Aerosol Composition in the Marine and Coastal Boundary Layer

• Main Authors: Mack, E. J., Hanley, J. T., Pilie, R. J., Akers, C. K., Wattle, B. J.
• Other Authors: CALSPAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER BUFFALO NY
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1981
• Subjects: Atmospheric Physics; *COASTAL REGIONS; *AEROSOLS; *ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY; *MARINE ATMOSPHERES; ELECTROOPTICS; VISIBILITY; PACIFIC OCEAN; NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; WEST GERMANY; MEXICO GULF; PORTUGAL; NORTH SEA; MASSACHUSETTS; HUMIDITY; MEDITERRANEAN SEA; CALIFORNIA; NOVA SCOTIA; BOUNDARY LAYER; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; Pacific; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA107308; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA107308

This paper focuses on aerosol composition data obtained in the North Atlantic, in the Mediterranean, in the northern Gulf of Mexico, off the coasts of California, Nova Scotia and Portugal, and on shore on Cape Cod and on the North Sea Coast of West Germany. The data show that the marine aerosol population varies considerably in composition, particularly in coastal areas, and does not necessarily comprise primarily sea salt aerosols. As a result of these compositional differences, response of the aerosol to fluctuations in relative humidity is expected to differ from one locale or airmass to another. Therefore, aerosol size spectra alone are not sufficient for the prediction of visibility or the potential performance of EO systems under changing humidity conditions. Presented at the Annual SPIE Technical Symposium (25th), v305 n20 held on 24-28 Aug 1981 at San Diego, CA.