenced by the Benguela current and significant aerosol load.
Chiara Giorio, Anne Monod, Valerio Di Marco, Pierre Herckes, Denise Napolitano, Amy Sullivan, Gautier Landrot, Daniel Warnes, Marika Nasti, Sara D'Aronco, Agathe Gérardin, Nicolas Brun, Karine Desboeufs, Sylvain Triquet, Servanne Chevaillier, Claudia Di Biagio, Francesco Battaglia, Frédéric Burnet, Stuart J. Piketh, Andreas Namwoonde, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16107–16125, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16107-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16107-2025, 2025
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We present a comparison between concentrations of dissolved trace metals in pairs of total suspended particulate (TSP) and fog samples collected in Henties Bay, Namibia, during the AErosols, Radiation and CLOuds in southern Africa (AEROCLO-sA) field campaign. We found enhanced concentrations of dissolved metals in fog samples, which we attributed to metal–ligand complex formation in the early stages of particle activation into droplets that can then remain in a kinetically stable form in fog or lead to the formation of colloidal nanoparticles.
Francesco Battaglia, Paola Formenti, Chiara Giorio, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Antonin Bergé, Aline Gratien, Diana L. Pereira, Thomas Bertin, Joel F. de Brito, Manolis N. Romanias, Vincent Michoud, Clarissa Baldo, Servanne Chevaillier, Gael Noyalet, Philippe Decorse, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 12409–12431, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12409-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12409-2025, 2025
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This paper presents an experimental investigation of the interactions between glyoxal, an important volatile organic compound, and mineral dust particles of size and composition typical of natural conditions. We show that their interactions modify, in a definitive way, the concentrations of the gas phase and the surface properties of the dust, which could have important implications for the atmospheric composition and the Earth's climate.
Mégane Ventura, Fabien Waquet, Isabelle Chiapello, Gérard Brogniez, Frédéric Parol, Frédérique Auriol, Rodrigue Loisil, Cyril Delegove, Luc Blarel, Oleg Dubovik, Marc Mallet, Cyrille Flamant, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 4005–4024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4005-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4005-2025, 2025
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Biomass-burning aerosols (BBAs) from Central Africa are transported above stratocumulus clouds. The absorption of solar energy by aerosols induces warming, altering the cloud dynamics. We developed an approach that combines polarimeter and lidar to quantify this. This methodology is assessed during the AEROCLO-sA (AErosol RadiatiOn and CLOud in Southern Africa) campaign. To validate it, we used irradiance measurements acquired during aircraft spiral descents. A major perspective is the generalization of this method to the global level.
Abdulaziz T. Yakubu, Danitza Klopper, Henno Havenga, Roelof Burger, Paola Formenti, and Stuart J. Piketh
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, 2025
Preprint archived
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Low-level inversions experienced along the Namibia coast and adjacent ocean have implications for air pollutant dispersion and low clouds. These affect air quality, human health, radiative forcing and climate change. We used reanalysis and satellite datasets to understand inversion properties over the region. The result shows inversion prominence at night and in winter, seasonally influences pollutant trapping and initiates stratocumulus clouds formation, but is not liable for their extent.
Théophane Costabloz, Frédéric Burnet, Christine Lac, Pauline Martinet, Julien Delanoë, Susana Jorquera, and Maroua Fathalli
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6539–6573, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6539-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6539-2025, 2025
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This study documents vertical profiles of liquid water content (LWC) in fogs from in situ measurements collected during the SOFOG3D field campaign in 2019–2020. The analysis of 140 vertical profiles reveals a reverse trend in LWC, maximum values at ground decreasing with height, during stable conditions in optically thin fogs, evolving towards quasi-adiabatic characteristics when fogs become thick. These results offer new perspectives for better constraining fog numerical simulations.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Satoshi Inomata, Chenjie Yu, Vera Bernardoni, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Paolo Laj, Michel Maillé, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Gael Noyalet, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Brice Temime-Roussel, Roberta Vecchi, Virginia Vernocchi, Paola Formenti, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6407–6428, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, 2025
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The spectral optical properties of combustion soot aerosols with varying black (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) content were studied in an atmospheric simulation chamber. Measurements of the mass spectral absorption cross section (MAC), supplemented by literature data, allowed us to establish a generalised exponential relationship between the spectral absorption and the elemental-to-total-carbon ratio (EC / TC) in soot. This relationship can provide a useful tool for modelling the properties of soot.
