Articles | Volume 26, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6703-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-26-6703-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 May 2026
Research article |
| 18 May 2026
| 18 May 2026
Strong springtime increase of ice-nucleating particle concentration in the Rocky Mountains
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
A. Gannet Hallar
Storm Peak Laboratory, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, UT, USA
Ian B. McCubbin
Storm Peak Laboratory, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, UT, USA
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
Joey Bail
Storm Peak Laboratory, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, UT, USA
Karl D. Froyd
Air Innova, Boulder, CO, USA
Justin Jacquot
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, IN, USA
now at: Earth Observing Laboratory, Research Aviation Facility, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
Xiaoli Shen
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, IN, USA
now at: Now at Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Christopher Rapp
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, IN, USA
Ottmar Möhler
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Daniel Cziczo
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, IN, USA
Related authors
Elena Bazo, Olga Ruiz-Galera, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Alexander Böhmländer, Kristina Höhler, Najin Kim, Larissa Lacher, Ottmar Möhler, Frascisco José Olmo, German Perez Fogwill, Ana A. Piedehierro, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, André Welti, Gloria Titos, and Alberto Cazorla
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2695–2713, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2695-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2695-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated different methods to obtain the ice nucleating particle (INP) concentration from ambient filters using GRAINS (GRAnada Ice Nuclei Spectrometer), the INP spectrometer at the Andalusian ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA). We first characterized GRAINS and compared it to other INP devices. Then, we sampled polycarbonate and quartz filters for three months and tested three different particle extraction methods, finding general good agreement but that the INP concentration is systematically higher when using quartz filters.
Nora Bergner, Grace Marsh, Kevin Barry, Larissa Lacher, Alexander Böhmländer, Joanna Alden, Carina Ahlqvist, Ianina Altshuler, Lisa Bröder, Daniel Farinotti, Lionel Favre, Coline Guillosson, Benjamin Heutte, Kristina Höhler, Roman Pohorsky, Julian Weng, and Julia Schmale
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-484, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-484, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Dust from Greenlandic glacial outwash plains can form ice in clouds, a process relevant for climate. Its ice-nucleating activity varies strongly and is largely controlled by small amounts of biological material. During summer, the influence on atmospheric ice-nucleating particles is mostly local. Lower activity compared to other high-latitude dust sources highlights the need to account for regional differences in Arctic dust.
Ross James Herbert, Larissa Lacher, Alexander Böhmländer, Mark D. Tarn, Antione Canzi, Aidan Pantoya, Evelyn Freney, Kristina Höhler, Pia Bogert, Celine Planche, Ping Tian, Michael Adams, Sarah Barr, David Brus, Nicole Büttner, Martin Daily, Konstantinos Doulgeris, Konstantinos Eleftheridadis, Grant Forster, Romy Fösig, Dimitrios Georgakopoulos, Maria Gini, A. Gannett Hallar, Radovan Krejci, Elke Ludewig, Mauro Mazzola, Ian B. McCubbin, Tuukka Petäjä, Joseph Robinson, Franziska Vogel, Paul Zieger, Stephen R. Arnold, Kenneth S. Carslaw, Naruki Hiranuma, Ottmar Möhler, and Benjamin J. Murray
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-41, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-41, 2026
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Ice formation in sub-zero clouds is influenced by airborne particles called ice-nucleating particles (INPs), whose concentrations vary substantially over short time and spatial scales. To assess the role of INPs in our climate, a comprehensive and consistent global dataset is essential. Our GloPINE model-ready dataset is a major step in this direction, comprising 36,000 measurements made using a single instrument design (PINE) over 70,000 hours of operation at 20 northern hemisphere sites.
Nicole Büttner, Romy Fösig, Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Franziska Vogel, Mark Tarn, Pia Bogert, Jens Nadolny, Benjamin Murray, and Ottmar Möhler
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5586, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5586, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new Python software tool that standardises and automates the analysis of data from a cloud simulation chamber. It identifies ice-forming particles in the atmosphere and ensures consistent data quality through built-in checks, making results more comparable across studies. We also analysed measurement data to provide recommendations for improving instrument reliability and long-term monitoring of atmospheric ice-forming particles. This helps to better understand how clouds behave.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Kristina Höhler, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Jessica Girdwood, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6157–6164, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6157-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6157-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds play a key role in weather and climate. Pure liquid water droplets are liquid until about −35 °C without the presence of a small subset of aerosols, ice-nucleating particles (INPs). These INPs lead to primary ice formation and therefore impact the phase of clouds. The dataset described herein provides INP concentration measurements at two altitudes. Connecting this data to synoptic conditions and ambient data might provide a better understanding of INPs in Finnish Lapland.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Romy Fösig, Nicole Büttner, Jens Nadolny, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6165–6171, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6165-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6165-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud-aerosol interactions lead to a phase change of water droplets inside the atmosphere. One of these interactions happens due to a small subset of aerosols, ice-nucleating particles (INPs). These INPs lead to the freezing of pure water droplets above −35 °C, which otherwise would stay liquid. This has impacts on the weather and climate. The present data set presents a unique data set with a high temporal resolution.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Zoé Brasseur, Matthew Boyer, Joel Kuula, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3959–3971, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3959-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3959-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds and aerosol are important for weather and climate. Typically, pure water cloud droplets stay liquid until around −35 °C, unless they come into contact with ice-nucleating particles (INPs). INPs are a rare subset of aerosol particles. Using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), it is possible to collect aerosol particles and analyse their ice-nucleating ability. This study describes the test and validation of a sampling set-up that can be used to collect aerosol particles onto a filter.
Franziska Vogel, Michael P. Adams, Larissa Lacher, Polly B. Foster, Grace C. E. Porter, Barbara Bertozzi, Kristina Höhler, Julia Schneider, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Jens Nadolny, Zoé Brasseur, Paavo Heikkilä, Erik S. Thomson, Nicole Büttner, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Alexander D. Harrison, Jorma Keskinen, Ulrike Proske, Jonathan Duplissy, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Benjamin J. Murray
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11737–11757, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Primary ice formation in clouds strongly influences their properties; hence, it is important to understand the sources of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) and their variability. We present 2 months of INP measurements in a Finnish boreal forest using a new semi-autonomous INP counting device based on gas expansion. These results show strong variability in INP concentrations, and we present a case that the INPs we observe are, at least some of the time, of biological origin.
Elise K. Wilbourn, Larissa Lacher, Carlos Guerrero, Hemanth S. K. Vepuri, Kristina Höhler, Jens Nadolny, Aidan D. Pantoya, Ottmar Möhler, and Naruki Hiranuma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5433–5456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5433-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5433-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ambient ice particles were measured at terrestrial and temperate marine sites. Ice particles were more abundant in the former site, while the fraction of ice particles relative to total ambient particles, representing atmospheric ice nucleation efficiency, was higher in the latter site. Ice nucleation parameterizations were developed as a function of examined freezing temperatures from two sites for our study periods (autumn).
Larissa Lacher, Michael P. Adams, Kevin Barry, Barbara Bertozzi, Heinz Bingemer, Cristian Boffo, Yannick Bras, Nicole Büttner, Dimitri Castarede, Daniel J. Cziczo, Paul J. DeMott, Romy Fösig, Megan Goodell, Kristina Höhler, Thomas C. J. Hill, Conrad Jentzsch, Luis A. Ladino, Ezra J. T. Levin, Stephan Mertes, Ottmar Möhler, Kathryn A. Moore, Benjamin J. Murray, Jens Nadolny, Tatjana Pfeuffer, David Picard, Carolina Ramírez-Romero, Mickael Ribeiro, Sarah Richter, Jann Schrod, Karine Sellegri, Frank Stratmann, Benjamin E. Swanson, Erik S. Thomson, Heike Wex, Martin J. Wolf, and Evelyn Freney
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2651–2678, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2651-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2651-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles that trigger ice formation in clouds are important for the climate system but are very rare in the atmosphere, challenging measurement techniques. Here we compare three cloud chambers and seven methods for collecting aerosol particles on filters for offline analysis at a mountaintop station. A general good agreement of the methods was found when sampling aerosol particles behind a whole air inlet, supporting their use for obtaining data that can be implemented in models.
Zoé Brasseur, Dimitri Castarède, Erik S. Thomson, Michael P. Adams, Saskia Drossaart van Dusseldorp, Paavo Heikkilä, Kimmo Korhonen, Janne Lampilahti, Mikhail Paramonov, Julia Schneider, Franziska Vogel, Yusheng Wu, Jonathan P. D. Abbatt, Nina S. Atanasova, Dennis H. Bamford, Barbara Bertozzi, Matthew Boyer, David Brus, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Ellen Gute, Alexander D. Harrison, Paula Hietala, Kristina Höhler, Zamin A. Kanji, Jorma Keskinen, Larissa Lacher, Markus Lampimäki, Janne Levula, Antti Manninen, Jens Nadolny, Maija Peltola, Grace C. E. Porter, Pyry Poutanen, Ulrike Proske, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, János Stenszky, Annele Virtanen, Dmitri Moisseev, Markku Kulmala, Benjamin J. Murray, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5117–5145, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The present measurement report introduces the ice nucleation campaign organized in Hyytiälä, Finland, in 2018 (HyICE-2018). We provide an overview of the campaign settings, and we describe the measurement infrastructure and operating procedures used. In addition, we use results from ice nucleation instrument inter-comparison to show that the suite of these instruments deployed during the campaign reports consistent results.
Larissa Lacher, Hans-Christian Clemen, Xiaoli Shen, Stephan Mertes, Martin Gysel-Beer, Alireza Moallemi, Martin Steinbacher, Stephan Henne, Harald Saathoff, Ottmar Möhler, Kristina Höhler, Thea Schiebel, Daniel Weber, Jann Schrod, Johannes Schneider, and Zamin A. Kanji
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16925–16953, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16925-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16925-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate ice-nucleating particle properties at Jungfraujoch during the 2017 joint INUIT/CLACE field campaign, to improve the knowledge about those rare particles in a cloud-relevant environment. By quantifying ice-nucleating particles in parallel to single-particle mass spectrometry measurements, we find that mineral dust and aged sea spray particles are potential candidates for ice-nucleating particles. Our findings are supported by ice residual analysis and source region modeling.
