Radiative properties of Mount Pinatubo volcanic aerosols over the tropical Atlantic

Journal Article · Fri Jan 22 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/93GL00064· OSTI ID:6713040

Saunders, R ^[1]

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1. U.K. Meteorological Office, Farnborough, Hants (United Kingdom)

Aircraft measurements of the broadband (0.3-3.0 [mu]m) and near infrared (0.7-3.0 [mu]m) optical depths of stratospheric aerosols over the south Atlantic five months after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo gave values in tropical latitudes up to 0.21 at 6[degrees]S. The measured downward shortwave irradiance was similar to the normal aerosol free case but 20% of the direct solar irradiance was scattered into the diffuse irradiance component. At 0.55 [mu]m wavelength an asymmetry factor of 0.75 decreasing to 0.5 at 2.2 [mu]m was inferred from narrowband radiances scattered by the aerosol. Model calculations using these measurements predict a decrease in tropospheric heating rate of less than 0.2[degrees]C day[sup [minus]1] due to these aerosols. 12 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6713040
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 20:2; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140400 -- Solar Energy-- Environmental Aspects
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
AEROSOLS
AIRCRAFT
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
ASYMMETRY
COLLOIDS
COOLING
DIAGRAMS
DISPERSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ERUPTION
GLOBAL ASPECTS
HEATING RATE
INFRARED RADIATION
LIGHT SCATTERING
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
OPTICAL DEPTH CURVE
RADIATIONS
SCATTERING
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLS
STELLAR RADIATION
TROPOSPHERE
VOLCANOES