Simone T. Andersen, Rolf Sander, Patrick Dewald, Laura Wüst, Tobias Seubert, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, Jan Schuladen, Max R. McGillen, Chaoyang Xue, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Alexandre Kukui, Vincent Michoud, Manuela Cirtog, Mathieu Cazaunau, Astrid Bauville, Hichem Bouzidi, Paola Formenti, Cyrielle Denjean, Jean-Claude Etienne, Olivier Garrouste, Christopher Cantrell, Jos Lelieveld, and John N. Crowley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5893–5909, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5893-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5893-2025, 2025
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Measurements and modelling of reactive nitrogen gases observed in a suburban temperate forest in Rambouillet, France, circa 50 km southwest of Paris in 2022 indicate that the biosphere rapidly scavenges organic nitrates of mixed biogenic and anthropogenic origin, resulting in short lifetimes for, for example, alkyl nitrates and peroxy nitrates.
Diana L. Pereira, Chiara Giorio, Aline Gratien, Alexander Zherebker, Gael Noyalet, Servanne Chevaillier, Stéphanie Alage, Elie Almarj, Antonin Bergé, Thomas Bertin, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Ludovico Di Antonio, Sergio Harb, Johannes Heuser, Cécile Gaimoz, Oscar Guillemant, Brigitte Language, Olivier Lauret, Camilo Macias, Franck Maisonneuve, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Raquel Torres, Sylvain Triquet, Pascal Zapf, Lelia Hawkins, Drew Pronovost, Sydney Riley, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Emilie Perraudin, Pauline Pouyes, Eric Villenave, Alexandre Albinet, Olivier Favez, Robin Aujay-Plouzeau, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4885–4905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, 2025
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In order to study aerosols in environments influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, we performed analyses of samples collected during the ACROSS (Atmospheric Chemistry Of the Suburban Forest) campaign in summer 2022 in the greater Paris area. After analysis of the chemical composition by means of total carbon determination and high-resolution mass spectrometry, this work highlights the influence of anthropogenic inputs on the chemical composition of both urban and forested areas.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Matthias Beekmann, Guillaume Siour, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Joel F. de Brito, Paola Formenti, Cecile Gaimoz, Olivier Garret, Aline Gratien, Valérie Gros, Martial Haeffelin, Lelia N. Hawkins, Simone Kotthaus, Gael Noyalet, Diana L. Pereira, Jean-Eudes Petit, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Chenjie Yu, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Claudia Di Biagio
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4803–4831, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4803-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4803-2025, 2025
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The summer of 2022 has been considered a proxy for future climate scenarios due to its hot and dry conditions. In this paper, we use the measurements from the Atmospheric Chemistry of the Suburban Forest (ACROSS) campaign, conducted in the Paris area in June–July 2022, along with observations from existing networks, to evaluate a 3D chemistry transport model (WRF–CHIMERE) simulation. Results are shown to be satisfactory, allowing us to explain the gas and aerosol variability at the campaign sites.