Naruki Hiranuma, Brent W. Auvermann, Franco Belosi, Jack Bush, Kimberly M. Cory, Dimitrios G. Georgakopoulos, Kristina Höhler, Yidi Hou, Larissa Lacher, Harald Saathoff, Gianni Santachiara, Xiaoli Shen, Isabelle Steinke, Romy Ullrich, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Hemanth S. K. Vepuri, Franziska Vogel, and Ottmar Möhler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14215–14234, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14215-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14215-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present laboratory and field studies showing that an open-lot livestock facility is a substantial source of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles (INPs). The ambient concentration of INPs from livestock facilities in Texas is very high. It is up to several thousand INPs per liter below –20 °C and may impact regional aerosol–cloud interactions. About 50% of feedlot INPs were supermicron in diameter. No notable amount of known ice-nucleating microorganisms was found in our feedlot samples.
Erin K. Boedicker, Andre Bergeron, Gerardo Carrillo-Cardenas, Dominik Kulakowski, John Rogan, Elisabeth Andrews, and A. Gannet Hallar
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 6593–6610, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6593-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6593-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
We present analysis of long-term aerosol measurements from two sites in Colorado. In this work, we characterize seasonal trends of aerosol optical properties for both sites and perform trend analysis to investigate changes in sources over time. We show that there is a significant increase in the influence of extreme events like smoke and dust, and explore the relationship between optical properties to identify aerosol types and temporal patterns at the two sites.
Christopher N. Rapp, Sining Niu, Jason D. Surratt, Yue Zhang, and Daniel J. Cziczo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2458, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2458, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
Ice formation in cirrus clouds is often triggered by microscopic particles. While many particle types are known to promote this process, the role of particles formed from gases emitted by plants and trees remains uncertain. This study shows that the ability of these biogenic particles to form ice within cirrus clouds depends strongly on the specific gas from which they originate and is not well predicted by commonly used particle properties.
Elena Bazo, Olga Ruiz-Galera, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Alexander Böhmländer, Kristina Höhler, Najin Kim, Larissa Lacher, Ottmar Möhler, Frascisco José Olmo, German Perez Fogwill, Ana A. Piedehierro, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, André Welti, Gloria Titos, and Alberto Cazorla
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2695–2713, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2695-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2695-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated different methods to obtain the ice nucleating particle (INP) concentration from ambient filters using GRAINS (GRAnada Ice Nuclei Spectrometer), the INP spectrometer at the Andalusian ObseRvatory of the Atmosphere (AGORA). We first characterized GRAINS and compared it to other INP devices. Then, we sampled polycarbonate and quartz filters for three months and tested three different particle extraction methods, finding general good agreement but that the INP concentration is systematically higher when using quartz filters.
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
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1612, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1612, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Inés Zabala, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Elisabeth Andrews, Andrea Casans, Gerardo Carrillo-Cardenas, Anna Gannet Hallar, and Gloria Titos
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 3697–3722, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3697-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3697-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) phenomenology across nine observatories in diverse environments. We evaluate CCN prediction methods based on aerosol chemical composition and optical properties, including empirical and machine learning approaches. While simplified chemical schemes provide first-order estimates, incorporating optical data substantially improves CCN prediction accuracy in regions without direct measurements.
Nora Bergner, Grace Marsh, Kevin Barry, Larissa Lacher, Alexander Böhmländer, Joanna Alden, Carina Ahlqvist, Ianina Altshuler, Lisa Bröder, Daniel Farinotti, Lionel Favre, Coline Guillosson, Benjamin Heutte, Kristina Höhler, Roman Pohorsky, Julian Weng, and Julia Schmale
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-484, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-484, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Dust from Greenlandic glacial outwash plains can form ice in clouds, a process relevant for climate. Its ice-nucleating activity varies strongly and is largely controlled by small amounts of biological material. During summer, the influence on atmospheric ice-nucleating particles is mostly local. Lower activity compared to other high-latitude dust sources highlights the need to account for regional differences in Arctic dust.
Ross James Herbert, Larissa Lacher, Alexander Böhmländer, Mark D. Tarn, Antione Canzi, Aidan Pantoya, Evelyn Freney, Kristina Höhler, Pia Bogert, Celine Planche, Ping Tian, Michael Adams, Sarah Barr, David Brus, Nicole Büttner, Martin Daily, Konstantinos Doulgeris, Konstantinos Eleftheridadis, Grant Forster, Romy Fösig, Dimitrios Georgakopoulos, Maria Gini, A. Gannett Hallar, Radovan Krejci, Elke Ludewig, Mauro Mazzola, Ian B. McCubbin, Tuukka Petäjä, Joseph Robinson, Franziska Vogel, Paul Zieger, Stephen R. Arnold, Kenneth S. Carslaw, Naruki Hiranuma, Ottmar Möhler, and Benjamin J. Murray
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-41, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-41, 2026
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Ice formation in sub-zero clouds is influenced by airborne particles called ice-nucleating particles (INPs), whose concentrations vary substantially over short time and spatial scales. To assess the role of INPs in our climate, a comprehensive and consistent global dataset is essential. Our GloPINE model-ready dataset is a major step in this direction, comprising 36,000 measurements made using a single instrument design (PINE) over 70,000 hours of operation at 20 northern hemisphere sites.
Yusheng Wu, Zoé Brasseur, Dimtri Castarède, Paavo Heikkilä, Jorma Keskinen, Ottmar Möhler, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Erik S. Thomson, and Jonathan Duplissy
Aerosol Research Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-4, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-4, 2026
Revised manuscript under review for AR
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds in cold regions affect climate and precipitation, but their behavior depends on rare airborne particles that help ice form. We measured these particles over several months in a Finnish forest and compared them with many environmental observations. We found that ice formation in winter was largely unpredictable, while in spring and summer it was more strongly linked to particle amount and composition. This shows that local conditions are needed to better represent clouds in climate models.
Sebastian Vergara-Palacio, Alexei Kiselev, Franziska Vogel, Adolfo González-Romero, Romy Fösig, Xavier Querol, Corinna Hoose, Ottmar Möhler, Konrad Kandler, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, and Martina Klose
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6240, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6240, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric mineral dust can help clouds form ice, changing cloud properties and affecting weather and climate. We tested dust from Morocco and Iceland in more than 300 controlled laboratory experiments. Icelandic samples were up to 100 times less able to promote ice formation than Moroccan samples, and showed mineral-composition dependence. The results show the role of larger dust particles in ice nucleation and their relationship with mineralogy and size for low- and high-latitude sources.
Alexander Garber, Zhaoxia Pu, and Anna Gannet Hallar
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6413, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6413, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines how Saharan dust aerosols influenced the evolution of Tropical Storm Hermine (2022) using WRF-Chem simulations and NASA CPEX-CV observations. Results show that dust radiative effects weakened and disrupted storm organization, while reanalysis data underestimated dust concentrations. The findings highlight the importance of accurately representing aerosols to improve tropical cyclone simulations and hazard prediction.
Hannah Meyer, Konrad Kandler, Sylvain Dupont, Jerónimo Escribano, Jessica Girdwood, George Nikolich, Andrés Alastuey, Vicken Etyemezian, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Tareq Hussein, Mark Irvine, Peter Knippertz, Ottmar Möhler, Xavier Querol, Chris Stopford, Franziska Vogel, Frederik Weis, Andreas Wieser, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, and Martina Klose
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 21–61, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-21-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-21-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Mineral dust particles emitted from dry soils are of various sizes, yet the abundance of very large particles is not well understood. Here we measured the dust size distribution from fine to giant particles at an emission source during a field campaign in Jordan (J-WADI) using multiple instruments. Our findings show that large particles make up a significant part of the total dust mass. This knowledge is essential to improve climate models and to predict dust impacts on climate and environment.
Nicole Büttner, Romy Fösig, Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Franziska Vogel, Mark Tarn, Pia Bogert, Jens Nadolny, Benjamin Murray, and Ottmar Möhler
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5586, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5586, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new Python software tool that standardises and automates the analysis of data from a cloud simulation chamber. It identifies ice-forming particles in the atmosphere and ensures consistent data quality through built-in checks, making results more comparable across studies. We also analysed measurement data to provide recommendations for improving instrument reliability and long-term monitoring of atmospheric ice-forming particles. This helps to better understand how clouds behave.
Christopher N. Rapp, Gerardo Carrillo-Cardenas, Sining Niu, Yue Zhang, Fred J. Brechtel, A. Gannet Hallar, and Daniel J. Cziczo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4222, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4222, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Particles within aerosol vary in both size and concentration and is termed a particle size distribution (PSD). Aerosol particles are rarely distributed such that only one similar group of particles (mode) exists. In reality, the PSD is often the sum of multiple individual modes. This work introduces an accessible tool used to decompose complex PSDs so each mode can be characterized and used to infer important properties relevant to health and climate such as formation processes and composition.
Tyler R. Elgiar, Loknath Dhar, Lynne Gratz, A. Gannet Hallar, Rainer Volkamer, and Seth N. Lyman
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16387–16399, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16387-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16387-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We compare verified atmospheric mercury measurements against output from the GEOS-Chem photochemical transport model. We show the model is unable to reproduce measured atmospheric oxidized mercury concentrations, even in several cases where oxidation rates in the model are enhanced.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Kristina Höhler, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Jessica Girdwood, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6157–6164, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6157-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6157-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds play a key role in weather and climate. Pure liquid water droplets are liquid until about −35 °C without the presence of a small subset of aerosols, ice-nucleating particles (INPs). These INPs lead to primary ice formation and therefore impact the phase of clouds. The dataset described herein provides INP concentration measurements at two altitudes. Connecting this data to synoptic conditions and ambient data might provide a better understanding of INPs in Finnish Lapland.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Romy Fösig, Nicole Büttner, Jens Nadolny, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6165–6171, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6165-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6165-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Cloud-aerosol interactions lead to a phase change of water droplets inside the atmosphere. One of these interactions happens due to a small subset of aerosols, ice-nucleating particles (INPs). These INPs lead to the freezing of pure water droplets above −35 °C, which otherwise would stay liquid. This has impacts on the weather and climate. The present data set presents a unique data set with a high temporal resolution.
