Articles | Volume 25, issue 14
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7879-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7879-2025
Research article
 | 
25 Jul 2025
Research article |  | 25 Jul 2025

Atmospheric processing and aerosol aging responsible for observed increase in absorptivity of long-range-transported smoke over the southeast Atlantic

Abdulamid A. Fakoya, Jens Redemann, Pablo E. Saide, Lan Gao, Logan T. Mitchell, Calvin Howes, Amie Dobracki, Ian Chang, Gonzalo A. Ferrada, Kristina Pistone, Samuel E. Leblanc, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Arthur J. Sedlacek III, Thomas Eck, Brent Holben, Pawan Gupta, Elena Lind, Paquita Zuidema, Gregory Carmichael, and Connor J. Flynn

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Characterisation of cloud shadow transition signatures using a dense pyranometer network
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5808,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5808, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Cited articles

Abel, S. J., Haywood, J. M., Highwood, E. J., Li, J., and Buseck, P. R.: Evolution of biomass burning aerosol properties from an agricultural fire in southern Africa, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30, 1783, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003GL017342, 2003. 
Ackerman, A. S., Toon, O. B., Taylor, J. P., Johnson, D. W., Hobbs, P. V., and Ferek, R. J.: Effects of Aerosols on Cloud Albedo: Evaluation of Twomey's Parameterization of Cloud Susceptibility Using Measurements of Ship Tracks, J. Atmos. Sci., 57, 2684–2695, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(2000)057<2684:Eoaoca>2.0.Co;2, 2000. 
Adebiyi, A. A. and Zuidema, P.: The role of the southern African easterly jet in modifying the southeast Atlantic aerosol and cloud environments, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 142, 1574–1589, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.2765, 2016. 
Adebiyi, A. A., Zuidema, P., and Abel, S. J.: The Convolution of Dynamics and Moisture with the Presence of Shortwave Absorbing Aerosols over the Southeast Atlantic, J. Climate, 28, 1997–2024, https://doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-14-00352.1, 2015. 
Aladodo, S. S., Akoshile, C. O., Ajibola, T. B., Sani, M., Iborida, O. A., and Fakoya, A. A.: Seasonal Tropospheric Aerosol Classification Using AERONET Spectral Absorption Properties in African Locations, Aerosol Sci. Eng., 6, 246–266, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41810-022-00140-x, 2022. 
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Short summary
Tiny atmospheric particles from wildfire smoke impact the climate by interacting with sunlight and clouds, the extent of which is uncertain due to gaps in understanding how smoke changes over time. We developed a new method using remote sensing instruments to track how these particles evolve during atmospheric transport. Our results show that the ability of these particles to absorb sunlight increases as they travel. This discovery could help improve predictions of future climate scenarios.
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