Marion Ranaivombola, Nelson Bègue, Lucas Vaz Peres, Farahnaz Fazel-Rastgar, Venkataraman Sivakumar, Gisèle Krysztofiak, Gwenaël Berthet, Fabrice Jegou, Stuart Piketh, and Hassan Bencherif
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3519–3540, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3519-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3519-2025, 2025
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From September to October 2022, the Biomass Burning Aerosol Campaign (BiBAC) in Kruger National Park revealed a significant aerosol loading linked to biomass burning activity, with southeastward transport over southern Africa and the southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO) basin. The study revealed a predominance of biomass burning aerosols and two distinct transport mechanisms of aerosol plumes and CO, underscoring the importance of east-coast observations in understanding atmospheric dynamics.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Aline Gratien, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Patrice Coll, Barbara D'Anna, Joel F. de Brito, David O. De Haan, Juliette R. Dignum, Shravan Deshmukh, Olivier Favez, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Cecile Gaimoz, Lelia N. Hawkins, Julien Kammer, Brigitte Language, Franck Maisonneuve, Griša Močnik, Emilie Perraudin, Jean-Eudes Petit, Prodip Acharja, Laurent Poulain, Pauline Pouyes, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Kanuri I. Roundtree, Marwa Shahin, Guillaume Siour, Eric Villenave, Pascal Zapf, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3161–3189, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, 2025
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The spectral complex refractive index (CRI) and single scattering albedo were retrieved from submicron aerosol measurements at three sites within the greater Paris area during the ACROSS field campaign (June–July 2022). Measurements revealed urban emission impact on surrounding areas. CRI full period averages at 520 nm were 1.41 – 0.037i (urban), 1.52 – 0.038i (peri-urban), and 1.50 – 0.025i (rural). Organic aerosols dominated the aerosol mass and contributed up to 22 % of absorption at 370 nm.
Alexandre Mass, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Paola Formenti, Eva Pauli, and Julian Quinting
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 491–510, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-491-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-491-2025, 2025
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This study investigates the interaction between smoke aerosols and fog and low clouds (FLCs) in the Namib Desert between June and October. Here, a satellite-based dataset of FLCs, reanalysis data and machine learning are used to systematically analyze FLC persistence under different aerosol loadings. Aerosol plumes are shown to modify local thermodynamics, which increase FLC persistence. But fully disentangling aerosol effects from meteorological ones remains a challenge.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Junying Sun, Ye Kuang, Paola Formenti, and Steven G. Howell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13849–13864, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, 2024
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Using airborne measurements over the southeast Atlantic Ocean, we examined how much moisture aerosols take up during Africa’s biomass burning season. Our study revealed the important role of organic aerosols and introduced a predictive model for moisture uptake, accounting for organics, sulfate, and black carbon, summarizing results from various campaigns. These findings improve our understanding of aerosol–moisture interactions and their radiative effects in this climatically critical region.
Paola Formenti and Claudia Di Biagio
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4995–5007, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4995-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4995-2024, 2024
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Particles from deserts and semi-vegetated areas (mineral dust) are important for Earth's climate and human health, notably depending on their size. In this paper we collect and make a synthesis of a body of these observations since 1972 in order to provide researchers modeling Earth's climate and developing satellite observations from space with a simple way of confronting their results and understanding their validity.
Simone T. Andersen, Max R. McGillen, Chaoyang Xue, Tobias Seubert, Patrick Dewald, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, Jan Schuladen, Cyrielle Denjean, Jean-Claude Etienne, Olivier Garrouste, Marina Jamar, Sergio Harb, Manuela Cirtog, Vincent Michoud, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Christopher Cantrell, Sebastien Dusanter, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Alexandre Kukui, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Lucy J. Carpenter, Jos Lelieveld, and John N. Crowley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11603–11618, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11603-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11603-2024, 2024
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Using measurements of various trace gases in a suburban forest near Paris in the summer of 2022, we were able to gain insight into the sources and sinks of NOx (NO+NO2) with a special focus on their nighttime chemical and physical loss processes. NO was observed as a result of nighttime soil emissions when O3 levels were strongly depleted by deposition. NO oxidation products were not observed at night, indicating that soil and/or foliar surfaces are an efficient sink of reactive N.
Patrick Dewald, Tobias Seubert, Simone T. Andersen, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, Jan Schuladen, Max R. McGillen, Cyrielle Denjean, Jean-Claude Etienne, Olivier Garrouste, Marina Jamar, Sergio Harb, Manuela Cirtog, Vincent Michoud, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Christopher Cantrell, Sebastien Dusanter, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Alexandre Kukui, Chaoyang Xue, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Jos Lelieveld, and John N. Crowley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8983–8997, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8983-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8983-2024, 2024
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In the scope of a field campaign in a suburban forest near Paris in the summer of 2022, we measured the reactivity of the nitrate radical NO3 towards biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs; e.g. monoterpenes) mainly below but also above the canopy. NO3 reactivity was the highest during nights with strong temperature inversions and decreased strongly with height. Reactions with BVOCs were the main removal process of NO3 throughout the diel cycle below the canopy.
