GCM parameterization of radiative forcing by Pinatubo aerosols

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:535163

Lacis, A A; Mishchenko, M I ^[1]

---

1. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, NY (United States)

This paper addresses the question of whether the general circulation model (GCM) parameterization of volcanic aerosol forcing can be adequately described in terms of just two physical aerosol parameters: (1) the aerosol column optical thickness and (2) the effective radius of the aerosol size distribution. Data recorded from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991 was analyzed to attempt to answer this question. The spatial distribution of the particle size showed considerable variability and was found to increase steadily following the eruption. The time evolution of the Pinatubo aerosol particle size distribution as derived from satellite data differed significantly, particularly in the early phases of the eruption, from that assumed in the initial GCM simulation of the Pinatubo eruption. A bimodal distribution was used to examine the possibility that the actual size distribution of the volcanic aerosol was multimodal. However, results suggested that in most cases the aerosol size distribution was essentially monomodal in nature. Results from the radiative model used in the calculations are also presented. 11 refs., 6 figs.

• OSTI ID: 535163
• Report Number(s): CONF-960146--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CLIMATIC CHANGE
ERUPTION
GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS
HEAT FLUX
PARTICLE SIZE
PHILIPPINES
VOLCANOES