Marco Zanatta, Pia Bogert, Patrick Ginot, Yiwei Gong, Gholam Ali Hoshyaripour, Yaqiong Hu, Feng Jiang, Paolo Laj, Yanxia Li, Claudia Linke, Ottmar Möhler, Harald Saathoff, Martin Schnaiter, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, Franziska Vogel, and Robert Wagner
Aerosol Research, 3, 477–502, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-477-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-477-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Back carbon is an atmospheric pollutant from combustion and contributes to the Arctic warming. However, its properties change as it travels through the atmosphere, affecting its impact. We recreated Arctic transport conditions in a laboratory to study how black carbon evolves over time. Our findings show that temperature and altitude strongly influence its transformation, providing key insights for improving climate models and understanding Arctic pollution.
Kaiqi Wang, Kai Bi, Shuling Chen, Markus Hartmann, Zhijun Wu, Jiyu Gao, Xiaoyu Xu, Yuhan Cheng, Mengyu Huang, Yunbo Chen, Huiwen Xue, Bingbing Wang, Yaqiong Hu, Xiongying Zhang, Xincheng Ma, Ruijie Li, Ping Tian, Ottmar Möhler, Heike Wex, Frank Stratmann, Jie Chen, and Xianda Gong
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5823–5840, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5823-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5823-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding how ice forms in clouds is crucial for predicting weather and climate; however, accurately measuring the ice-nucleating particles that trigger ice formation remains challenging. We developed an advanced instrument called the Freezing Ice Nucleation Detection Analyzer. By refining temperature control, automating freezing detection, and rigorously testing, we demonstrated that this instrument can reliably measure immersion mode ice-nucleating particles across diverse conditions.
Kasper Juurikkala, Christina J. Williamson, Karl D. Froyd, Jonathan Dean-Day, and Ari Laaksonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 13995–14013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-13995-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-13995-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses Large Eddy Simulations (LES) to investigate synoptic cirrus clouds from NASA’s Mid-latitude Airborne Cirrus Properties Experiment (MACPEX) campaign. Results show that prior heterogeneous ice nucleation depletes ice nuclei, creating conditions for subsequent homogeneous freezing. The findings highlight limitations of ice residual analysis in capturing cirrus evolution and provide insights into aerosol-cloud interactions critical to atmospheric and climate processes.
Simone Brunamonti, Harald Saathoff, Albert Hertzog, Glenn Diskin, Masatomo Fujiwara, Karen Rosenlof, Ottmar Möhler, Béla Tuzson, Lukas Emmenegger, Nadir Amarouche, Georges Durry, Fabien Frérot, Jean-Christophe Samake, Claire Cenac, Julio Lopez, Paul Monnier, and Mélanie Ghysels
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5321–5348, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5321-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5321-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Water vapor is a strong greenhouse gas, and accurate measurements of its concentration in the upper atmosphere (~8–25 km altitude) are crucial for reliable climate predictions. We investigated the performance of four airborne hygrometers, deployed on aircraft or stratospheric balloon platforms and based on different techniques, in a climate simulation chamber. The results demonstrate the high accuracy and reliability of the involved sensors for atmospheric monitoring and research applications.
Jürgen Gratzl, Alexander Böhmländer, Sanna Pätsi, Clara-E. Pogner, Markus Gorfer, David Brus, Konstantinos Matthaios Doulgeris, Florian Wieland, Eija Asmi, Annika Saarto, Ottmar Möhler, Dominik Stolzenburg, and Hinrich Grothe
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 12007–12035, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12007-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12007-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We studied particles in the air over 1 year in the Finnish sub-Arctic to understand how biological particles affect ice formation in clouds. We found that fungal spores are the main contributors to ice formation at warmer temperatures. These particles are released locally and vary with the weather. Our results also show that we know very little about which fungi can form ice in the atmosphere, highlighting a major gap in our understanding of how nature influences weather and climate.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Zoé Brasseur, Matthew Boyer, Joel Kuula, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3959–3971, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3959-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3959-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds and aerosol are important for weather and climate. Typically, pure water cloud droplets stay liquid until around −35 °C, unless they come into contact with ice-nucleating particles (INPs). INPs are a rare subset of aerosol particles. Using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), it is possible to collect aerosol particles and analyse their ice-nucleating ability. This study describes the test and validation of a sampling set-up that can be used to collect aerosol particles onto a filter.
Jürgen Gratzl, David Brus, Konstantinos Doulgeris, Alexander Böhmländer, Ottmar Möhler, and Hinrich Grothe
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 3975–3985, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3975-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3975-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Near-real time monitoring of airborne biological particles like fungal spores or pollen grains is of great interest for two main reasons: to improve atmospheric allergen forecasts and to deepen the understanding of how bio-aerosols influence cloud formation. Here, we measured fluorescent bio-aerosols in the Finnish sub-Arctic with a high time resolution. A data set that might improve our understanding of biosphere–cloud interactions and the dynamics of bio-aerosols in the atmosphere.
Christopher N. Rapp, Sining Niu, N. Cazimir Armstrong, Xiaoli Shen, Thomas Berkemeier, Jason D. Surratt, Yue Zhang, and Daniel J. Cziczo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5519–5536, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5519-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5519-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric ice formation is initiated by particulate matter suspended in air and has profound impacts on Earth's climate. This study focuses on examining the effectiveness of ice formation by a subset of particles composed of organic matter and sulfate. We used experiments and computer modeling to obtain the result that these particles are not effective ice-nucleating particles, suggesting that molecular structure is important for ice formation on these types of particles.
Paul J. DeMott, Jessica A. Mirrielees, Sarah Suda Petters, Daniel J. Cziczo, Markus D. Petters, Heinz G. Bingemer, Thomas C. J. Hill, Karl Froyd, Sarvesh Garimella, A. Gannet Hallar, Ezra J. T. Levin, Ian B. McCubbin, Anne E. Perring, Christopher N. Rapp, Thea Schiebel, Jann Schrod, Kaitlyn J. Suski, Daniel Weber, Martin J. Wolf, Maria Zawadowicz, Jake Zenker, Ottmar Möhler, and Sarah D. Brooks
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 639–672, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-639-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-639-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The Fifth International Ice Nucleation Workshop Phase 3 (FIN-03) compared the ambient atmospheric performance of ice-nucleating particle (INP) measuring systems and explored general methods for discerning atmospheric INP compositions. Mirroring laboratory results, INP concentrations agreed within 5–10 factors. Measurements of total aerosol properties and investigations of INP compositions supported a dominant role of soil and plant organic aerosol elements as INPs during the study.
Gregory P. Schill, Karl D. Froyd, Daniel M. Murphy, Christina J. Williamson, Charles A. Brock, Tomás Sherwen, Mat J. Evans, Eric A. Ray, Eric C. Apel, Rebecca S. Hornbrook, Alan J. Hills, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Chelsea R. Thompson, Ilann Bourgeois, Donald R. Blake, Joshua P. DiGangi, and Glenn S. Diskin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 45–71, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-45-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-45-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Using single-particle mass spectrometry, we show that trace concentrations of bromine and iodine are ubiquitous in remote tropospheric aerosol and suggest that aerosols are an important part of the global reactive iodine budget. Comparisons to a global climate model with detailed iodine chemistry are favorable in the background atmosphere; however, the model cannot replicate our measurements near the ocean surface, in biomass burning plumes, and in the stratosphere.
Franziska Vogel, Michael P. Adams, Larissa Lacher, Polly B. Foster, Grace C. E. Porter, Barbara Bertozzi, Kristina Höhler, Julia Schneider, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Jens Nadolny, Zoé Brasseur, Paavo Heikkilä, Erik S. Thomson, Nicole Büttner, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Alexander D. Harrison, Jorma Keskinen, Ulrike Proske, Jonathan Duplissy, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Benjamin J. Murray
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11737–11757, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Primary ice formation in clouds strongly influences their properties; hence, it is important to understand the sources of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) and their variability. We present 2 months of INP measurements in a Finnish boreal forest using a new semi-autonomous INP counting device based on gas expansion. These results show strong variability in INP concentrations, and we present a case that the INPs we observe are, at least some of the time, of biological origin.
Zoé Brasseur, Julia Schneider, Janne Lampilahti, Ville Vakkari, Victoria A. Sinclair, Christina J. Williamson, Carlton Xavier, Dmitri Moisseev, Markus Hartmann, Pyry Poutanen, Markus Lampimäki, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Erik S. Thomson, Kristina Höhler, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11305–11332, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11305-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11305-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) strongly influence the formation of clouds by initiating the formation of ice crystals. However, very little is known about the vertical distribution of INPs in the atmosphere. Here, we present aircraft measurements of INP concentrations above the Finnish boreal forest. Results show that near-surface INPs are efficiently transported and mixed within the boundary layer and occasionally reach the free troposphere.
Xiaoli Shen, David M. Bell, Hugh Coe, Naruki Hiranuma, Fabian Mahrt, Nicholas A. Marsden, Claudia Mohr, Daniel M. Murphy, Harald Saathoff, Johannes Schneider, Jacqueline Wilson, Maria A. Zawadowicz, Alla Zelenyuk, Paul J. DeMott, Ottmar Möhler, and Daniel J. Cziczo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10869–10891, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10869-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10869-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Single-particle mass spectrometry (SPMS) is commonly used to measure the chemical composition and mixing state of aerosol particles. Intercomparison of SPMS instruments was conducted. All instruments reported similar size ranges and common spectral features. The instrument-specific detection efficiency was found to be more dependent on particle size than type. All differentiated secondary organic aerosol, soot, and soil dust but had difficulties differentiating among minerals and dusts.
Hengheng Zhang, Wei Huang, Xiaoli Shen, Ramakrishna Ramisetty, Junwei Song, Olga Kiseleva, Christopher Claus Holst, Basit Khan, Thomas Leisner, and Harald Saathoff
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10617–10637, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10617-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10617-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Our study unravels how stagnant winter conditions elevate aerosol levels in Stuttgart. Cloud cover at night plays a pivotal role, impacting morning air quality. Validating a key model, our findings aid accurate air quality predictions, crucial for effective pollution mitigation in urban areas.
