Articles | Volume 16, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4995-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4995-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Data description article
| 
30 Oct 2024
Data description article |
| 30 Oct 2024
| 30 Oct 2024
Large synthesis of in situ field measurements of the size distribution of mineral dust aerosols across their life cycles
Paola Formenti
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Université Paris Cité and Université Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, LISA, 75013 Paris, France
Claudia Di Biagio
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Université Paris Cité and Université Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, LISA, 75013 Paris, France
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This study used coordinated airborne and ground-based measurements in Paris and its downwind regions to quantify the effects of 2–6 h of urban plume aging on aerosol properties. Aging enhanced secondary organic aerosol production and PM1 mass and shifted optical properties toward higher SSA, higher real and lower imaginary refractive indices, and stronger brown carbon absorption. These results highlight the need to account for aerosol aging in atmospheric models and remote-sensing retrievals.
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 4165–4199, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4165-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4165-2026, 2026
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Paola Formenti and Claudia Di Biagio
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Paola Formenti, Danitza Klopper, Anais Feron, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Karine Desboeufs, Claudia Di Biagio, Clarissa Baldo, Cécile Gaimoz, Vincent Michoud, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, François Hemeret, Richard Valorso, Stephen Broccardo, Andreas Namwoonde, Mattheus Hanghome, Chiara Giorio, and Stuart J. Piketh
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-95, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-95, 2026
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The southern African west coast is highly impacted by climate change and aerosols from natural and human sources, yet observations are scarce. We present measurements (2014–2019) from the Henties Bay Aerosol Observatory in Namibia, including aerosol properties, ozone and meteorology. This unique dataset will support process studies and improve regional climate modelling.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Chenjie Yu, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Paolo Laj, Michel Maillé, Paola Formenti, Benedicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-Francois Doussin
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Large simulation chamber experiments were performed to investigate the impact of non-absorbing coating on the absorption of fractal BC-containing soot. Results show the strong and combined effect of morphological modifications and mixing state heterogeneity on BC absorption, both depending on the reaction dynamics of coating formation and ageing of the coated soot. The range of measured absorption cannot be captured by common model approximations, highlighting the need for new formalisms.
Pasquale Sellitto, Maxim Eremenko, Paola Formenti, Perla Alalam, Michael Höpfner, and Claudia Di Biagio
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2751–2762, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2751-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2751-2026, 2026
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The Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission will bring the first satellite instrument capable of observing the Earth's far infrared (FIR) spectra with a high spectral resolution. FORUM will crucially contribute to water vapour, clouds and surface observations. We found that FORUM will provide also a significant sensitivity to dust aerosol, especially in cases of large burdens of mid-to-long-range transported plumes of dust in the free and upper troposphere.
Chenjie Yu, Paola Formenti, Joel F. de Brito, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Hichem Bouzidi, Mathieu Cazaunau, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Ludovico Di Antonio, Cécile Gaimoz, Franck Maisonneuve, Pascal Zapf, Tobias Seubert, Simone T. Andersen, Patrick Dewald, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, John N. Crowley, Alexandre Kukui, Chaoyang Xue, Cyrielle Denjean, Olivier Garrouste, Jean-Claude Etienne, Huihui Wu, James D. Allan, Dantong Liu, Yangzhou Wu, Christopher Cantrell, and Vincent Michoud
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 5313–5332, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5313-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5313-2026, 2026
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Clarissa Baldo, Servanne Chevaillier, Sophie Nowak, Gael Noyalet, Sandra Lafon, Claudia Di Biagio, Amelie Chaput, James King, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-Francois Doussin, Remi Stanus, Nadine Mattielli, Heleen C. Vos, Gregory S. Okin, Brigitte Language, Stuart Piketh, Karine Desboeufs, Akinori Ito, Silvia Becagli, Laurie Barrier, Stephane Jacquemound, and Paola Formenti
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Our results show that crustal element ratios and clay contents distinguish dust aerosols from arid western coastal areas and humid eastern inland regions in Southern Africa. This dust contains key micronutrients that can become bioaccessible during atmospheric transport to nearby and remote marine ecosystems. It is also enriched in carbonates and K-feldspar, serving as a source of cloud condensation and ice nuclei, with potential implications ranging from regional to sub-hemispheric scales.
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1–19, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1-2026, 2026
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Francesco Battaglia, Paola Formenti, Chiara Giorio, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Antonin Bergé, Aline Gratien, Diana L. Pereira, Thomas Bertin, Joel F. de Brito, Manolis N. Romanias, Vincent Michoud, Clarissa Baldo, Servanne Chevaillier, Gael Noyalet, Philippe Decorse, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
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Mégane Ventura, Fabien Waquet, Isabelle Chiapello, Gérard Brogniez, Frédéric Parol, Frédérique Auriol, Rodrigue Loisil, Cyril Delegove, Luc Blarel, Oleg Dubovik, Marc Mallet, Cyrille Flamant, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 4005–4024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4005-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4005-2025, 2025
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Abdulaziz T. Yakubu, Danitza Klopper, Henno Havenga, Roelof Burger, Paola Formenti, and Stuart J. Piketh
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, 2025
Preprint archived
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Low-level inversions experienced along the Namibia coast and adjacent ocean have implications for air pollutant dispersion and low clouds. These affect air quality, human health, radiative forcing and climate change. We used reanalysis and satellite datasets to understand inversion properties over the region. The result shows inversion prominence at night and in winter, seasonally influences pollutant trapping and initiates stratocumulus clouds formation, but is not liable for their extent.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Satoshi Inomata, Chenjie Yu, Vera Bernardoni, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Paolo Laj, Michel Maillé, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Gael Noyalet, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Brice Temime-Roussel, Roberta Vecchi, Virginia Vernocchi, Paola Formenti, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6407–6428, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, 2025
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The spectral optical properties of combustion soot aerosols with varying black (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) content were studied in an atmospheric simulation chamber. Measurements of the mass spectral absorption cross section (MAC), supplemented by literature data, allowed us to establish a generalised exponential relationship between the spectral absorption and the elemental-to-total-carbon ratio (EC / TC) in soot. This relationship can provide a useful tool for modelling the properties of soot.
