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The influence of the SAL and lightning on tropospheric ozone variability over the Northern Tropical Atlantic: Results from Cape Verde during 2010
Author(s) -
Jenkins Gregory S.,
Robjhon Miliaritiana L.,
Smith Jonathan W.,
Clark Jonathan,
Mendes Luis
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2012gl053532
Subject(s) - cape verde , troposphere , ozone , mixing ratio , atmospheric sciences , tropical atlantic , environmental science , tropospheric ozone , climatology , aerosol , chemical transport model , planetary boundary layer , boundary layer , oceanography , meteorology , geology , sea surface temperature , geography , physics , ethnology , history , thermodynamics
We present results for multiple Saharan Air Layer (SAL) events and their relationship to tropospheric ozone mixing ratios that were observed in the Eastern Atlantic during the summer of 2010 using ozonesondes. In particular, 5 SAL events are sampled during 2010 in Cape Verde indicting a reduction of ozone mixing ratios throughout much of the SAL layer, except near the base of the SAL. In this layer of enhanced ozone mixing ratio, we find increases of 20–30 ppb in some cases between non‐SAL and SAL conditions. In addition, ozone concentrations are enhanced above the SAL layer, with trajectories suggesting enhancements by lightning from the middle/upper troposphere with outflow from Africa. Additional aircraft measurements are required to examine the chemical and aerosol distributions from the Marine Boundary Layer (MBL) through the upper troposphere to determine the heterogeneous chemical processes related to reduced ozone mixing ratio, and further quantify elevated ozone mixing ratios at the base of the SAL and above the SAL.