Kunfeng Gao, Franziska Vogel, Romanos Foskinis, Stergios Vratolis, Maria I. Gini, Konstantinos Granakis, Anne-Claire Billault-Roux, Paraskevi Georgakaki, Olga Zografou, Prodromos Fetfatzis, Alexis Berne, Alexandros Papayannis, Konstantinos Eleftheridadis, Ottmar Möhler, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9939–9974, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9939-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9939-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice nucleating particle (INP) concentrations are required for correct predictions of clouds and precipitation in a changing climate, but they are poorly constrained in climate models. We unravel source contributions to INPs in the eastern Mediterranean and find that biological particles are important, regardless of their origin. The parameterizations developed exhibit superior performance and enable models to consider biological-particle effects on INPs.
Eleanor J. Derry, Tyler R. Elgiar, Taylor Y. Wilmot, Nicholas W. Hoch, Noah S. Hirshorn, Peter Weiss-Penzias, Christopher F. Lee, John C. Lin, A. Gannet Hallar, Rainer Volkamer, Seth N. Lyman, and Lynne E. Gratz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9615–9643, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9615-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9615-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Mercury (Hg) is a globally distributed neurotoxic pollutant. Atmospheric deposition is the main source of Hg in ecosystems. However, measurement biases hinder understanding of the origins and abundance of the more bioavailable oxidized form. We used an improved, calibrated measurement system to study air mass composition and transport of atmospheric Hg at a remote mountaintop site in the central US. Oxidized Hg originated upwind in the low to middle free troposphere under clean, dry conditions.
Maya Abou-Ghanem, Daniel M. Murphy, Gregory P. Schill, Michael J. Lawler, and Karl D. Froyd
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8263–8275, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8263-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8263-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Using particle analysis by laser mass spectrometry, we examine vanadium-containing ship exhaust particles measured on NASA's DC-8 during the Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom). Our results reveal ship exhaust particles are sufficiently widespread in the marine atmosphere and experience atmospheric aging. Finally, we use laboratory calibrations to determine the vanadium, sulfate, and organic single-particle mass fractions of vanadium-containing ship exhaust particles.
Elise K. Wilbourn, Larissa Lacher, Carlos Guerrero, Hemanth S. K. Vepuri, Kristina Höhler, Jens Nadolny, Aidan D. Pantoya, Ottmar Möhler, and Naruki Hiranuma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5433–5456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5433-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5433-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ambient ice particles were measured at terrestrial and temperate marine sites. Ice particles were more abundant in the former site, while the fraction of ice particles relative to total ambient particles, representing atmospheric ice nucleation efficiency, was higher in the latter site. Ice nucleation parameterizations were developed as a function of examined freezing temperatures from two sites for our study periods (autumn).
Larissa Lacher, Michael P. Adams, Kevin Barry, Barbara Bertozzi, Heinz Bingemer, Cristian Boffo, Yannick Bras, Nicole Büttner, Dimitri Castarede, Daniel J. Cziczo, Paul J. DeMott, Romy Fösig, Megan Goodell, Kristina Höhler, Thomas C. J. Hill, Conrad Jentzsch, Luis A. Ladino, Ezra J. T. Levin, Stephan Mertes, Ottmar Möhler, Kathryn A. Moore, Benjamin J. Murray, Jens Nadolny, Tatjana Pfeuffer, David Picard, Carolina Ramírez-Romero, Mickael Ribeiro, Sarah Richter, Jann Schrod, Karine Sellegri, Frank Stratmann, Benjamin E. Swanson, Erik S. Thomson, Heike Wex, Martin J. Wolf, and Evelyn Freney
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2651–2678, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2651-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2651-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles that trigger ice formation in clouds are important for the climate system but are very rare in the atmosphere, challenging measurement techniques. Here we compare three cloud chambers and seven methods for collecting aerosol particles on filters for offline analysis at a mountaintop station. A general good agreement of the methods was found when sampling aerosol particles behind a whole air inlet, supporting their use for obtaining data that can be implemented in models.
Wei Huang, Cheng Wu, Linyu Gao, Yvette Gramlich, Sophie L. Haslett, Joel Thornton, Felipe D. Lopez-Hilfiker, Ben H. Lee, Junwei Song, Harald Saathoff, Xiaoli Shen, Ramakrishna Ramisetty, Sachchida N. Tripathi, Dilip Ganguly, Feng Jiang, Magdalena Vallon, Siegfried Schobesberger, Taina Yli-Juuti, and Claudia Mohr
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2607–2624, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2607-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2607-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present distinct molecular composition and volatility of oxygenated organic aerosol particles in different rural, urban, and mountain environments. We do a comprehensive investigation of the relationship between the chemical composition and volatility of oxygenated organic aerosol particles across different systems and environments. This study provides implications for volatility descriptions of oxygenated organic aerosol particles in different model frameworks.
Huisheng Bian, Mian Chin, Peter R. Colarco, Eric C. Apel, Donald R. Blake, Karl Froyd, Rebecca S. Hornbrook, Jose Jimenez, Pedro Campuzano Jost, Michael Lawler, Mingxu Liu, Marianne Tronstad Lund, Hitoshi Matsui, Benjamin A. Nault, Joyce E. Penner, Andrew W. Rollins, Gregory Schill, Ragnhild B. Skeie, Hailong Wang, Lu Xu, Kai Zhang, and Jialei Zhu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1717–1741, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1717-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1717-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This work studies sulfur in the remote troposphere at global and seasonal scales using aircraft measurements and multi-model simulations. The goal is to understand the sulfur cycle over remote oceans, spread of model simulations, and observation–model discrepancies. Such an understanding and comparison with real observations are crucial to narrow down the uncertainties in model sulfur simulations and improve understanding of the sulfur cycle in atmospheric air quality, climate, and ecosystems.
Carynelisa Haspel, Cuiqi Zhang, Martin J. Wolf, Daniel J. Cziczo, and Maor Sela
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10091–10115, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10091-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10091-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Small particles, commonly termed aerosols, can be found throughout the atmosphere and come from both natural and anthropogenic sources. One important type of aerosol is black carbon (BC). In this study, we conducted laboratory measurements of light scattering by particles meant to mimic atmospheric BC and compared them to calculations of scattering. We find that it is likely that calculations underpredict the scattering by BC particles of certain polarizations of light in certain directions.
Robert Wagner, Alexander D. James, Victoria L. Frankland, Ottmar Möhler, Benjamin J. Murray, John M. C. Plane, Harald Saathoff, Ralf Weigel, and Martin Schnaiter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6789–6811, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6789-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6789-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) play an important role in the depletion of stratospheric ozone. They can consist of different chemical species, including crystalline nitric acid hydrates. We found that mineral dust or meteoric ablation material can efficiently catalyse the formation of a specific phase of nitric acid dihydrate crystals. We determined predominant particle shapes and infrared optical properties of these crystals, which are important inputs for remote sensing detection of PSCs.
Kara D. Lamb, Jerry Y. Harrington, Benjamin W. Clouser, Elisabeth J. Moyer, Laszlo Sarkozy, Volker Ebert, Ottmar Möhler, and Harald Saathoff
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6043–6064, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6043-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6043-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates how ice grows directly from vapor in cirrus clouds by comparing observations of populations of ice crystals growing in a cloud chamber against models developed in the context of single-crystal laboratory studies. We demonstrate that previous discrepancies between different experimental measurements do not necessarily point to different physical interpretations but are rather due to assumptions that were made in terms of how experiments were modeled in previous studies.
Noah S. Hirshorn, Lauren M. Zuromski, Christopher Rapp, Ian McCubbin, Gerardo Carrillo-Cardenas, Fangqun Yu, and A. Gannet Hallar
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15909–15924, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15909-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15909-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
New particle formation (NPF) is a source of atmospheric aerosol number concentration that can impact climate by growing to larger sizes and under proper conditions form cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Using novel methods, we find that at Storm Peak Laboratory, a remote, mountaintop site in Colorado, NPF is observed to enhance CCN concentrations in the spring by a factor of 1.54 and in the winter by a factor of 1.36 which can occur on a regional scale having important climate implications.
Siying Lian, Luxi Zhou, Daniel M. Murphy, Karl D. Froyd, Owen B. Toon, and Pengfei Yu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13659–13676, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13659-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13659-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Parameterizations of dust lifting and microphysical properties of dust in climate models are still subject to large uncertainty. Here we use a sectional aerosol climate model to investigate the global vertical distributions of the dust. Constrained by a suite of observations, the model suggests that, although North African dust dominates global dust mass loading at the surface, the relative contribution of Asian dust increases with altitude and becomes dominant in the upper troposphere.
Outi Meinander, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Pavel Amosov, Elena Aseyeva, Cliff Atkins, Alexander Baklanov, Clarissa Baldo, Sarah L. Barr, Barbara Barzycka, Liane G. Benning, Bojan Cvetkovic, Polina Enchilik, Denis Frolov, Santiago Gassó, Konrad Kandler, Nikolay Kasimov, Jan Kavan, James King, Tatyana Koroleva, Viktoria Krupskaya, Markku Kulmala, Monika Kusiak, Hanna K. Lappalainen, Michał Laska, Jerome Lasne, Marek Lewandowski, Bartłomiej Luks, James B. McQuaid, Beatrice Moroni, Benjamin Murray, Ottmar Möhler, Adam Nawrot, Slobodan Nickovic, Norman T. O’Neill, Goran Pejanovic, Olga Popovicheva, Keyvan Ranjbar, Manolis Romanias, Olga Samonova, Alberto Sanchez-Marroquin, Kerstin Schepanski, Ivan Semenkov, Anna Sharapova, Elena Shevnina, Zongbo Shi, Mikhail Sofiev, Frédéric Thevenet, Throstur Thorsteinsson, Mikhail Timofeev, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, Andreas Uppstu, Darya Urupina, György Varga, Tomasz Werner, Olafur Arnalds, and Ana Vukovic Vimic
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11889–11930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
High-latitude dust (HLD) is a short-lived climate forcer, air pollutant, and nutrient source. Our results suggest a northern HLD belt at 50–58° N in Eurasia and 50–55° N in Canada and at >60° N in Eurasia and >58° N in Canada. Our addition to the previously identified global dust belt (GDB) provides crucially needed information on the extent of active HLD sources with both direct and indirect impacts on climate and environment in remote regions, which are often poorly understood and predicted.