Simone T. Andersen, Rolf Sander, Patrick Dewald, Laura Wüst, Tobias Seubert, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, Jan Schuladen, Max R. McGillen, Chaoyang Xue, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Alexandre Kukui, Vincent Michoud, Manuela Cirtog, Mathieu Cazaunau, Astrid Bauville, Hichem Bouzidi, Paola Formenti, Cyrielle Denjean, Jean-Claude Etienne, Olivier Garrouste, Christopher Cantrell, Jos Lelieveld, and John N. Crowley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5893–5909, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5893-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5893-2025, 2025
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Measurements and modelling of reactive nitrogen gases observed in a suburban temperate forest in Rambouillet, France, circa 50 km southwest of Paris in 2022 indicate that the biosphere rapidly scavenges organic nitrates of mixed biogenic and anthropogenic origin, resulting in short lifetimes for, for example, alkyl nitrates and peroxy nitrates.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Matthias Beekmann, Guillaume Siour, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Joel F. de Brito, Paola Formenti, Cecile Gaimoz, Olivier Garret, Aline Gratien, Valérie Gros, Martial Haeffelin, Lelia N. Hawkins, Simone Kotthaus, Gael Noyalet, Diana L. Pereira, Jean-Eudes Petit, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Chenjie Yu, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Claudia Di Biagio
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4803–4831, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4803-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4803-2025, 2025
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The summer of 2022 has been considered a proxy for future climate scenarios due to its hot and dry conditions. In this paper, we use the measurements from the Atmospheric Chemistry of the Suburban Forest (ACROSS) campaign, conducted in the Paris area in June–July 2022, along with observations from existing networks, to evaluate a 3D chemistry transport model (WRF–CHIMERE) simulation. Results are shown to be satisfactory, allowing us to explain the gas and aerosol variability at the campaign sites.
Diana L. Pereira, Chiara Giorio, Aline Gratien, Alexander Zherebker, Gael Noyalet, Servanne Chevaillier, Stéphanie Alage, Elie Almarj, Antonin Bergé, Thomas Bertin, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Ludovico Di Antonio, Sergio Harb, Johannes Heuser, Cécile Gaimoz, Oscar Guillemant, Brigitte Language, Olivier Lauret, Camilo Macias, Franck Maisonneuve, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Raquel Torres, Sylvain Triquet, Pascal Zapf, Lelia Hawkins, Drew Pronovost, Sydney Riley, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Emilie Perraudin, Pauline Pouyes, Eric Villenave, Alexandre Albinet, Olivier Favez, Robin Aujay-Plouzeau, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4885–4905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, 2025
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In order to study aerosols in environments influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, we performed analyses of samples collected during the ACROSS (Atmospheric Chemistry Of the Suburban Forest) campaign in summer 2022 in the greater Paris area. After analysis of the chemical composition by means of total carbon determination and high-resolution mass spectrometry, this work highlights the influence of anthropogenic inputs on the chemical composition of both urban and forested areas.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Aline Gratien, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Patrice Coll, Barbara D'Anna, Joel F. de Brito, David O. De Haan, Juliette R. Dignum, Shravan Deshmukh, Olivier Favez, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Cecile Gaimoz, Lelia N. Hawkins, Julien Kammer, Brigitte Language, Franck Maisonneuve, Griša Močnik, Emilie Perraudin, Jean-Eudes Petit, Prodip Acharja, Laurent Poulain, Pauline Pouyes, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Kanuri I. Roundtree, Marwa Shahin, Guillaume Siour, Eric Villenave, Pascal Zapf, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3161–3189, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, 2025
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The spectral complex refractive index (CRI) and single scattering albedo were retrieved from submicron aerosol measurements at three sites within the greater Paris area during the ACROSS field campaign (June–July 2022). Measurements revealed urban emission impact on surrounding areas. CRI full period averages at 520 nm were 1.41 – 0.037i (urban), 1.52 – 0.038i (peri-urban), and 1.50 – 0.025i (rural). Organic aerosols dominated the aerosol mass and contributed up to 22 % of absorption at 370 nm.
Alexandre Mass, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Paola Formenti, Eva Pauli, and Julian Quinting
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 491–510, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-491-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-491-2025, 2025
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This study investigates the interaction between smoke aerosols and fog and low clouds (FLCs) in the Namib Desert between June and October. Here, a satellite-based dataset of FLCs, reanalysis data and machine learning are used to systematically analyze FLC persistence under different aerosol loadings. Aerosol plumes are shown to modify local thermodynamics, which increase FLC persistence. But fully disentangling aerosol effects from meteorological ones remains a challenge.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Junying Sun, Ye Kuang, Paola Formenti, and Steven G. Howell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13849–13864, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, 2024
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Using airborne measurements over the southeast Atlantic Ocean, we examined how much moisture aerosols take up during Africa’s biomass burning season. Our study revealed the important role of organic aerosols and introduced a predictive model for moisture uptake, accounting for organics, sulfate, and black carbon, summarizing results from various campaigns. These findings improve our understanding of aerosol–moisture interactions and their radiative effects in this climatically critical region.
