Articles | Volume 23, issue 22
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14097-2023
© Author(s) 2023. 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-23-14097-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
14 Nov 2023
Research article |
| 14 Nov 2023
| 14 Nov 2023
Wildfire smoke triggers cirrus formation: lidar observations over the eastern Mediterranean
Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence, Limassol, Cyprus
Dep. of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Kevin Ohneiser
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Daniel A. Knopf
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000, USA
Argyro Nisantzi
Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence, Limassol, Cyprus
Dep. of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
Johannes Bühl
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Harz University of Applied Sciences, Wernigerode, Germany
Ronny Engelmann
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Annett Skupin
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Patric Seifert
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Holger Baars
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Dragos Ene
Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence, Limassol, Cyprus
Ulla Wandinger
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany
Diofantos Hadjimitsis
Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence, Limassol, Cyprus
Dep. of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
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Cited
20 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Remote-Sensing-Based Prioritization of Post-Fire Restoration Actions in Mediterranean Ecosystems: A Case Study in Cyprus M. Prodromou et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17071269
- Resolving the roles of soot and dust in cirrus cloud ice formation at regional and global scales: insights from parcel and climate modeling X. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-95-2026
- Huge California wildfires seeded cirrus clouds half a world away https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03560-y
- Direct and Indirect Effects of Aerosols During the 2023 Canadian Wildfires A. Cheng et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17040337
- Lidar observations of cirrus cloud properties with CALIPSO from midlatitudes towards high-latitudes Q. Li & S. Groß https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16657-2025
- Measurement report: Violent biomass burning and volcanic eruptions – a new period of elevated stratospheric aerosol over central Europe (2017 to 2023) in a long series of observations T. Trickl et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1997-2024
- Microphysical and Compositional Differences Between Saharan and Middle Eastern Dust Revealed by UAS Observations M. Kezoudi et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7361-2026
- Aged and fresh wildfire smoke from different sources in Europe and North America: Long-term lidar observations over Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean M. Poutli et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202636202031
- Long-term (2010–2021) lidar observations of stratospheric aerosols in Wuhan, China Y. He et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11431-2024
- Understanding Aerosol–Cloud Interactions through Lidar Techniques: A Review F. Cairo et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16152788
- Extended POLIPHON dust conversion factor dataset for lidar-derived cloud condensation nuclei and ice-nucleating particle concentration profiles Y. He et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5669-2025
- Stratospheric impact of the anomalous 2023 Canadian wildfires: the two vertical pathways of smoke S. Khaykin et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14551-2025
- A satellite observation-based analysis of cirrus ice crystal number concentrations and underlying cirrus formation mechanisms over the Tibetan Plateau K. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7127-2026
- Lidar observations of optical properties of two upper troposphere and lower stratosphere aerosol plumes at Wuhan T. Fu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108347
- Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Emissions: Laboratory Measurement of Aerosol and Trace Gas from Combustion of Manufactured Building Materials K. Benedict et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.4c00217
- Fluorescence properties of long-range-transported smoke: insights from five-channel lidar observations over Moscow during the 2023 wildfire season I. Veselovskii et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1603-2025
- Invisible aerosol layers: improved lidar detection capabilities by means of laser-induced aerosol fluorescence B. Gast et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3995-2025
- Impact of wildfire smoke on Arctic cirrus formation – Part 1: Analysis of MOSAiC 2019–2020 observations A. Ansmann et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4847-2025
- The role of fire on Earth J. Pausas et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf132
- Aerosol optical-to-microphysical conversion factors for lidars and ceilometers from extended AERONET data analyses: POLIPHON update A. Ansmann et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3801-2026
20 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Remote-Sensing-Based Prioritization of Post-Fire Restoration Actions in Mediterranean Ecosystems: A Case Study in Cyprus M. Prodromou et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17071269
- Resolving the roles of soot and dust in cirrus cloud ice formation at regional and global scales: insights from parcel and climate modeling X. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-95-2026
- Huge California wildfires seeded cirrus clouds half a world away https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03560-y
- Direct and Indirect Effects of Aerosols During the 2023 Canadian Wildfires A. Cheng et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17040337
- Lidar observations of cirrus cloud properties with CALIPSO from midlatitudes towards high-latitudes Q. Li & S. Groß https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16657-2025
- Measurement report: Violent biomass burning and volcanic eruptions – a new period of elevated stratospheric aerosol over central Europe (2017 to 2023) in a long series of observations T. Trickl et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1997-2024
- Microphysical and Compositional Differences Between Saharan and Middle Eastern Dust Revealed by UAS Observations M. Kezoudi et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7361-2026
- Aged and fresh wildfire smoke from different sources in Europe and North America: Long-term lidar observations over Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean M. Poutli et al. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202636202031
- Long-term (2010–2021) lidar observations of stratospheric aerosols in Wuhan, China Y. He et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11431-2024
- Understanding Aerosol–Cloud Interactions through Lidar Techniques: A Review F. Cairo et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16152788
- Extended POLIPHON dust conversion factor dataset for lidar-derived cloud condensation nuclei and ice-nucleating particle concentration profiles Y. He et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5669-2025
- Stratospheric impact of the anomalous 2023 Canadian wildfires: the two vertical pathways of smoke S. Khaykin et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14551-2025
- A satellite observation-based analysis of cirrus ice crystal number concentrations and underlying cirrus formation mechanisms over the Tibetan Plateau K. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7127-2026
- Lidar observations of optical properties of two upper troposphere and lower stratosphere aerosol plumes at Wuhan T. Fu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108347
- Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Emissions: Laboratory Measurement of Aerosol and Trace Gas from Combustion of Manufactured Building Materials K. Benedict et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.4c00217
- Fluorescence properties of long-range-transported smoke: insights from five-channel lidar observations over Moscow during the 2023 wildfire season I. Veselovskii et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1603-2025
- Invisible aerosol layers: improved lidar detection capabilities by means of laser-induced aerosol fluorescence B. Gast et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3995-2025
- Impact of wildfire smoke on Arctic cirrus formation – Part 1: Analysis of MOSAiC 2019–2020 observations A. Ansmann et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4847-2025
- The role of fire on Earth J. Pausas et al. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf132
- Aerosol optical-to-microphysical conversion factors for lidars and ceilometers from extended AERONET data analyses: POLIPHON update A. Ansmann et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3801-2026
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 21 Jul 2026
Short summary
For the first time, rather clear evidence is found that wildfire smoke particles can trigger strong cirrus formation. This finding is of importance because intensive and large wildfires may occur increasingly often in the future as climate change proceeds. Based on lidar observations in Cyprus in autumn 2020, we provide detailed insight into the cirrus formation at the tropopause in the presence of aged wildfire smoke (here, 8–9 day old Californian wildfire smoke).
For the first time, rather clear evidence is found that wildfire smoke particles can trigger...
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