Anna L. Hodshire, Ezra J. T. Levin, A. Gannet Hallar, Christopher N. Rapp, Dan R. Gilchrist, Ian McCubbin, and Gavin R. McMeeking
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2022-216, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2022-216, 2022
Publication in AMT not foreseen
Short summary
Short summary
The new Continuous Flow Diffusion Chamber-Ice Activation Spectrometer collected 4 months of ice nucleating particle (INP) measurements at a 5-minute resolution at the mountainside Storm Peak Laboratory. Most long-term INP measurements are at a time resolution of a day or longer: our instrument is a promising advance towards high-resolution long-term INP measurements. We observe higher peak INP concentrations than previous mountain studies, possibly due to the higher time resolution of our data.
Libby Koolik, Michael Roesch, Carmen Dameto de Espana, Christopher Nathan Rapp, Lesly J. Franco Deloya, Chuanyang Shen, A. Gannet Hallar, Ian B. McCubbin, and Daniel J. Cziczo
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3213–3222, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3213-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3213-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A new inlet for studying the small particles, droplets, and ice crystals that constitute mixed-phase clouds has been constructed and is described here. This new inlet was tested in the laboratory. We present the performance of the new inlet to demonstrate its capability of separating ice, droplets, and small particles.
Zoé Brasseur, Dimitri Castarède, Erik S. Thomson, Michael P. Adams, Saskia Drossaart van Dusseldorp, Paavo Heikkilä, Kimmo Korhonen, Janne Lampilahti, Mikhail Paramonov, Julia Schneider, Franziska Vogel, Yusheng Wu, Jonathan P. D. Abbatt, Nina S. Atanasova, Dennis H. Bamford, Barbara Bertozzi, Matthew Boyer, David Brus, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Ellen Gute, Alexander D. Harrison, Paula Hietala, Kristina Höhler, Zamin A. Kanji, Jorma Keskinen, Larissa Lacher, Markus Lampimäki, Janne Levula, Antti Manninen, Jens Nadolny, Maija Peltola, Grace C. E. Porter, Pyry Poutanen, Ulrike Proske, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, János Stenszky, Annele Virtanen, Dmitri Moisseev, Markku Kulmala, Benjamin J. Murray, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5117–5145, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The present measurement report introduces the ice nucleation campaign organized in Hyytiälä, Finland, in 2018 (HyICE-2018). We provide an overview of the campaign settings, and we describe the measurement infrastructure and operating procedures used. In addition, we use results from ice nucleation instrument inter-comparison to show that the suite of these instruments deployed during the campaign reports consistent results.
Meloë S. F. Kacenelenbogen, Qian Tan, Sharon P. Burton, Otto P. Hasekamp, Karl D. Froyd, Yohei Shinozuka, Andreas J. Beyersdorf, Luke Ziemba, Kenneth L. Thornhill, Jack E. Dibb, Taylor Shingler, Armin Sorooshian, Reed W. Espinosa, Vanderlei Martins, Jose L. Jimenez, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Joshua P. Schwarz, Matthew S. Johnson, Jens Redemann, and Gregory L. Schuster
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3713–3742, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3713-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3713-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The impact of aerosols on Earth's radiation budget and human health is important and strongly depends on their composition. One desire of our scientific community is to derive the composition of the aerosol from satellite sensors. However, satellites observe aerosol optical properties (and not aerosol composition) based on remote sensing instrumentation. This study assesses how much aerosol optical properties can tell us about aerosol composition.
Anna L. Hodshire, Ezra J. T. Levin, A. Gannet Hallar, Christopher N. Rapp, Dan R. Gilchrist, Ian McCubbin, and Gavin R. McMeeking
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-29, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-29, 2022
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
The new Continuous Flow Diffusion Chamber-Ice Activation Spectrometer collected 4 months of ice nucleating particle (INP) measurements at a 5-minute resolution at the mountainside Storm Peak Laboratory. Most long-term INP measurements are at a time resolution of a day or longer: our instrument is a promising advance towards high-resolution long-term INP measurements. We observe higher peak INP concentrations than previous mountain studies, possibly due to the higher time resolution of our data.
Li Zhang, Georg A. Grell, Stuart A. McKeen, Ravan Ahmadov, Karl D. Froyd, and Daniel Murphy
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 467–491, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-467-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-467-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Applying the chemistry package from WRF-Chem into the Flow-following finite-volume Icosahedra Model, we essentially make it possible to explore the importance of different levels of complexity in gas and aerosol chemistry, as well as in physics parameterizations, for the interaction processes in global modeling systems. The model performance validated by the Atmospheric Tomography Mission aircraft measurements in summer 2016 shows good performance in capturing the aerosol and gas-phase tracers.
Manuel Baumgartner, Christian Rolf, Jens-Uwe Grooß, Julia Schneider, Tobias Schorr, Ottmar Möhler, Peter Spichtinger, and Martina Krämer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 65–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-65-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-65-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
An important mechanism for the appearance of ice particles in the upper troposphere at low temperatures is homogeneous nucleation. This process is commonly described by the
Koop line, predicting the humidity at freezing. However, laboratory measurements suggest that the freezing humidities are above the Koop line, motivating the present study to investigate the influence of different physical parameterizations on the homogeneous freezing with the help of a detailed numerical model.
Lucía Caudillo, Birte Rörup, Martin Heinritzi, Guillaume Marie, Mario Simon, Andrea C. Wagner, Tatjana Müller, Manuel Granzin, Antonio Amorim, Farnoush Ataei, Rima Baalbaki, Barbara Bertozzi, Zoé Brasseur, Randall Chiu, Biwu Chu, Lubna Dada, Jonathan Duplissy, Henning Finkenzeller, Loïc Gonzalez Carracedo, Xu-Cheng He, Victoria Hofbauer, Weimeng Kong, Houssni Lamkaddam, Chuan P. Lee, Brandon Lopez, Naser G. A. Mahfouz, Vladimir Makhmutov, Hanna E. Manninen, Ruby Marten, Dario Massabò, Roy L. Mauldin, Bernhard Mentler, Ugo Molteni, Antti Onnela, Joschka Pfeifer, Maxim Philippov, Ana A. Piedehierro, Meredith Schervish, Wiebke Scholz, Benjamin Schulze, Jiali Shen, Dominik Stolzenburg, Yuri Stozhkov, Mihnea Surdu, Christian Tauber, Yee Jun Tham, Ping Tian, António Tomé, Steffen Vogt, Mingyi Wang, Dongyu S. Wang, Stefan K. Weber, André Welti, Wang Yonghong, Wu Yusheng, Marcel Zauner-Wieczorek, Urs Baltensperger, Imad El Haddad, Richard C. Flagan, Armin Hansel, Kristina Höhler, Jasper Kirkby, Markku Kulmala, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Ottmar Möhler, Harald Saathoff, Rainer Volkamer, Paul M. Winkler, Neil M. Donahue, Andreas Kürten, and Joachim Curtius
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17099–17114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17099-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17099-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We performed experiments in the CLOUD chamber at CERN at low temperatures to simulate new particle formation in the upper free troposphere (at −30 ºC and −50 ºC). We measured the particle and gas phase and found that most of the compounds present in the gas phase are detected as well in the particle phase. The major compounds in the particles are C8–10 and C18–20. Specifically, we showed that C5 and C15 compounds are detected in a mixed system with isoprene and α-pinene at −30 ºC, 20 % RH.
Clémence Rose, Martine Collaud Coen, Elisabeth Andrews, Yong Lin, Isaline Bossert, Cathrine Lund Myhre, Thomas Tuch, Alfred Wiedensohler, Markus Fiebig, Pasi Aalto, Andrés Alastuey, Elisabeth Alonso-Blanco, Marcos Andrade, Begoña Artíñano, Todor Arsov, Urs Baltensperger, Susanne Bastian, Olaf Bath, Johan Paul Beukes, Benjamin T. Brem, Nicolas Bukowiecki, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Sébastien Conil, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Olivier Favez, Harald Flentje, Maria I. Gini, Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno, Martin Gysel-Beer, Anna Gannet Hallar, Ivo Kalapov, Nikos Kalivitis, Anne Kasper-Giebl, Melita Keywood, Jeong Eun Kim, Sang-Woo Kim, Adam Kristensson, Markku Kulmala, Heikki Lihavainen, Neng-Huei Lin, Hassan Lyamani, Angela Marinoni, Sebastiao Martins Dos Santos, Olga L. Mayol-Bracero, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Merkel, Jean-Marc Metzger, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Jakub Ondracek, Marco Pandolfi, Noemi Pérez, Tuukka Petäjä, Jean-Eudes Petit, David Picard, Jean-Marc Pichon, Veronique Pont, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Fabienne Reisen, Karine Sellegri, Sangeeta Sharma, Gerhard Schauer, Patrick Sheridan, James Patrick Sherman, Andreas Schwerin, Ralf Sohmer, Mar Sorribas, Junying Sun, Pierre Tulet, Ville Vakkari, Pieter Gideon van Zyl, Fernando Velarde, Paolo Villani, Stergios Vratolis, Zdenek Wagner, Sheng-Hsiang Wang, Kay Weinhold, Rolf Weller, Margarita Yela, Vladimir Zdimal, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17185–17223, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles are a complex component of the atmospheric system the effects of which are among the most uncertain in climate change projections. Using data collected at 62 stations, this study provides the most up-to-date picture of the spatial distribution of particle number concentration and size distribution worldwide, with the aim of contributing to better representation of aerosols and their interactions with clouds in models and, therefore, better evaluation of their impact on climate.
Larissa Lacher, Hans-Christian Clemen, Xiaoli Shen, Stephan Mertes, Martin Gysel-Beer, Alireza Moallemi, Martin Steinbacher, Stephan Henne, Harald Saathoff, Ottmar Möhler, Kristina Höhler, Thea Schiebel, Daniel Weber, Jann Schrod, Johannes Schneider, and Zamin A. Kanji
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16925–16953, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16925-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16925-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate ice-nucleating particle properties at Jungfraujoch during the 2017 joint INUIT/CLACE field campaign, to improve the knowledge about those rare particles in a cloud-relevant environment. By quantifying ice-nucleating particles in parallel to single-particle mass spectrometry measurements, we find that mineral dust and aged sea spray particles are potential candidates for ice-nucleating particles. Our findings are supported by ice residual analysis and source region modeling.