Chenjie Yu, Edouard Pangui, Kevin Tu, Mathieu Cazaunau, Maxime Feingesicht, Landsheere Xavier, Thierry Bourrianne, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Timothy B. Onasch, Andrew Freedman, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3419–3437, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3419-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3419-2024, 2024
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To meet the requirements for measuring aerosol optical properties on airborne platforms and conducting dual-wavelength measurements, we introduced A2S2, an airborne dual-wavelength cavity-attenuated phase-shift single monitor. This study reports the results in the laboratory and an aircraft campaign over Paris and its surrounding regions. The results demonstrate A2S2's reliability in measuring aerosol optical properties at both wavelengths and its suitability for future aircraft campaigns.
Vincenzo Obiso, María Gonçalves Ageitos, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, Jan P. Perlwitz, Gregory L. Schuster, Susanne E. Bauer, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Kostas Tsigaridis, and Ron L. Miller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5337–5367, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5337-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5337-2024, 2024
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We calculate the dust direct radiative effect (DRE) in an Earth system model accounting for regionally varying soil mineralogy through a new observationally constrained method. Linking dust absorption at solar wavelengths to the varying amount of specific minerals (i.e., iron oxides) improves the modeled range of dust single scattering albedo compared to observations and increases the global cooling by dust. Our results may contribute to improved estimates of the dust DRE and its climate impact.
Cyrille Flamant, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Marco Gaetani, Kerstin Schepanski, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4265–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, 2024
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In the austral dry season, the atmospheric composition over southern Africa is dominated by biomass burning aerosols and terrigenous aerosols (so-called mineral dust). This study suggests that the radiative effect of biomass burning aerosols needs to be taken into account to properly forecast dust emissions in Namibia.
Anil Kumar Mandariya, Junteng Wu, Anne Monod, Paola Formenti, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Mathieu Cazaunau, Stephan Mertes, Laurent Poulain, Antonin Berge, Edouard Pangui, Andreas Tilgner, Thomas Schaefer, Liang Wen, Hartmut Herrmann, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-206, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-206, 2024
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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An optimized and controlled protocol for generating quasi-adiabatic expansion clouds under simulated dark and light conditions was presented. The irradiated clouds clearly showed a gradual activation of seed particles into droplets. In contrast, non-irradiated clouds faced a flash activation. This paper will lay the foundation for multiphase photochemical studies implying water-soluble volatile organic compounds and particulate matter formation during cloud formation-evaporation cycles.
Karine Desboeufs, Paola Formenti, Raquel Torres-Sánchez, Kerstin Schepanski, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Stefanie Feuerstein, Benoit Laurent, Danitza Klopper, Andreas Namwoonde, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Anaïs Feron, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, and Stuart J. Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1525–1541, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, 2024
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This study investigates the fractional solubility of iron (Fe) in dust particles along the coast of Namibia, a critical region for the atmospheric Fe supply of the South Atlantic Ocean. Our results suggest a possible two-way interplay whereby marine biogenic emissions from the coastal marine ecosystems into the atmosphere would increase the solubility of Fe-bearing dust by photo-reduction processes. The subsequent deposition of soluble Fe could act to further enhance marine biogenic emissions.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Junying Sun, Ye Kuang, and Paola Formenti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2319, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2319, 2023
Preprint archived
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Our study examined the interaction between atmospheric particles and moisture over the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean during the biomass burning seasons in Africa. We found that organic components of these particles play a more important role in aerosol-moisture interactions than previously expected. This discovery is important as such interactions impact radiation and climate. Current climate models might need better representations of the moisture-absorbing properties of organic aerosols.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Gilles Foret, Paola Formenti, Guillaume Siour, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12455–12475, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12455-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12455-2023, 2023
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Long-term (2000–2021) 1 km resolution satellite data have been used to investigate the climatological aerosol optical depth (AOD) variability and trends at different scales in Europe. Average enhancements of the local-to-regional AOD ratio at 550 nm of 57 %, 55 %, 39 % and 32 % are found for large metropolitan areas such as Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris and Athens, respectively, suggesting a non-negligible enhancement of the aerosol burden through local emissions.
Clarissa Baldo, Paola Formenti, Claudia Di Biagio, Gongda Lu, Congbo Song, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-Francois Doussin, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Olafur Arnalds, David Beddows, A. Robert MacKenzie, and Zongbo Shi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7975–8000, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7975-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7975-2023, 2023
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This paper presents new shortwave spectral complex refractive index and single scattering albedo data for Icelandic dust. Our results show that the imaginary part of the complex refractive index of Icelandic dust is at the upper end of the range of low-latitude dust. Furthermore, we observed that Icelandic dust is more absorbing towards the near-infrared, which we attribute to its high magnetite content. These findings are important for modeling dust aerosol radiative effects in the Arctic.
Michail Mytilinaios, Sara Basart, Sergio Ciamprone, Juan Cuesta, Claudio Dema, Enza Di Tomaso, Paola Formenti, Antonis Gkikas, Oriol Jorba, Ralph Kahn, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, Serena Trippetta, and Lucia Mona
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5487–5516, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5487-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5487-2023, 2023
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Multiscale Online Non-hydrostatic AtmospheRe CHemistry model (MONARCH) dust reanalysis provides a high-resolution 3D reconstruction of past dust conditions, allowing better quantification of climate and socioeconomic dust impacts. We assess the performance of the reanalysis needed to reproduce dust optical depth using dust-related products retrieved from satellite and ground-based observations and show that it reproduces the spatial distribution and seasonal variability of atmospheric dust well.
