Evolution of Pinatubo aerosol near 19 km altitude over western North America

Journal Article · Wed Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/94GL00696· OSTI ID:35584

Goodman, J ^[1]; Snetsinger, K G; Pueschel, R F; Ferry, G V ^[2]; Verma, S ^[3]

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1. San Jose State Univ., CA (United States)
2. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States)
3. TMA/Norcal, Inc., Richmond, CA (United States)

Stratospheric aerosols, collected near 19 km altitude on wire impactors over western North America from August 20, 1991 to May 11, 1993, show strong influence of the June 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. Lognormal size distributions are bimodal; each of the mode radii increases and reaches maximum value at about 15 months after eruption. The second (large particle) mode becomes well developed then, and about 40% of the droplets are larger than 0.4 {mu} radius. The eruption of Mt. Spurr (Alaska) may also have contributed to this. Sulfate mass loading decays exponentially (e-folding 216 days), similar to El Chichon. Silicates are present in samples only immediately after eruptions. Two years after eruption, sulfate mass loading is about 0.4 {mu}g/m{sup 3}, about an order of magnitude higher than background pre-volcanic values. Aerosol size distributions are still bimodal with a very well-defined large droplet mode. 25 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 35584
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 21; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
LIFETIME
PARTICLE SIZE
STRATOSPHERE
SULFATES
VOLCANIC GASES