Charles A. Brock, Karl D. Froyd, Maximilian Dollner, Christina J. Williamson, Gregory Schill, Daniel M. Murphy, Nicholas J. Wagner, Agnieszka Kupc, Jose L. Jimenez, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Benjamin A. Nault, Jason C. Schroder, Douglas A. Day, Derek J. Price, Bernadett Weinzierl, Joshua P. Schwarz, Joseph M. Katich, Siyuan Wang, Linghan Zeng, Rodney Weber, Jack Dibb, Eric Scheuer, Glenn S. Diskin, Joshua P. DiGangi, ThaoPaul Bui, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, Chelsea R. Thompson, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Ilann Bourgeois, Bruce C. Daube, Róisín Commane, and Steven C. Wofsy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15023–15063, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15023-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15023-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Atmospheric Tomography Mission was an airborne study that mapped the chemical composition of the remote atmosphere. From this, we developed a comprehensive description of aerosol properties that provides a unique, global-scale dataset against which models can be compared. The data show the polluted nature of the remote atmosphere in the Northern Hemisphere and quantify the contributions of sea salt, dust, soot, biomass burning particles, and pollution particles to the haziness of the sky.
Haoran Li, Ottmar Möhler, Tuukka Petäjä, and Dmitri Moisseev
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14671–14686, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14671-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14671-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In natural clouds, ice-nucleating particles are expected to be rare above –10 °C. In the current paper, we found that the formation of ice columns is frequent in stratiform clouds and is associated with increased precipitation intensity and liquid water path. In single-layer shallow clouds, the production of ice columns was attributed to secondary ice production, despite the rime-splintering process not being expected to take place in such clouds.
Julia Schneider, Kristina Höhler, Robert Wagner, Harald Saathoff, Martin Schnaiter, Tobias Schorr, Isabelle Steinke, Stefan Benz, Manuel Baumgartner, Christian Rolf, Martina Krämer, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14403–14425, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14403-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14403-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Homogeneous freezing is a relevant mechanism for the formation of cirrus clouds in the upper troposphere. Based on an extensive set of homogeneous freezing experiments at the AIDA chamber with aqueous sulfuric acid aerosol, we provide a new fit line for homogeneous freezing onset conditions of sulfuric acid aerosol focusing on cirrus temperatures. In the atmosphere, homogeneous freezing thresholds have important implications on the cirrus cloud occurrence and related cloud radiative effects.
Naruki Hiranuma, Brent W. Auvermann, Franco Belosi, Jack Bush, Kimberly M. Cory, Dimitrios G. Georgakopoulos, Kristina Höhler, Yidi Hou, Larissa Lacher, Harald Saathoff, Gianni Santachiara, Xiaoli Shen, Isabelle Steinke, Romy Ullrich, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Hemanth S. K. Vepuri, Franziska Vogel, and Ottmar Möhler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14215–14234, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14215-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14215-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present laboratory and field studies showing that an open-lot livestock facility is a substantial source of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles (INPs). The ambient concentration of INPs from livestock facilities in Texas is very high. It is up to several thousand INPs per liter below –20 °C and may impact regional aerosol–cloud interactions. About 50% of feedlot INPs were supermicron in diameter. No notable amount of known ice-nucleating microorganisms was found in our feedlot samples.
Robert Wagner, Luisa Ickes, Allan K. Bertram, Nora Els, Elena Gorokhova, Ottmar Möhler, Benjamin J. Murray, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, and Matthew E. Salter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13903–13930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13903-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13903-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Sea spray aerosol particles are a mixture of inorganic salts and organic matter from phytoplankton organisms. At low temperatures in the upper troposphere, both inorganic and organic constituents can induce the formation of ice crystals and thereby impact cloud properties and climate. In this study, we performed experiments in a cloud simulation chamber with particles produced from Arctic seawater samples to quantify the relative contribution of inorganic and organic species in ice formation.
Barbara Bertozzi, Robert Wagner, Junwei Song, Kristina Höhler, Joschka Pfeifer, Harald Saathoff, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10779–10798, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10779-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10779-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Internally mixed particles composed of sulfate and organics are among the most abundant aerosol types. Their ice nucleation (IN) ability influences the formation of cirrus and, thus, the climate. We show that the presence of a thin organic coating suppresses the heterogeneous IN ability of crystalline ammonium sulfate particles. However, the IN ability of the same particle can substantially change if subjected to atmospheric processing, mainly due to differences in the resulting morphology.
Christina J. Williamson, Agnieszka Kupc, Andrew Rollins, Jan Kazil, Karl D. Froyd, Eric A. Ray, Daniel M. Murphy, Gregory P. Schill, Jeff Peischl, Chelsea Thompson, Ilann Bourgeois, Thomas B. Ryerson, Glenn S. Diskin, Joshua P. DiGangi, Donald R. Blake, Thao Paul V. Bui, Maximilian Dollner, Bernadett Weinzierl, and Charles A. Brock
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9065–9088, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9065-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9065-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols in the stratosphere influence climate by scattering and absorbing sunlight and through chemical reactions occurring on the particles’ surfaces. We observed more nucleation mode aerosols (small aerosols, with diameters below 12 nm) in the mid- and high-latitude lowermost stratosphere (8–13 km) in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) than in the Southern Hemisphere. The most likely cause of this is aircraft emissions, which are concentrated in the NH at similar altitudes to our observations.
Daniel M. Murphy, Karl D. Froyd, Ilann Bourgeois, Charles A. Brock, Agnieszka Kupc, Jeff Peischl, Gregory P. Schill, Chelsea R. Thompson, Christina J. Williamson, and Pengfei Yu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8915–8932, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8915-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8915-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
New measurements in the lower stratosphere highlight differences between particles that originated in the troposphere or the stratosphere. The stratospheric-origin particles have relatively large radiative effects because they are at nearly the optimum diameter for light scattering. The tropospheric particles contribute significantly to surface area. These and other chemical and physical properties are then extended to study the implications if material were to be added to the stratosphere.
Amy Hrdina, Jennifer G. Murphy, Anna Gannet Hallar, John C. Lin, Alexander Moravek, Ryan Bares, Ross C. Petersen, Alessandro Franchin, Ann M. Middlebrook, Lexie Goldberger, Ben H. Lee, Munkh Baasandorj, and Steven S. Brown
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8111–8126, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8111-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8111-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Wintertime air pollution in the Salt Lake Valley is primarily composed of ammonium nitrate, which is formed when gas-phase ammonia and nitric acid react. The major point in this work is that the chemical composition of snow tells a very different story to what we measured in the atmosphere. With the dust–sea salt cations observed in PM2.5 and particle sizing data, we can estimate how much nitric acid may be lost to dust–sea salt that is not accounted for and how much more PM2.5 this could form.
Cited articles
Boulter, J. E., Cziczo, D. J., Middlebrook, A. M., Thomson, D. S., and Murphy, D. M.: Design and Performance of a Pumped Counterflow Virtual Impactor, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 40, 969–976, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820600840984, 2006.
Brunner, C., Brem, B. T., Collaud Coen, M., Conen, F., Steinbacher, M., Gysel-Beer, M., and Kanji, Z. A.: The diurnal and seasonal variability of ice-nucleating particles at the High Altitude Station Jungfraujoch (3580 m a.s.l.), Switzerland, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7557–7573, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7557-2022, 2022.
Bras, Y., Freney, E., Canzi, A., Amato, P., Bouvier, L., Pichon, J.-M., Picard, D., Minguillón, M. C., Pérez, N., and Sellegri, K.: Seasonal Variations, Origin, and Parameterization of Ice-Nucleating Particles at a Mountain Station in Central France, Earth Space Sci., 11, e2022EA002467, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002467, 2024.
Brown, J. F., Wardlow, B. D., Tadesse, T., Hayes, M. J., and Reed, B. C.: The Vegetation Drought Response Index (VegDRI): A New Integrated Approach for Monitoring Drought Stress in Vegetation, GISci. Remote Sens., 45, 16–46,
doi10.2747/1548-1603.45.1.16, 2008.
doi10.2747/1548-1603.45.1.16, 2008.
Burrows, S. M., McCluskey, C. S., Cornwell, G., Steinke, I., Zhang, K., Zhao, B., Zawadowicz, M., Raman, A., Kulkarni, G., China, S., Zelenyuk, A., and DeMott, P. J.: Ice-Nucleating Particles That Impact Clouds and Climate: Observational and Modeling Research Needs, Rev. Geophys., 60, e2021RG000745, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021RG000745, 2022.
Collaud Coen, M., Andrews, E., Aliaga, D., Andrade, M., Angelov, H., Bukowiecki, N., Ealo, M., Fialho, P., Flentje, H., Hallar, A. G., Hooda, R., Kalapov, I., Krejci, R., Lin, N.-H., Marinoni, A., Ming, J., Nguyen, N. A., Pandolfi, M., Pont, V., Ries, L., Rodríguez, S., Schauer, G., Sellegri, K., Sharma, S., Sun, J., Tunved, P., Velasquez, P., and Ruffieux, D.: Identification of topographic features influencing aerosol observations at high altitude stations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 12289–12313, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12289-2018, 2018.
Cornwell, G. C., McCluskey, C. S., Levin, E. J. T., Suski, K. J., DeMott, P. J., Kreidenweis, S. M., and Prather, K. A.: Direct Online Mass Spectrometry Measurements of Ice Nucleating Particles at a California Coastal Site, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 124, 12157–12172, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD030466, 2019.
Creamean, J. M., Barry, K., Hill, T. C. J., Hume, C., DeMott, P. J., Shupe, M. D., Dahlke, S., Willmes, S., Schmale, J., Beck, I., Hoppe, C. J. M., Fong, A., Chamberlain, E., Bowman, J., Scharien, R., and Persson, O.: Annual cycle observations of aerosols capable of ice formation in central Arctic clouds, Nat. Commun., 13, 3537, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31182-x, 2022.
Creamean, J. M., Suski, K. J., Rosenfeld, D., Cazorla, A., DeMott, P. J., Sullivan, R. C., White, A. B., Ralph, F. M., Minnis, P., Comstock, J. M., Tomlinson, J. M., and Prather, K. A.: Dust and Biological Aerosols from the Sahara and Asia Influence Precipitation in the Western U.S, Science, 339, 1572–1578, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1227279, 2013.
Cziczo, D. J., DeMott, P. J., Brock, C., Hudson, P. K., Jesse, B., Kreidenweis, S. M., Prenni, A. J., Schreiner, J., Thomson, D. S., and Murphy, D. M.: A Method for Single Particle Mass Spectrometry of Ice Nuclei, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 37, 460–470, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820300976, 2003.