Michael John Weston, Stuart John Piketh, Frédéric Burnet, Stephen Broccardo, Cyrielle Denjean, Thierry Bourrianne, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10221–10245, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, 2022
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An aerosol-aware microphysics scheme is evaluated for fog cases in Namibia. AEROCLO-sA campaign observations are used to access and parameterise the model. The model cloud condensation nuclei activation is lower than the observations. The scheme is designed for clouds with updrafts, while fog typically forms in stable conditions. A pseudo updraft speed assigned to the lowest model levels helps achieve more realistic cloud droplet number concentration and size distribution in the model.
Caroline Dang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Lu Zhang, Paola Formenti, Jonathan Taylor, Amie Dobracki, Sara Purdue, Pui-Shan Wong, Athanasios Nenes, Arthur Sedlacek III, Hugh Coe, Jens Redemann, Paquita Zuidema, Steven Howell, and James Haywood
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9389–9412, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9389-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9389-2022, 2022
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Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze aged African smoke particles and how the smoke interacts with the marine atmosphere. We found that the volatility of organic aerosol increases with biomass burning plume age, that black carbon is often mixed with potassium salts and that the marine atmosphere can incorporate Na and Cl into smoke particles. Marine salts are more processed when mixed with smoke plumes, and there are interesting Cl-rich yet Na-absent marine particles.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Arthur J. Sedlacek III, Ernie R. Lewis, Amie Dobracki, Jenny P. S. Wong, Paola Formenti, Steven G. Howell, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9199–9213, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9199-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9199-2022, 2022
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Widespread biomass burning (BB) events occur annually in Africa and contribute ~ 1 / 3 of global BB emissions, which contain a large family of light-absorbing organics, known as brown carbon (BrC), whose absorption of incident radiation is difficult to estimate, leading to large uncertainties in the global radiative forcing estimation. This study quantifies the BrC absorption of aged BB particles and highlights the potential presence of absorbing iron oxides in this climatically important region.
Enza Di Tomaso, Jerónimo Escribano, Sara Basart, Paul Ginoux, Francesca Macchia, Francesca Barnaba, Francesco Benincasa, Pierre-Antoine Bretonnière, Arnau Buñuel, Miguel Castrillo, Emilio Cuevas, Paola Formenti, María Gonçalves, Oriol Jorba, Martina Klose, Lucia Mona, Gilbert Montané Pinto, Michail Mytilinaios, Vincenzo Obiso, Miriam Olid, Nick Schutgens, Athanasios Votsis, Ernest Werner, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 2785–2816, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2785-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2785-2022, 2022
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MONARCH reanalysis of desert dust aerosols extends the existing observation-based information for mineral dust monitoring by providing 3-hourly upper-air, surface and total column key geophysical variables of the dust cycle over Northern Africa, the Middle East and Europe, at a 0.1° horizontal resolution in a rotated grid, from 2007 to 2016. This work provides evidence of the high accuracy of this data set and its suitability for air quality and health and climate service applications.
Cyrille Flamant, Marco Gaetani, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Patrick Chazette, Juan Cuesta, Stuart John Piketh, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5701–5724, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, 2022
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Rivers of smoke extend from tropical southern Africa towards the Indian Ocean during the winter fire season, controlled by the interaction of tropical easterly waves, and westerly waves at mid latitudes. During the AEROCLO-sA field campaign in 2017, a river of smoke was directly observed over Namibia. In this paper, the evolution and atmospheric drivers of the river of smoke are described, and the role of a mid-latitude cut-off low in lifting the smoke to the upper troposphere is highlighted.
Paola Formenti, Claudia Di Biagio, Yue Huang, Jasper Kok, Marc Daniel Mallet, Damien Boulanger, and Mathieu Cazaunau
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-403, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-403, 2021
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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This paper provides with standardized correction factors for the measurements of the most common instruments used in the atmosphere to measure the concentration per size of aerosol particles. These correction factors are provided to users with supplementary information for their use.
Marco Gaetani, Benjamin Pohl, Maria del Carmen Alvarez Castro, Cyrille Flamant, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16575–16591, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16575-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16575-2021, 2021
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During the dry austral winter, biomass fires in tropical Africa emit large amounts of smoke in the atmosphere, with large impacts on climate and air quality. The study of the relationship between atmospheric circulation and smoke transport shows that midlatitude atmospheric disturbances may deflect the smoke from tropical Africa towards southern Africa. Understanding the distribution of the smoke in the region is crucial for climate modelling and air quality monitoring.
Isabelle Chiapello, Paola Formenti, Lydie Mbemba Kabuiku, Fabrice Ducos, Didier Tanré, and François Dulac
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 12715–12737, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12715-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12715-2021, 2021
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The Mediterranean atmosphere is impacted by a variety of particle pollution, which exerts a complex pressure on climate and air quality. We analyze the 2005–2013 POLDER-3 satellite advanced aerosol data set over the Western Mediterranean Sea. Aerosols' spatial distribution and temporal evolution suggests a large-scale improvement of air quality related to the fine aerosol component, most probably resulting from reduction of anthropogenic particle emissions in the surrounding European countries.
Danitza Klopper, Stuart J. Piketh, Roelof Burger, Simon Dirkse, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-668, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-668, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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The western coast of southern Africa is a key region of the Earth, with persistent clouds and particles also transported from distant forest fires. The atmosphere is stratified as a result of the different temperatures of the cold Atlantic ocean and the warm semi-arid land, and that affects how the particles will be distributed whilst in the atmosphere and how long they will persist. We used long term satellite and in situ observations to describe, for the first time, those main features.
