Burning conditions and transportation pathways determine biomass-burning aerosol properties in the Ascension Island marine boundary layer

Dobracki, Amie; Lewis, Ernie R.; Sedlacek III, Arthur J.; Tatro, Tyler; Zawadowicz, Maria A.; Zuidema, Paquita

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025

Articles | Volume 25, issue 4

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

New observations and related modelling studies of the aerosol–cloud–climate...

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 25, issue 4

Research article

|

21 Feb 2025

Research article |

| 21 Feb 2025

Burning conditions and transportation pathways determine biomass-burning aerosol properties in the Ascension Island marine boundary layer

Amie Dobracki, Ernie R. Lewis, Arthur J. Sedlacek III, Tyler Tatro, Maria A. Zawadowicz, and Paquita Zuidema

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025-supplement

Data sets

Single-Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) instrument handbook A. J. Sedlacek https://doi.org/10.2172/1344179

Integrating nephelometer instrument handbook J. Uin https://doi.org/10.2172/1246075

Carbon monoxide analyzer (CO-ANALYZER) instrument handbook S. R. Springston https://doi.org/10.2172/1495422

ACSM, Corrected for Composition-Dependent Collection Efficiency (ACSMCDCE), 2016-06-02 to 2017-11-01 M. Zawadowicz et al. https://doi.org/10.5439/1763029

SP2 B-level data, 2016-06-02 to 2017-11-01 A. J. Sedlacek http://www.arm.gov/campaigns/amf2016lasic/

Scanning mobility particle sizer (AOSSMPS), 2016-05-20 to 2017-10-20 C. Kuang et al. https://doi.org/10.5439/1476898

Condensation Particle Counter (AOSCPCU), 2016-05-20 to 2017-11-03 A. Koontz et al. https://doi.org/10.5439/1228061

Nephelometer (AOSNEPHDRY1M), 2016-04-23 to 2017-11-01 J. Uin et al. https://doi.org/10.5439/1984586

Carbon Monoxide Analyzer (AOSCO), 2016-04-23 to 2017-11-01 A. Koontz et al. https://doi.org/10.5439/1250819

VIIIRS data NASA https://doi.org/10.5067/FIRMS/VIIRS/VNP14IMGT_NRT.002

Aerosol Optical Properties (AOPPSAP1FLYNN1M), 2016-04-23 to 2017-11-01 A. Koontz et al. https://doi.org/10.5439/1369240

Balloon-Borne Sounding System (SONDEWNPN), 2016-04-29 to 2017-11-01 E. Keeler et al. https://doi.org/10.5439/1595321

The NCEP/NCAR 40-Year Reanalysis Project (https://psl.noaa.gov/data/gridded/data.ncep.reanalysis.html) E. Kalnay et al. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077

The CAMS reanalysis of atmospheric composition (https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/dataset/cams-global-reanalysis-eac4?tab=overview) A. Inness et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-3515-2019

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Short summary

Biomass-burning aerosol is commonly present in the marine boundary layer over the southeast Atlantic Ocean between June and October. Our research indicates that burning conditions, aerosol transport pathways, and prolonged oxidation processes (heterogeneous and aqueous phases) determine the chemical, microphysical, and optical properties of the boundary layer aerosol. Notably, we find that the aerosol optical properties can be estimated from the chemical properties alone.