Cziczo, D. J., Stetzer, O., Worringen, A., Ebert, M., Weinbruch, S., Kamphus, M., Gallavardin, S. J., Curtius, J., Borrmann, S., Froyd, K. D., Mertes, S., Möhler, O., and Lohmann, U.: Inadvertent climate modification due to anthropogenic lead, Nat. Geosci., 2, 333–336, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo499, 2009.
Cziczo, D. J., Froyd, K. D., Hoose, C., Jensen, E. J., Diao, M. H., Zondlo, M. A., Smith, J. B., Twohy, C. H., and Murphy, D. M.: Clarifying the Dominant Sources and Mechanisms of Cirrus Cloud Formation, Science, 340, 1320–1324, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1234145, 2013.
Cziczo, D. J. and Froyd, K. D.: Sampling the composition of cirrus ice residuals, Atmos. Res., 142, 15–31, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2013.06.012, 2014.
Cziczo, D. J., Ladino, L., Boose, Y., Kanji, Z. A., Kupiszewski, P., Lance, S., Mertes, S., and Wex, H.: Measurements of Ice Nucleating Particles and Ice Residuals, Meteor. Mon., 58, 8.1–8.13, https://doi.org/10.1175/amsmonographs-d-16-0008.1, 2017.
DeMott, P. J., Prenni, A. J., Liu, X., Kreidenweis, S. M., Petters, M. D., Twohy, C. H., Richardson, M. S., Eidhammer, T., and Rogers, D. C.: Predicting global atmospheric ice nuclei distributions and their impacts on climate, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0910818107, 2010.
DeMott, P. J., Mirrielees, J. A., Petters, S. S., Cziczo, D. J., Petters, M. D., Bingemer, H. G., Hill, T. C. J., Froyd, K., Garimella, S., Hallar, A. G., Levin, E. J. T., McCubbin, I. B., Perring, A. E., Rapp, C. N., Schiebel, T., Schrod, J., Suski, K. J., Weber, D., Wolf, M. J., Zawadowicz, M., Zenker, J., Möhler, O., and Brooks, S. D.: Field intercomparison of ice nucleation measurements: the Fifth International Workshop on Ice Nucleation Phase 3 (FIN-03), Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 639–672, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-639-2025, 2025.
Dusek, U., Frank, G. P., Hildebrandt, L., Curtius, J., Schneider, J., Walter, S., Chand, D., Drewnick, F., Hings, S., Jung, D., Borrmann, S., and Andreae, M. O.: Size Matters More Than Chemistry for Cloud-Nucleating Ability of Aerosol Particles, Science, 312, 1375–1378, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1125261, 2006.
East, A. E. and Sankey, J. B.: Geomorphic and Sedimentary Effects of Modern Climate Change: Current and Anticipated Future Conditions in the Western United States, Rev. Geophys., 58, e2019RG000692, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019RG000692, 2020.
Fan, J., Leung, L. R., Rosenfeld, D., and DeMott, P. J.: Effects of cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleating particles on precipitation processes and supercooled liquid in mixed-phase orographic clouds, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 1017–1035, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-1017-2017, 2017.
Fasoli, B., Lin, J. C., Bowling, D. R., Mitchell, L., and Mendoza, D.: Simulating atmospheric tracer concentrations for spatially distributed receptors: updates to the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model's R interface (STILT-R version 2), Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 2813–2824, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2813-2018, 2018.
French, J. R., Friedrich, K., Tessendorf, S. A., Rauber, R. M., Geerts, B., Rasmussen, R. M., Xue, L., Kunkel, M. L., and Blestrud, D. R.: Precipitation formation from orographic cloud seeding, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 115, 1168–1173, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1716995115, 2018.
Hallar, A. G., Chirokova, G., McCubbin, I., Painter, T. H., Wiedinmyer, C., and Dodson, C.: Atmospheric bioaerosols transported via dust storms in the western United States, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL048166, 2011.
Hallar, A. G., Petersen, R., Andrews, E., Michalsky, J., McCubbin, I. B., and Ogren, J. A.: Contributions of dust and biomass burning to aerosols at a Colorado mountain-top site, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 13665–13679, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-13665-2015, 2015.
Hallar, A. G., McCubbin, I. B., Borys, R., Lowenthal, D. H., Wetzel, M., Hindman, E., Brooks, S. D., Steenburgh, W. J., Gratz, L., Hoch, S., Stephens, B., Horel, J. D., Molotch, N. P., Mace, G. G., Bailey, A., Pettersen, C., Andrews, E., Cziczo, D. J., and Garcia, M.: Storm Peak Laboratory: A Research and Training Facility for the Atmospheric Sciences, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 106, E1130–E1148, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-24-0043.1, 2025.
Hiranuma, N., Möhler, O., Kulkarni, G., Schnaiter, M., Vogt, S., Vochezer, P., Järvinen, E., Wagner, R., Bell, D. M., Wilson, J., Zelenyuk, A., and Cziczo, D. J.: Development and characterization of an ice-selecting pumped counterflow virtual impactor (IS-PCVI) to study ice crystal residuals, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 3817–3836, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3817-2016, 2016.
Hinds, W.: Aerosol Technology: Properties, Behavior, and Measurement of Airborne Particles, Wiley, New York, ISBN 978-1-119-49404-1, 1999.
Hofer, S., Hahn, L. C., Shaw, J. K., McGraw, Z. S., Bruno, O., Hellmuth, F., Pietschnig, M., Mostue, I. A., David, R. O., Carlsen, T., and Storelvmo, T.: Realistic representation of mixed-phase clouds increases projected climate warming, Commun. Earth Environ., 5, 390, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01524-2, 2024.
Hoose, C. and Möhler, O.: Heterogeneous ice nucleation on atmospheric aerosols: a review of results from laboratory experiments, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 9817–9854, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-9817-2012, 2012.
Jahn, L. G., Polen, M. J., Jahl, L. G., Brubaker, T. A., Somers, J., and Sullivan, R. C.: Biomass combustion produces ice-active minerals in biomass-burning aerosol and bottom ash, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 117, 21928–21937, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922128117, 2020.
Kamphus, M., Ettner-Mahl, M., Klimach, T., Drewnick, F., Keller, L., Cziczo, D. J., Mertes, S., Borrmann, S., and Curtius, J.: Chemical composition of ambient aerosol, ice residues and cloud droplet residues in mixed-phase clouds: single particle analysis during the Cloud and Aerosol Characterization Experiment (CLACE 6), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 8077–8095, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-8077-2010, 2010.
Kanji, Z. A., Ladino, L. A., Wex, H., Boose, Y., Burkert-Kohn, M., Cziczo, D. J., and Krämer, M.: Overview of Ice Nucleating Particles, Meteor. Mon., 58, 1.1–1.33, https://doi.org/10.1175/amsmonographs-d-16-0006.1, 2017.
Kim, D., Chin, M., Cruz, C. A., Tong, D., and Yu, H.: Spring Dust in Western North America and Its Interannual Variability – Understanding the Role of Local and Transported Dust, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 126, e2021JD035383, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD035383, 2021.
Koolik, L., Roesch, M., Dameto de Espana, C., Rapp, C. N., Franco Deloya, L. J., Shen, C., Hallar, A. G., McCubbin, I. B., and Cziczo, D. J.: A phase separation inlet for droplets, ice residuals, and interstitial aerosol particles, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3213–3222, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3213-2022, 2022.
Kulkarni, G., Pekour, M., Afchine, A., Murphy, D. M., and Cziczo, D. J.: Comparison of Experimental and Numerical Studies of the Performance Characteristics of a Pumped Counterflow Virtual Impactor, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 45, 382–392, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2010.539291, 2011.
Lacher, L., DeMott, P. J., Levin, E. J. T., Suski, K. J., Boose, Y., Zipori, A., Herrmann, E., Bukowiecki, N., Steinbacher, M., Gute, E., Abbatt, J. P. D., Lohmann, U., and Kanji, Z. A.: Background Free-Tropospheric Ice Nucleating Particle Concentrations at Mixed-Phase Cloud Conditions, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 123, 10506–510525, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JD028338, 2018.
Lacher, L., Clemen, H.-C., Shen, X., Mertes, S., Gysel-Beer, M., Moallemi, A., Steinbacher, M., Henne, S., Saathoff, H., Möhler, O., Höhler, K., Schiebel, T., Weber, D., Schrod, J., Schneider, J., and Kanji, Z. A.: Sources and nature of ice-nucleating particles in the free troposphere at Jungfraujoch in winter 2017, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16925–16953, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16925-2021, 2021.
Lacher, L., Hallar, A. G., McCubbin, I. B., Bail, J., Froyd, K. D., Jacquot, J., Shen, X., Rapp, C., Möhler, O., and Cziczo, D.: Dataset: Strong springtime increase of ice-nucleating particle concentration in the Rocky Mountains, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology [data set], https://doi.org/10.35097/yy6adarzhy2xvgx7, 2026.
Lin, J. C., Gerbig, C., Wofsy, S. C., Andrews, A. E., Daube, B. C., Davis, K. J., and Grainger, C. A.: A near-field tool for simulating the upstream influence of atmospheric observations: The Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 108, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD003161, 2003.
Lohmann, U., Lüönd, F., and Mahrt, F.: An Introduction to Clouds: From the Microscale to Climate, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, ISBN 9781139087513, 2016.
Lowenthal, D. H., Hallar, A. G., David, R. O., McCubbin, I. B., Borys, R. D., and Mace, G. G.: Mixed-phase orographic cloud microphysics during StormVEx and IFRACS, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 5387–5401, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-5387-2019, 2019.
Mason, R. H., Si, M., Chou, C., Irish, V. E., Dickie, R., Elizondo, P., Wong, R., Brintnell, M., Elsasser, M., Lassar, W. M., Pierce, K. M., Leaitch, W. R., MacDonald, A. M., Platt, A., Toom-Sauntry, D., Sarda-Estève, R., Schiller, C. L., Suski, K. J., Hill, T. C. J., Abbatt, J. P. D., Huffman, J. A., DeMott, P. J., and Bertram, A. K.: Size-resolved measurements of ice-nucleating particles at six locations in North America and one in Europe, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 1637–1651, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-1637-2016, 2016.
