Aerosol optical properties over the South Atlantic and southern ocean during the 2010-2012 summer seasons as part of the global maritime aerosol network

Abstract Aerosols have implications to climate and biogeochemical cycles in the global oceans. At sites under indirect influence of dust emitted by the Patagonian semi-desert, a debate exists on the potential fertilization effects of iron enriched aerossol. Considering this subject we conducted meas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências
Main Authors: PAULA S. PEREIRA, ELAINE A. DOS SANTOS, HEITOR EVANGELISTA, NEWTON MAGALHAES, ALEXANDER SMIRNOV
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2023
Subjects:
Aerosols
South Atlantic
AOD
Antarctica
Maritime Aerosol Network
Science
Q
Antarctic
Antarctic Peninsula
Drake Passage
Patagonia
Southern Ocean
The Antarctic
Antarc*
Brazilian Antarctic Program
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202320210816
https://doaj.org/article/c6d3785726af49a499fe9168df7b27de
Description
Summary:Abstract Aerosols have implications to climate and biogeochemical cycles in the global oceans. At sites under indirect influence of dust emitted by the Patagonian semi-desert, a debate exists on the potential fertilization effects of iron enriched aerossol. Considering this subject we conducted measurements of aerosols optical properties using a Microtops II sun photometer to access aerosol size distributions and other intrinsic properties oversea from Atlantic Southern mid-latitudes to Antarctica. Oceanographic cruises were developed between December 2010 to April 2011 and October 2011 to April 2012, in the context of the Brazilian Antarctic Program, and between November 2011 to December 2011. This survey was taken as part of the Global Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN/NASA). Our data of AOD (500 nm) along the South American coast depicts a steady decrease southwards following the decreased latitudinal continental extent. However, the influence of the aerosols blown from Patagonia semi-desert region was clear from latitude 53⁰S to 64⁰S. The predominance of aerosol fine mode was observed in Central Atlantic and close to the Drake Passage. An unexpected aerosol coarse mode predominance was found close to the Antarctic Peninsula. We attribute that to a possible weathering of rock outcrops due to the strong westerly winds in that region.

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