Sarah Tinorua, Cyrielle Denjean, Pierre Nabat, Véronique Pont, Mathilde Arnaud, Thierry Bourrianne, Maria Dias Alves, and Eric Gardrat
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3897–3915, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3897-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3897-2024, 2024
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The three most widely used techniques for measuring black carbon (BC) have been deployed continuously for 2 years at a French high-altitude research station. Despite a similar temporal variation in the BC load, we found significant biases by up to a factor of 8 between the three instruments. This study raises questions about the relevance of using these instruments for specific background sites, as well as the processing of their data, which can vary according to the atmospheric conditions.
Chenjie Yu, Edouard Pangui, Kevin Tu, Mathieu Cazaunau, Maxime Feingesicht, Landsheere Xavier, Thierry Bourrianne, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Timothy B. Onasch, Andrew Freedman, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3419–3437, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3419-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3419-2024, 2024
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To meet the requirements for measuring aerosol optical properties on airborne platforms and conducting dual-wavelength measurements, we introduced A2S2, an airborne dual-wavelength cavity-attenuated phase-shift single monitor. This study reports the results in the laboratory and an aircraft campaign over Paris and its surrounding regions. The results demonstrate A2S2's reliability in measuring aerosol optical properties at both wavelengths and its suitability for future aircraft campaigns.
Lucas Pailler, Laurent Deguillaume, Hélène Lavanant, Isabelle Schmitz, Marie Hubert, Edith Nicol, Mickaël Ribeiro, Jean-Marc Pichon, Mickaël Vaïtilingom, Pamela Dominutti, Frédéric Burnet, Pierre Tulet, Maud Leriche, and Angelica Bianco
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5567–5584, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5567-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5567-2024, 2024
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The composition of dissolved organic matter of cloud water has been investigated through non-targeted high-resolution mass spectrometry on only a few samples collected in the Northern Hemisphere. In this work, the chemical composition of samples collected at Réunion Island (SH) is investigated and compared to samples collected at Puy de Dôme (NH). Sampling, analysis and data treatment with the same methodology produced a unique dataset for investigating the molecular composition of clouds.
Vincenzo Obiso, María Gonçalves Ageitos, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, Jan P. Perlwitz, Gregory L. Schuster, Susanne E. Bauer, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Kostas Tsigaridis, and Ron L. Miller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5337–5367, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5337-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5337-2024, 2024
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We calculate the dust direct radiative effect (DRE) in an Earth system model accounting for regionally varying soil mineralogy through a new observationally constrained method. Linking dust absorption at solar wavelengths to the varying amount of specific minerals (i.e., iron oxides) improves the modeled range of dust single scattering albedo compared to observations and increases the global cooling by dust. Our results may contribute to improved estimates of the dust DRE and its climate impact.
Cyrille Flamant, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Marco Gaetani, Kerstin Schepanski, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4265–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, 2024
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In the austral dry season, the atmospheric composition over southern Africa is dominated by biomass burning aerosols and terrigenous aerosols (so-called mineral dust). This study suggests that the radiative effect of biomass burning aerosols needs to be taken into account to properly forecast dust emissions in Namibia.