Mertes, S., Verheggen, B., Walter, S., Connolly, P., Ebert, M., Schneider, J., Bower, K. N., Cozic, J., Weinbruch, S., Baltensperger, U., and Weingartner, E.: Counterflow Virtual Impactor Based Collection of Small Ice Particles in Mixed-Phase Clouds for the Physico-Chemical Characterization of Tropospheric Ice Nuclei: Sampler Description and First Case Study, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 41, 848–864, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820701501881, 2007.
Mirzabaev, A., Wu, J., Evans, J., García-Oliva, F., Hussein, I. A. G., Iqbal, M. H., Kimutai, J., Knowles, T., Meza, F., Nedjraoui, D., Tena, F., Türkeş, M., Vázquez, R. J., and Weltz, M.: Desertification. In: Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems, edited by: Shukla, P. R., Skea, J., Calvo Buendia, E., Masson-Delmotte, V., Pörtner, H.-O., Roberts, D. C., Zhai, P., Slade, R., Connors, S., van Diemen, R., Ferrat, M., Haughey, E., Luz, S., Neogi, S., Pathak, M., Petzold, J., Portugal Pereira, J., Vyas, P., Huntley, E., Kissick, K., Belkacemi, M., and Malley, J., https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157988.005, 2019.
Möhler, O., Stetzer, O., Schaefers, S., Linke, C., Schnaiter, M., Tiede, R., Saathoff, H., Krämer, M., Mangold, A., Budz, P., Zink, P., Schreiner, J., Mauersberger, K., Haag, W., Kärcher, B., and Schurath, U.: Experimental investigation of homogeneous freezing of sulphuric acid particles in the aerosol chamber AIDA, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 3, 211–223, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-3-211-2003, 2003.
Möhler, O., Adams, M., Lacher, L., Vogel, F., Nadolny, J., Ullrich, R., Boffo, C., Pfeuffer, T., Hobl, A., Weiß, M., Vepuri, H. S. K., Hiranuma, N., and Murray, B. J.: The Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment (PINE): a new online instrument for laboratory studies and automated long-term field observations of ice-nucleating particles, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1143–1166, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1143-2021, 2021.
Munroe, J. S., Soderstrom, E. J., Kluetmeier, C. L., Tappa, M. J., Mallia, D. V., and Bauer, A. M.: Regional sources control dust in the mountain critical zone of the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains, USA, Environ. Res. Lett., 18, 104034, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acfb26, 2023.
Murray, B. J., O'Sullivan, D., Atkinson, J. D., and Webb, M. E.: Ice nucleation by particles immersed in supercooled cloud droplets, Chem. Soc. Rev., 41, 6519–6554, https://doi.org/10.1039/C2CS35200A, 2012.
Murray, B. J., Carslaw, K. S., and Field, P. R.: Opinion: Cloud-phase climate feedback and the importance of ice-nucleating particles, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 665–679, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-665-2021, 2021.
Obrist, D., Hallar, A. G., McCubbin, I., Stephens, B. B., and Rahn, T.: Atmospheric mercury concentrations at Storm Peak Laboratory in the Rocky Mountains: Evidence for long-range transport from Asia, boundary layer contributions, and plant mercury uptake, Atmos. Environ., 42, 7579–7589, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.06.051, 2008.
Omernik, J. M. and Griffith, G. E.: Ecoregions of the conterminous United States: evolution of a hierarchical spatial framework, Environ. Manage., 54, 1249–1266, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0364-1, 2014.
Pekour, M. S. and Cziczo, D. J.: Wake Capture, Particle Breakup, and Other Artifacts Associated with Counterflow Virtual Impaction, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 45, 758–764, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2011.558942, 2011.
Petersen, R. C., Hallar, A. G., McCubbin, I. B., Ogren, J. A., Andrews, E., Lowenthal, D., Gorder, R., Purcell, R., Sleeth, D., and Novosselov, I.: Numerical, wind-tunnel, and atmospheric evaluation of a turbulent ground-based inlet sampling system, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 53, 712–727, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2019.1602718, 2019.
Phillips, V. T. J., Choularton, T. W., Illingworth, A. J., Hogan, R. J., and Field, P. R.: Simulations of the glaciation of a frontal mixed-phase cloud with the Explicit Microphysics Model, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 129, 1351–1371, https://doi.org/10.1256/qj.02.100, 2003.
Pratt, K. A., DeMott, P. J., French, J. R., Wang, Z., Westphal, D. L., Heymsfield, A. J., Twohy, C. H., Prenni, A. J., and Prather, K. A.: In situ detection of biological particles in cloud ice-crystals, Nat. Geosci., 2, 398, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo521, 2009.
Pruppacher, H. R. and Klett, J. D.: Microphysics of Clouds and Precipitation, Springer Dordrecht, the Netherlands, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-48100-0, 2010.
Richardson, M. S., DeMott, P. J., Kreidenweis, S. M., Cziczo, D. J., Dunlea, E. J., Jimenez, J. L., Thomson, D. S., Ashbaugh, L. L., Borys, R. D., Westphal, D. L., Casuccio, G. S., and Lersch, T. L.: Measurements of heterogeneous ice nuclei in the western United States in springtime and their relation to aerosol characteristics, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 112, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006jd007500, 2007.
Schmidt, S., Schneider, J., Klimach, T., Mertes, S., Schenk, L. P., Kupiszewski, P., Curtius, J., and Borrmann, S.: Online single particle analysis of ice particle residuals from mountain-top mixed-phase clouds using laboratory derived particle type assignment, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 575–594, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-575-2017, 2017.
Schneider, J., Höhler, K., Heikkilä, P., Keskinen, J., Bertozzi, B., Bogert, P., Schorr, T., Umo, N. S., Vogel, F., Brasseur, Z., Wu, Y., Hakala, S., Duplissy, J., Moisseev, D., Kulmala, M., Adams, M. P., Murray, B. J., Korhonen, K., Hao, L., Thomson, E. S., Castarède, D., Leisner, T., Petäjä, T., and Möhler, O.: The seasonal cycle of ice-nucleating particles linked to the abundance of biogenic aerosol in boreal forests, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 3899–3918, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-3899-2021, 2021.
Sioutas, C., Koutrakis, P., Ferguson, S. T., and Burton, R. M.: Development and Evaluation of a Prototype Ambient Particle Concentrator for Inhalation Exposure Studies, Inhal. Toxicol., 7, 633–644, https://doi.org/10.3109/08958379509014470, 1995.
Sze, K. C. H., Wex, H., Hartmann, M., Skov, H., Massling, A., Villanueva, D., and Stratmann, F.: Ice-nucleating particles in northern Greenland: annual cycles, biological contribution and parameterizations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4741–4761, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4741-2023, 2023.
Tan, I. and Storelvmo, T.: Evidence of Strong Contributions From Mixed-Phase Clouds to Arctic Climate Change, Geophys. Res. Lett., 46, 2894–2902, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL081871, 2019.
Vali, G., DeMott, P. J., Möhler, O., and Whale, T. F.: Technical Note: A proposal for ice nucleation terminology, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 10263–10270, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-10263-2015, 2015.
Tan, I. and Storelvmo, T.: Sensitivity Study on the Influence of Cloud Microphysical Parameters on Mixed-Phase Cloud Thermodynamic Phase Partitioning in CAM5, J. Atmos. Sci., 73, 709–728, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-15-0152.1, 2016.
Tobo, Y., Adachi, K., Kawai, K., Matsui, H., Ohata, S., Oshima, N., Kondo, Y., Hermansen, O., Uchida, M., Inoue, J., and Koike, M.: Surface warming in Svalbard may have led to increases in highly active ice-nucleating particles, Commun. Earth Environ., 5, 516, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01677-0, 2024.
Vali, G.: Sizes of Atmospheric Ice Nuclei, Nature, 212, 384–385, https://doi.org/10.1038/212384a0, 1966.
Vergara-Temprado, J., Miltenberger, A. K., Furtado, K., Grosvenor, D. P., Shipway, B. J., Hill, A. A., Wilkinson, J. M., Field, P. R., Murray, B. J., and Carslaw, K. S.: Strong control of Southern Ocean cloud reflectivity by ice-nucleating particles, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 115, 2687–2692, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1721627115, 2018.
Williams, A. P., Cook, E. R., Smerdon, J. E., Cook, B. I., Abatzoglou, J. T., Bolles, K., Baek, S. H., Badger, A. M., and Livneh, B.: Large contribution from anthropogenic warming to an emerging North American megadrought, Science, 368, 314–318, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz9600, 2020.
Wilson, T. W., Ladino, L. A., Alpert, P. A., Breckels, M. N., Brooks, I. M., Browse, J., Burrows, S. M., Carslaw, K. S., Huffman, J. A., Judd, C., Kilthau, W. P., Mason, R. H., McFiggans, G., Miller, L. A., Najera, J. J., Polishchuk, E., Rae, S., Schiller, C. L., Si, M., Temprado, J. V., Whale, T. F., Wong, J. P. S., Wurl, O., Yakobi-Hancock, J. D., Abbatt, J. P. D., Aller, J. Y., Bertram, A. K., Knopf, D. A., and Murray, B. J.: A marine biogenic source of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles, Nature, 525, 234–238, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14986, 2015.
Wu, C., Lin, Z., Shao, Y., Liu, X., and Li, Y.: Drivers of recent decline in dust activity over East Asia, Nat. Commun., 13, 7105, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34823-3, 2022.
Zelinka, M. D., Randall, D. A., Webb, M. J., and Klein, S. A.: Clearing clouds of uncertainty, Nat. Clim. Change, 7, 674–678, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3402, 2017.
Zhou, R., Perkins, R., Juergensen, D., Barry, K., Ayars, K., Dutton, O., DeMott, P., and Kreidenweis, S.: Seasonal variability, sources, and parameterization of ice-nucleating particles in the Rocky Mountain region: importance of soil dust and biological contributions, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 1515–1535, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1515-2026, 2026.
Short summary
We observe a trend of increasing ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentration in spring in the Rocky Mountains, related to regional dust emissions that may intensify with climate change. Additionally, super-micrometer particles were found as the most important contributors to the INP population. This finding was partly enabled by a novel setup of the Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment (PINE), coupled with a pumped-counterflow virtual impactor allowing for direct analysis of INP properties.
We observe a trend of increasing ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentration in spring in the...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint