Accessibility navigation


The effect of extratropical cyclones on satellite-retrieved aerosol properties over ocean

Grandey, B. S., Stier, P., Wagner, T. M., Grainger, R. G. and Hodges, K. I. (2011) The effect of extratropical cyclones on satellite-retrieved aerosol properties over ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 38. L13805. ISSN 0094-8276 (6pp)

Full text not archived in this repository.

It is advisable to refer to the publisher's version if you intend to cite from this work. See Guidance on citing.

To link to this item DOI: 10.1029/2011GL047703

Abstract/Summary

Extratropical cyclones may have a signicant effect on column aerosol properties over ocean. European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) derived storm-centric composites of MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) aerosol optical depth and aerosol size parameters are produced for the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic oceans. It is found that retrieved aerosol optical depth and aerosol size both increase near the center of the composite extratropical cyclones. Using composites of ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalysis data, it is demonstrated that wind speed is a considerably more likely explanatory variable than relative humidity for the aerosol observations. A comparison of composites for both MODIS and AATSR, which uses a wind speed dependent sea-surface brightness model in the aerosol retrieval, suggests that although surface brightness eects may contribute towards some of the observations, wind speed dependent emission of sea salt also appears to make a signicant contribution to the observed aerosol properties.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Environmental Systems Science Centre
ID Code:20650
Publisher:American Geophysical Union

University Staff: Request a correction | Centaur Editors: Update this record

Page navigation