Maud Leriche, Pierre Tulet, Laurent Deguillaume, Frédéric Burnet, Aurélie Colomb, Agnès Borbon, Corinne Jambert, Valentin Duflot, Stéphan Houdier, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Mickaël Vaïtilingom, Pamela Dominutti, Manon Rocco, Camille Mouchel-Vallon, Samira El Gdachi, Maxence Brissy, Maroua Fathalli, Nicolas Maury, Bert Verreyken, Crist Amelynck, Niels Schoon, Valérie Gros, Jean-Marc Pichon, Mickael Ribeiro, Eric Pique, Emmanuel Leclerc, Thierry Bourrianne, Axel Roy, Eric Moulin, Joël Barrie, Jean-Marc Metzger, Guillaume Péris, Christian Guadagno, Chatrapatty Bhugwant, Jean-Mathieu Tibere, Arnaud Tournigand, Evelyn Freney, Karine Sellegri, Anne-Marie Delort, Pierre Amato, Muriel Joly, Jean-Luc Baray, Pascal Renard, Angelica Bianco, Anne Réchou, and Guillaume Payen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4129–4155, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4129-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4129-2024, 2024
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Aerosol particles in the atmosphere play a key role in climate change and air pollution. A large number of aerosol particles are formed from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs and secondary organic aerosols – SOA). An important field campaign was organized on Réunion in March–April 2019 to understand the formation of SOA in a tropical atmosphere mostly influenced by VOCs emitted by forest and in the presence of clouds. This work synthesizes the results of this campaign.
Anil Kumar Mandariya, Junteng Wu, Anne Monod, Paola Formenti, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Mathieu Cazaunau, Stephan Mertes, Laurent Poulain, Antonin Berge, Edouard Pangui, Andreas Tilgner, Thomas Schaefer, Liang Wen, Hartmut Herrmann, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-206, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-206, 2024
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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An optimized and controlled protocol for generating quasi-adiabatic expansion clouds under simulated dark and light conditions was presented. The irradiated clouds clearly showed a gradual activation of seed particles into droplets. In contrast, non-irradiated clouds faced a flash activation. This paper will lay the foundation for multiphase photochemical studies implying water-soluble volatile organic compounds and particulate matter formation during cloud formation-evaporation cycles.
Sarah Tinorua, Cyrielle Denjean, Pierre Nabat, Thierry Bourrianne, Véronique Pont, François Gheusi, and Emmanuel Leclerc
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1801–1824, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1801-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1801-2024, 2024
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At a French high-altitude site, where many complex interactions between black carbon (BC), radiation, clouds and snow impact climate, 2 years of refractive BC (rBC) and aerosol optical and microphysical measurements have been made. We observed strong seasonal rBC properties variations, with an enhanced absorption in summer compared to winter. The combination of rBC emission sources, transport pathways, atmospheric dynamics and chemical processes explains the rBC light absorption seasonality.
Karine Desboeufs, Paola Formenti, Raquel Torres-Sánchez, Kerstin Schepanski, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Stefanie Feuerstein, Benoit Laurent, Danitza Klopper, Andreas Namwoonde, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Anaïs Feron, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, and Stuart J. Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1525–1541, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, 2024
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This study investigates the fractional solubility of iron (Fe) in dust particles along the coast of Namibia, a critical region for the atmospheric Fe supply of the South Atlantic Ocean. Our results suggest a possible two-way interplay whereby marine biogenic emissions from the coastal marine ecosystems into the atmosphere would increase the solubility of Fe-bearing dust by photo-reduction processes. The subsequent deposition of soluble Fe could act to further enhance marine biogenic emissions.
Cheikh Dione, Martial Haeffelin, Frédéric Burnet, Christine Lac, Guylaine Canut, Julien Delanoë, Jean-Charles Dupont, Susana Jorquera, Pauline Martinet, Jean-François Ribaud, and Felipe Toledo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15711–15731, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15711-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15711-2023, 2023
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This paper documents the role of thermodynamics and turbulence in the fog life cycle over southwestern France. It is based on a unique dataset collected during the SOFOG3D field campaign in autumn and winter 2019–2020. The paper gives a threshold for turbulence driving the different phases of the fog life cycle and the role of advection in the night-time dissipation of fog. The results can be operationalised to nowcast fog and improve short-range forecasts in numerical weather prediction models.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Junying Sun, Ye Kuang, and Paola Formenti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2319, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2319, 2023
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Our study examined the interaction between atmospheric particles and moisture over the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean during the biomass burning seasons in Africa. We found that organic components of these particles play a more important role in aerosol-moisture interactions than previously expected. This discovery is important as such interactions impact radiation and climate. Current climate models might need better representations of the moisture-absorbing properties of organic aerosols.
Lambert Delbeke, Chien Wang, Pierre Tulet, Cyrielle Denjean, Maurin Zouzoua, Nicolas Maury, and Adrien Deroubaix
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13329–13354, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13329-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13329-2023, 2023
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Low-level stratiform clouds (LLSCs) appear frequently over southern West Africa during the West African monsoon. Local and remote aerosol sources (biomass burning aerosols from central Africa) play a significant role in the LLSC life cycle. Based on measurements by the DACCIWA campaign, large-eddy simulation (LES) was conducted using different aerosol scenarios. The results show that both indirect and semi-direct effects can act individually or jointly to influence the life cycles of LLSCs.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Gilles Foret, Paola Formenti, Guillaume Siour, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12455–12475, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12455-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12455-2023, 2023
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Long-term (2000–2021) 1 km resolution satellite data have been used to investigate the climatological aerosol optical depth (AOD) variability and trends at different scales in Europe. Average enhancements of the local-to-regional AOD ratio at 550 nm of 57 %, 55 %, 39 % and 32 % are found for large metropolitan areas such as Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris and Athens, respectively, suggesting a non-negligible enhancement of the aerosol burden through local emissions.
Clarissa Baldo, Paola Formenti, Claudia Di Biagio, Gongda Lu, Congbo Song, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-Francois Doussin, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Olafur Arnalds, David Beddows, A. Robert MacKenzie, and Zongbo Shi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7975–8000, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7975-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7975-2023, 2023
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This paper presents new shortwave spectral complex refractive index and single scattering albedo data for Icelandic dust. Our results show that the imaginary part of the complex refractive index of Icelandic dust is at the upper end of the range of low-latitude dust. Furthermore, we observed that Icelandic dust is more absorbing towards the near-infrared, which we attribute to its high magnetite content. These findings are important for modeling dust aerosol radiative effects in the Arctic.
Michail Mytilinaios, Sara Basart, Sergio Ciamprone, Juan Cuesta, Claudio Dema, Enza Di Tomaso, Paola Formenti, Antonis Gkikas, Oriol Jorba, Ralph Kahn, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, Serena Trippetta, and Lucia Mona
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5487–5516, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5487-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5487-2023, 2023
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Multiscale Online Non-hydrostatic AtmospheRe CHemistry model (MONARCH) dust reanalysis provides a high-resolution 3D reconstruction of past dust conditions, allowing better quantification of climate and socioeconomic dust impacts. We assess the performance of the reanalysis needed to reproduce dust optical depth using dust-related products retrieved from satellite and ground-based observations and show that it reproduces the spatial distribution and seasonal variability of atmospheric dust well.
Pragya Vishwakarma, Julien Delanoë, Susana Jorquera, Pauline Martinet, Frederic Burnet, Alistair Bell, and Jean-Charles Dupont
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 1211–1237, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1211-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1211-2023, 2023
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Cloud observations are necessary to characterize the cloud properties at local and global scales. The observations must be translated to cloud geophysical parameters. This paper presents the estimation of liquid water content (LWC) using radar and microwave radiometer (MWR) measurements. Liquid water path from MWR scales LWC and retrieves the scaling factor (ln a). The retrievals are compared with in situ observations. A climatology of ln a is built to estimate LWC using only radar information.
Alistair Bell, Pauline Martinet, Olivier Caumont, Frédéric Burnet, Julien Delanoë, Susana Jorquera, Yann Seity, and Vinciane Unger
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5415–5438, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5415-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5415-2022, 2022
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Cloud radars and microwave radiometers offer the potential to improve fog forecasts when assimilated into a high-resolution model. As this process can be complex, a retrieval of model variables is sometimes made as a first step. In this work, results from a 1D-Var algorithm for the retrieval of temperature, humidity and cloud liquid water content are presented. The algorithm is applied first to a synthetic dataset and then to a dataset of real measurements from a recent field campaign.
Marie Mazoyer, Frédéric Burnet, and Cyrielle Denjean
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11305–11321, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11305-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11305-2022, 2022
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The evolution of the droplet size distribution during the fog life cycle remains poorly understood and progress is required to reduce the uncertainty of fog forecasts. To gain insights into the physical processes driving the microphysics, intensive field campaigns were conducted during three winters at the SIRTA site in the south of Paris. This study analyzed the variations in fog microphysical properties and their potential interactions at the different evolutionary stages of the fog events.
Constance K. Segakweng, Pieter G. van Zyl, Cathy Liousse, Johan P. Beukes, Jan-Stefan Swartz, Eric Gardrat, Maria Dias-Alves, Brigitte Language, Roelof P. Burger, and Stuart J. Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10291–10317, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10291-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10291-2022, 2022
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A detailed size-resolved assessment of the chemical characteristics of outdoor and indoor aerosols collected in low-income urban settlements in South Africa indicated the significance of household combustion for cooking and space heating – an important source of pollutants in the developing world – to atmospheric chemical composition. The regional impact of industrial sources in the highly industrialised and densely populated north-eastern interior of South Africa was also evident.
Caroline Dang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Lu Zhang, Paola Formenti, Jonathan Taylor, Amie Dobracki, Sara Purdue, Pui-Shan Wong, Athanasios Nenes, Arthur Sedlacek III, Hugh Coe, Jens Redemann, Paquita Zuidema, Steven Howell, and James Haywood
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9389–9412, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9389-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9389-2022, 2022
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Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze aged African smoke particles and how the smoke interacts with the marine atmosphere. We found that the volatility of organic aerosol increases with biomass burning plume age, that black carbon is often mixed with potassium salts and that the marine atmosphere can incorporate Na and Cl into smoke particles. Marine salts are more processed when mixed with smoke plumes, and there are interesting Cl-rich yet Na-absent marine particles.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Arthur J. Sedlacek III, Ernie R. Lewis, Amie Dobracki, Jenny P. S. Wong, Paola Formenti, Steven G. Howell, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9199–9213, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9199-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9199-2022, 2022
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Widespread biomass burning (BB) events occur annually in Africa and contribute ~ 1 / 3 of global BB emissions, which contain a large family of light-absorbing organics, known as brown carbon (BrC), whose absorption of incident radiation is difficult to estimate, leading to large uncertainties in the global radiative forcing estimation. This study quantifies the BrC absorption of aged BB particles and highlights the potential presence of absorbing iron oxides in this climatically important region.
Enza Di Tomaso, Jerónimo Escribano, Sara Basart, Paul Ginoux, Francesca Macchia, Francesca Barnaba, Francesco Benincasa, Pierre-Antoine Bretonnière, Arnau Buñuel, Miguel Castrillo, Emilio Cuevas, Paola Formenti, María Gonçalves, Oriol Jorba, Martina Klose, Lucia Mona, Gilbert Montané Pinto, Michail Mytilinaios, Vincenzo Obiso, Miriam Olid, Nick Schutgens, Athanasios Votsis, Ernest Werner, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 2785–2816, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2785-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2785-2022, 2022
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MONARCH reanalysis of desert dust aerosols extends the existing observation-based information for mineral dust monitoring by providing 3-hourly upper-air, surface and total column key geophysical variables of the dust cycle over Northern Africa, the Middle East and Europe, at a 0.1° horizontal resolution in a rotated grid, from 2007 to 2016. This work provides evidence of the high accuracy of this data set and its suitability for air quality and health and climate service applications.
Cyrille Flamant, Marco Gaetani, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Patrick Chazette, Juan Cuesta, Stuart John Piketh, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5701–5724, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, 2022
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Rivers of smoke extend from tropical southern Africa towards the Indian Ocean during the winter fire season, controlled by the interaction of tropical easterly waves, and westerly waves at mid latitudes. During the AEROCLO-sA field campaign in 2017, a river of smoke was directly observed over Namibia. In this paper, the evolution and atmospheric drivers of the river of smoke are described, and the role of a mid-latitude cut-off low in lifting the smoke to the upper troposphere is highlighted.
Adrien Deroubaix, Laurent Menut, Cyrille Flamant, Peter Knippertz, Andreas H. Fink, Anneke Batenburg, Joel Brito, Cyrielle Denjean, Cheikh Dione, Régis Dupuy, Valerian Hahn, Norbert Kalthoff, Fabienne Lohou, Alfons Schwarzenboeck, Guillaume Siour, Paolo Tuccella, and Christiane Voigt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3251–3273, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3251-2022, 2022
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During the summer monsoon in West Africa, pollutants emitted in urbanized areas modify cloud cover and precipitation patterns. We analyze these patterns with the WRF-CHIMERE model, integrating the effects of aerosols on meteorology, based on the numerous observations provided by the Dynamics-Aerosol-Climate-Interactions campaign. This study adds evidence to recent findings that increased pollution levels in West Africa delay the breakup time of low-level clouds and reduce precipitation.
Pamela A. Dominutti, Pascal Renard, Mickaël Vaïtilingom, Angelica Bianco, Jean-Luc Baray, Agnès Borbon, Thierry Bourianne, Frédéric Burnet, Aurélie Colomb, Anne-Marie Delort, Valentin Duflot, Stephan Houdier, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Muriel Joly, Martin Leremboure, Jean-Marc Metzger, Jean-Marc Pichon, Mickaël Ribeiro, Manon Rocco, Pierre Tulet, Anthony Vella, Maud Leriche, and Laurent Deguillaume
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 505–533, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-505-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-505-2022, 2022
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We present here the results obtained during an intensive field campaign conducted in March to April 2019 in Reunion. Our study integrates a comprehensive chemical and microphysical characterization of cloud water. Our investigations reveal that air mass history and cloud microphysical properties do not fully explain the variability observed in their chemical composition. This highlights the complexity of emission sources, multiphasic exchanges, and transformations in clouds.
Paola Formenti, Claudia Di Biagio, Yue Huang, Jasper Kok, Marc Daniel Mallet, Damien Boulanger, and Mathieu Cazaunau
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-403, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-403, 2021
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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This paper provides with standardized correction factors for the measurements of the most common instruments used in the atmosphere to measure the concentration per size of aerosol particles. These correction factors are provided to users with supplementary information for their use.
Sebastian Düsing, Albert Ansmann, Holger Baars, Joel C. Corbin, Cyrielle Denjean, Martin Gysel-Beer, Thomas Müller, Laurent Poulain, Holger Siebert, Gerald Spindler, Thomas Tuch, Birgit Wehner, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16745–16773, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16745-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16745-2021, 2021
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The work deals with optical properties of aerosol particles in dried and atmospheric states. Based on two measurement campaigns in the rural background of central Europe, different measurement approaches were compared with each other, such as modeling based on Mie theory and direct in situ or remote sensing measurements. Among others, it was shown that the aerosol extinction-to-backscatter ratio is relative humidity dependent, and refinement with respect to the model input parameters is needed.
Marco Gaetani, Benjamin Pohl, Maria del Carmen Alvarez Castro, Cyrille Flamant, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16575–16591, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16575-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16575-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
During the dry austral winter, biomass fires in tropical Africa emit large amounts of smoke in the atmosphere, with large impacts on climate and air quality. The study of the relationship between atmospheric circulation and smoke transport shows that midlatitude atmospheric disturbances may deflect the smoke from tropical Africa towards southern Africa. Understanding the distribution of the smoke in the region is crucial for climate modelling and air quality monitoring.
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Short summary
An aerosol-aware microphysics scheme is evaluated for fog cases in Namibia. AEROCLO-sA campaign observations are used to access and parameterise the model. The model cloud condensation nuclei activation is lower than the observations. The scheme is designed for clouds with updrafts, while fog typically forms in stable conditions. A pseudo updraft speed assigned to the lowest model levels helps achieve more realistic cloud droplet number concentration and size distribution in the model.
An aerosol-aware microphysics scheme is evaluated for fog cases in Namibia. AEROCLO-sA campaign...
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