Chenjie Yu, Ludovico Di Antonio, Peter F. DeCarlo, Benjamin A. Nault, Alejandra Velazquez-Garcia, Eleonora Aruffo, Piero Di Carlo, Cyrielle Denjean, Sarah Tinorua, Thierry Bourrianne, Diana L. Pereira, Kevin Tu, Edouard Pangui, Mathieu Cazaunau, Astrid Bauville, Noël Grand, Antonin Bergé, Claudia Di Biagio, Aline Gratien, Matthias Beekmann, Guillaume Siour, Gilles Foret, Barbara D'Anna, Julien Kammer, Huihui Wu, Christopher Cantrell, Paola Formenti, and Vincent Michoud
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3147, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3147, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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This study used coordinated airborne and ground-based measurements in Paris and its downwind regions to quantify the effects of 2–6 h of urban plume aging on aerosol properties. Aging enhanced secondary organic aerosol production and PM1 mass and shifted optical properties toward higher SSA, higher real and lower imaginary refractive indices, and stronger brown carbon absorption. These results highlight the need to account for aerosol aging in atmospheric models and remote-sensing retrievals.
Hendrik Fuchs, Niklas Illmann, Amalia Muñoz, Mila Ródenas, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, M. Rami Alfarra, Cecilia Arsene, Iustinian G. Bejan, David M. Bell, Merete Bilde, Alexander Böhmländer, Mixtli Campos-Pineda, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Véronique Daële, Claudia Di Biagio, Michael Flynn, Paola Formenti, Hartmut Herrmann, Kristina Höhler, Thorsten Hohaus, Matthew S. Johnson, Eija Juurola, Niku Kivekäs, Jan Kaiser, Christos Kaltsonoudis, Paolo Laj, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Gordon McFiggans, Max R. McGillen, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Peter Mettke, Ottmar Möhler, Falk Mothes, Dennis Niedermeier, Anna Novelli, Romeo I. Olariu, Spyros N. Pandis, Iulia Patroescu-Klotz, Rosa Maria Petracca Altieri, Paolo Prati, Claudiu Roman, Albert A. Ruth, Harald Saathoff, Silvio Schmalfuß, Frank Stratmann, Virginia Vernocchi, Aristeidis Voliotis, Jens Voigtländer, Annele Virtanen, Andreas Wahner, Robert Wagner, John Wenger, Sören Zorn, Peter Wiesen, and Jean-Francois Doussin
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 4165–4199, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4165-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4165-2026, 2026
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Atmospheric simulation chambers enable experiments to be conducted under controlled conditions, improving our understanding of, and ability to predict, changes in the composition of the atmosphere. This is important for assessing air quality and its effects on human health, climate, the environment, and the economy. This paper describes the chambers of the European ACTRIS research infrastructure and discusses topics and directions that can be addressed in future chamber experiments.
Paola Formenti and Claudia Di Biagio
Aerosol Research Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-20, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-20, 2026
Preprint under review for AR
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This study improves the accuracy of optical particle counters (OPCs), instruments used to measure airborne particles important for air quality and climate research. Because OPC measurements depend not only on particle size but also on composition and shape, results can be uncertain. The paper provides a standardized database of correction factors for five commercial OPCs, helping researchers produce more reliable and consistent aerosol measurements across a wide range of atmospheric conditions.
Paola Formenti, Danitza Klopper, Anais Feron, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Karine Desboeufs, Claudia Di Biagio, Clarissa Baldo, Cécile Gaimoz, Vincent Michoud, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, François Hemeret, Richard Valorso, Stephen Broccardo, Andreas Namwoonde, Mattheus Hanghome, Chiara Giorio, and Stuart J. Piketh
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-95, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-95, 2026
Preprint under review for ESSD
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The southern African west coast is highly impacted by climate change and aerosols from natural and human sources, yet observations are scarce. We present measurements (2014–2019) from the Henties Bay Aerosol Observatory in Namibia, including aerosol properties, ozone and meteorology. This unique dataset will support process studies and improve regional climate modelling.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Chenjie Yu, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Paolo Laj, Michel Maillé, Paola Formenti, Benedicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-Francois Doussin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1867, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1867, 2026
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Large simulation chamber experiments were performed to investigate the impact of non-absorbing coating on the absorption of fractal BC-containing soot. Results show the strong and combined effect of morphological modifications and mixing state heterogeneity on BC absorption, both depending on the reaction dynamics of coating formation and ageing of the coated soot. The range of measured absorption cannot be captured by common model approximations, highlighting the need for new formalisms.
Pasquale Sellitto, Maxim Eremenko, Paola Formenti, Perla Alalam, Michael Höpfner, and Claudia Di Biagio
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2751–2762, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2751-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2751-2026, 2026
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The Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission will bring the first satellite instrument capable of observing the Earth's far infrared (FIR) spectra with a high spectral resolution. FORUM will crucially contribute to water vapour, clouds and surface observations. We found that FORUM will provide also a significant sensitivity to dust aerosol, especially in cases of large burdens of mid-to-long-range transported plumes of dust in the free and upper troposphere.
Chenjie Yu, Paola Formenti, Joel F. de Brito, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Hichem Bouzidi, Mathieu Cazaunau, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Ludovico Di Antonio, Cécile Gaimoz, Franck Maisonneuve, Pascal Zapf, Tobias Seubert, Simone T. Andersen, Patrick Dewald, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, John N. Crowley, Alexandre Kukui, Chaoyang Xue, Cyrielle Denjean, Olivier Garrouste, Jean-Claude Etienne, Huihui Wu, James D. Allan, Dantong Liu, Yangzhou Wu, Christopher Cantrell, and Vincent Michoud
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 5313–5332, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5313-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-5313-2026, 2026
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We presented a field measurement in a Paris suburban forest region to characterise the impacts of photochemical aging process on aerosol physical chemical properties. Photochemical production of organic aerosols increased forest fine particle mass and significantly enhanced absorption of short-wavelength sunlight. This study highlights the critical need to incorporate light absorbing carbonaceous particles formation mechanisms into models to accurately simulate their direct radiative impacts.
Clarissa Baldo, Servanne Chevaillier, Sophie Nowak, Gael Noyalet, Sandra Lafon, Claudia Di Biagio, Amelie Chaput, James King, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-Francois Doussin, Remi Stanus, Nadine Mattielli, Heleen C. Vos, Gregory S. Okin, Brigitte Language, Stuart Piketh, Karine Desboeufs, Akinori Ito, Silvia Becagli, Laurie Barrier, Stephane Jacquemound, and Paola Formenti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1532, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1532, 2026
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Our results show that crustal element ratios and clay contents distinguish dust aerosols from arid western coastal areas and humid eastern inland regions in Southern Africa. This dust contains key micronutrients that can become bioaccessible during atmospheric transport to nearby and remote marine ecosystems. It is also enriched in carbonates and K-feldspar, serving as a source of cloud condensation and ice nuclei, with potential implications ranging from regional to sub-hemispheric scales.
Laura Renzi, Claudia Di Biagio, Johannes Heuser, Marco Zanatta, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Jérôme Yon, Tommaso Isolabella, Dario Massabò, Virginia Vernocchi, Martina Mazzini, Franziska Vogel, Chenjie Yu, Paola Formenti, Benedicte Picquet-Varrault, Jean-Francois Doussin, and Angela Marinoni
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1365–1383, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1365-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1365-2026, 2026
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This study investigates how particle properties affect the accuracy of a common air pollution instrument, the dual-spot aethalometer. By combining lab experiments with real-world data from a mountain site in Italy, we found that the correction factor for this instrument varies mainly due to particle size and measurement conditions. Understanding these influences helps improve air quality monitoring, which is important for assessing pollution impacts on health and climate.
Claudia Di Biagio, Elisa Bru, Avila Orta, Servanne Chevaillier, Clarissa Baldo, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Sandra Lafon, Sophie Nowak, Edouard Pangui, Meinrat O. Andreae, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Kebonyethata Dintwe, Konrad Kandler, James S. King, Amelie Chaput, Gregory S. Okin, Stuart Piketh, Thuraya Saeed, David Seibert, Zongbo Shi, Earle Williams, Pasquale Sellitto, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 1079–1091, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1079-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1079-2026, 2026
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Spectroscopy measurements show that the absorbance of dust in the far-infrared up to 25 µm is comparable in intensity to that in the mid-infrared (3–15 µm) suggesting possible relevance for its direct radiative effect. Absorption signatures differ between Icelandic and low/mid-latitude dust due to differences in mineralogical composition. Spectral differences could be used to characterise the mineralogy and trace the origin of airborne dust based on infrared remote sensing observations.
Diana L. Pereira, Aline Gratien, Chiara Giorio, Emmanuelle Mebold, Thomas Bertin, Cécile Gaimoz, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1–19, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1-2026, 2026
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This study provides two methods for the quantification of molecular markers to improve the description of secondary organic aerosols using chromatographic techniques coupled with mass spectrometry. Compounds from various chemical functionalities (alcohols, acids, aldehydes), from biogenic and anthropogenic origin, were identified. Improved method performance was observed for nitro compounds, which have been associated with anthropogenic activities.
Paola Formenti, Chiara Giorio, Karine Desboeufs, Alexander Zherebker, Marco Gaetani, Clarissa Baldo, Gautier Landrot, Simona Montebello, Servanne Chevaillier, Sylvain Triquet, Guillaume Siour, Claudia Di Biagio, Francesco Battaglia, Jean-François Doussin, Anais Feron, Andreas Namwoonde, and Stuart John Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16127–16145, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16127-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16127-2025, 2025
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The elemental composition and solubility of several metals, including iron, at a coastal site in Namibia in August–September 2017, indicate that natural and anthropogenic dust had different solubility depending on mineralogy but mostly on the processing by fluoride ions from marine emissions, pointing to the complexity of atmospheric--oceanic interactions in this region of the world influenced by the Benguela current and significant aerosol load.
Chiara Giorio, Anne Monod, Valerio Di Marco, Pierre Herckes, Denise Napolitano, Amy Sullivan, Gautier Landrot, Daniel Warnes, Marika Nasti, Sara D'Aronco, Agathe Gérardin, Nicolas Brun, Karine Desboeufs, Sylvain Triquet, Servanne Chevaillier, Claudia Di Biagio, Francesco Battaglia, Frédéric Burnet, Stuart J. Piketh, Andreas Namwoonde, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16107–16125, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16107-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16107-2025, 2025
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We present a comparison between concentrations of dissolved trace metals in pairs of total suspended particulate (TSP) and fog samples collected in Henties Bay, Namibia, during the AErosols, Radiation and CLOuds in southern Africa (AEROCLO-sA) field campaign. We found enhanced concentrations of dissolved metals in fog samples, which we attributed to metal–ligand complex formation in the early stages of particle activation into droplets that can then remain in a kinetically stable form in fog or lead to the formation of colloidal nanoparticles.
Francesco Battaglia, Paola Formenti, Chiara Giorio, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Antonin Bergé, Aline Gratien, Diana L. Pereira, Thomas Bertin, Joel F. de Brito, Manolis N. Romanias, Vincent Michoud, Clarissa Baldo, Servanne Chevaillier, Gael Noyalet, Philippe Decorse, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 12409–12431, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12409-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-12409-2025, 2025
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This paper presents an experimental investigation of the interactions between glyoxal, an important volatile organic compound, and mineral dust particles of size and composition typical of natural conditions. We show that their interactions modify, in a definitive way, the concentrations of the gas phase and the surface properties of the dust, which could have important implications for the atmospheric composition and the Earth's climate.
Mégane Ventura, Fabien Waquet, Isabelle Chiapello, Gérard Brogniez, Frédéric Parol, Frédérique Auriol, Rodrigue Loisil, Cyril Delegove, Luc Blarel, Oleg Dubovik, Marc Mallet, Cyrille Flamant, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 4005–4024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4005-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4005-2025, 2025
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Biomass-burning aerosols (BBAs) from Central Africa are transported above stratocumulus clouds. The absorption of solar energy by aerosols induces warming, altering the cloud dynamics. We developed an approach that combines polarimeter and lidar to quantify this. This methodology is assessed during the AEROCLO-sA (AErosol RadiatiOn and CLOud in Southern Africa) campaign. To validate it, we used irradiance measurements acquired during aircraft spiral descents. A major perspective is the generalization of this method to the global level.
Abdulaziz T. Yakubu, Danitza Klopper, Henno Havenga, Roelof Burger, Paola Formenti, and Stuart J. Piketh
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1827, 2025
Preprint archived
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Low-level inversions experienced along the Namibia coast and adjacent ocean have implications for air pollutant dispersion and low clouds. These affect air quality, human health, radiative forcing and climate change. We used reanalysis and satellite datasets to understand inversion properties over the region. The result shows inversion prominence at night and in winter, seasonally influences pollutant trapping and initiates stratocumulus clouds formation, but is not liable for their extent.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Satoshi Inomata, Chenjie Yu, Vera Bernardoni, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Paolo Laj, Michel Maillé, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Gael Noyalet, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Brice Temime-Roussel, Roberta Vecchi, Virginia Vernocchi, Paola Formenti, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6407–6428, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, 2025
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The spectral optical properties of combustion soot aerosols with varying black (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) content were studied in an atmospheric simulation chamber. Measurements of the mass spectral absorption cross section (MAC), supplemented by literature data, allowed us to establish a generalised exponential relationship between the spectral absorption and the elemental-to-total-carbon ratio (EC / TC) in soot. This relationship can provide a useful tool for modelling the properties of soot.
Simone T. Andersen, Rolf Sander, Patrick Dewald, Laura Wüst, Tobias Seubert, Gunther N. T. E. Türk, Jan Schuladen, Max R. McGillen, Chaoyang Xue, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Alexandre Kukui, Vincent Michoud, Manuela Cirtog, Mathieu Cazaunau, Astrid Bauville, Hichem Bouzidi, Paola Formenti, Cyrielle Denjean, Jean-Claude Etienne, Olivier Garrouste, Christopher Cantrell, Jos Lelieveld, and John N. Crowley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5893–5909, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5893-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5893-2025, 2025
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Measurements and modelling of reactive nitrogen gases observed in a suburban temperate forest in Rambouillet, France, circa 50 km southwest of Paris in 2022 indicate that the biosphere rapidly scavenges organic nitrates of mixed biogenic and anthropogenic origin, resulting in short lifetimes for, for example, alkyl nitrates and peroxy nitrates.
Diana L. Pereira, Chiara Giorio, Aline Gratien, Alexander Zherebker, Gael Noyalet, Servanne Chevaillier, Stéphanie Alage, Elie Almarj, Antonin Bergé, Thomas Bertin, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Ludovico Di Antonio, Sergio Harb, Johannes Heuser, Cécile Gaimoz, Oscar Guillemant, Brigitte Language, Olivier Lauret, Camilo Macias, Franck Maisonneuve, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Raquel Torres, Sylvain Triquet, Pascal Zapf, Lelia Hawkins, Drew Pronovost, Sydney Riley, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Emilie Perraudin, Pauline Pouyes, Eric Villenave, Alexandre Albinet, Olivier Favez, Robin Aujay-Plouzeau, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4885–4905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, 2025
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In order to study aerosols in environments influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, we performed analyses of samples collected during the ACROSS (Atmospheric Chemistry Of the Suburban Forest) campaign in summer 2022 in the greater Paris area. After analysis of the chemical composition by means of total carbon determination and high-resolution mass spectrometry, this work highlights the influence of anthropogenic inputs on the chemical composition of both urban and forested areas.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Matthias Beekmann, Guillaume Siour, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Joel F. de Brito, Paola Formenti, Cecile Gaimoz, Olivier Garret, Aline Gratien, Valérie Gros, Martial Haeffelin, Lelia N. Hawkins, Simone Kotthaus, Gael Noyalet, Diana L. Pereira, Jean-Eudes Petit, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Chenjie Yu, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Claudia Di Biagio
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4803–4831, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4803-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4803-2025, 2025
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The summer of 2022 has been considered a proxy for future climate scenarios due to its hot and dry conditions. In this paper, we use the measurements from the Atmospheric Chemistry of the Suburban Forest (ACROSS) campaign, conducted in the Paris area in June–July 2022, along with observations from existing networks, to evaluate a 3D chemistry transport model (WRF–CHIMERE) simulation. Results are shown to be satisfactory, allowing us to explain the gas and aerosol variability at the campaign sites.
Soo-Jin Park, Lya Lugon, Oscar Jacquot, Youngseob Kim, Alexia Baudic, Barbara D'Anna, Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Fabrice Dugay, Olivier Favez, Véronique Ghersi, Aline Gratien, Julien Kammer, Jean-Eudes Petit, Olivier Sanchez, Myrto Valari, Jérémy Vigneron, and Karine Sartelet
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3363–3387, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3363-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3363-2025, 2025
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To accurately represent the population exposure to outdoor concentrations of pollutants of interest to health (NO2, PM2.5, black carbon, and ultrafine particles), multi-scale modelling down to the street scale is set up and evaluated using measurements from field campaigns. An exposure scaling factor is defined, allowing regional-scale simulations to be corrected to evaluate population exposure. Urban heterogeneities strongly influence NO2, black carbon, and ultrafine particles but less strongly PM2.5.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Aline Gratien, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Patrice Coll, Barbara D'Anna, Joel F. de Brito, David O. De Haan, Juliette R. Dignum, Shravan Deshmukh, Olivier Favez, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Cecile Gaimoz, Lelia N. Hawkins, Julien Kammer, Brigitte Language, Franck Maisonneuve, Griša Močnik, Emilie Perraudin, Jean-Eudes Petit, Prodip Acharja, Laurent Poulain, Pauline Pouyes, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Kanuri I. Roundtree, Marwa Shahin, Guillaume Siour, Eric Villenave, Pascal Zapf, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3161–3189, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, 2025
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The spectral complex refractive index (CRI) and single scattering albedo were retrieved from submicron aerosol measurements at three sites within the greater Paris area during the ACROSS field campaign (June–July 2022). Measurements revealed urban emission impact on surrounding areas. CRI full period averages at 520 nm were 1.41 – 0.037i (urban), 1.52 – 0.038i (peri-urban), and 1.50 – 0.025i (rural). Organic aerosols dominated the aerosol mass and contributed up to 22 % of absorption at 370 nm.
Alexandre Mass, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Paola Formenti, Eva Pauli, and Julian Quinting
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 491–510, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-491-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-491-2025, 2025
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This study investigates the interaction between smoke aerosols and fog and low clouds (FLCs) in the Namib Desert between June and October. Here, a satellite-based dataset of FLCs, reanalysis data and machine learning are used to systematically analyze FLC persistence under different aerosol loadings. Aerosol plumes are shown to modify local thermodynamics, which increase FLC persistence. But fully disentangling aerosol effects from meteorological ones remains a challenge.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Junying Sun, Ye Kuang, Paola Formenti, and Steven G. Howell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13849–13864, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, 2024
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Using airborne measurements over the southeast Atlantic Ocean, we examined how much moisture aerosols take up during Africa’s biomass burning season. Our study revealed the important role of organic aerosols and introduced a predictive model for moisture uptake, accounting for organics, sulfate, and black carbon, summarizing results from various campaigns. These findings improve our understanding of aerosol–moisture interactions and their radiative effects in this climatically critical region.
Chenjie Yu, Edouard Pangui, Kevin Tu, Mathieu Cazaunau, Maxime Feingesicht, Landsheere Xavier, Thierry Bourrianne, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Timothy B. Onasch, Andrew Freedman, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3419–3437, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3419-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3419-2024, 2024
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To meet the requirements for measuring aerosol optical properties on airborne platforms and conducting dual-wavelength measurements, we introduced A2S2, an airborne dual-wavelength cavity-attenuated phase-shift single monitor. This study reports the results in the laboratory and an aircraft campaign over Paris and its surrounding regions. The results demonstrate A2S2's reliability in measuring aerosol optical properties at both wavelengths and its suitability for future aircraft campaigns.
Alice Maison, Lya Lugon, Soo-Jin Park, Alexia Baudic, Christopher Cantrell, Florian Couvidat, Barbara D'Anna, Claudia Di Biagio, Aline Gratien, Valérie Gros, Carmen Kalalian, Julien Kammer, Vincent Michoud, Jean-Eudes Petit, Marwa Shahin, Leila Simon, Myrto Valari, Jérémy Vigneron, Andrée Tuzet, and Karine Sartelet
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6011–6046, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6011-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6011-2024, 2024
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This study presents the development of a bottom-up inventory of urban tree biogenic emissions. Emissions are computed for each tree based on their location and characteristics and are integrated in the regional air quality model WRF-CHIMERE. The impact of these biogenic emissions on air quality is quantified for June–July 2022. Over Paris city, urban trees increase the concentrations of particulate organic matter by 4.6 %, of PM2.5 by 0.6 %, and of ozone by 1.0 % on average over 2 months.
Vincenzo Obiso, María Gonçalves Ageitos, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, Jan P. Perlwitz, Gregory L. Schuster, Susanne E. Bauer, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Kostas Tsigaridis, and Ron L. Miller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5337–5367, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5337-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5337-2024, 2024
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We calculate the dust direct radiative effect (DRE) in an Earth system model accounting for regionally varying soil mineralogy through a new observationally constrained method. Linking dust absorption at solar wavelengths to the varying amount of specific minerals (i.e., iron oxides) improves the modeled range of dust single scattering albedo compared to observations and increases the global cooling by dust. Our results may contribute to improved estimates of the dust DRE and its climate impact.
Cyrille Flamant, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Marco Gaetani, Kerstin Schepanski, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4265–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4265-2024, 2024
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In the austral dry season, the atmospheric composition over southern Africa is dominated by biomass burning aerosols and terrigenous aerosols (so-called mineral dust). This study suggests that the radiative effect of biomass burning aerosols needs to be taken into account to properly forecast dust emissions in Namibia.
Anil Kumar Mandariya, Junteng Wu, Anne Monod, Paola Formenti, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Mathieu Cazaunau, Stephan Mertes, Laurent Poulain, Antonin Berge, Edouard Pangui, Andreas Tilgner, Thomas Schaefer, Liang Wen, Hartmut Herrmann, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-206, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-206, 2024
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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An optimized and controlled protocol for generating quasi-adiabatic expansion clouds under simulated dark and light conditions was presented. The irradiated clouds clearly showed a gradual activation of seed particles into droplets. In contrast, non-irradiated clouds faced a flash activation. This paper will lay the foundation for multiphase photochemical studies implying water-soluble volatile organic compounds and particulate matter formation during cloud formation-evaporation cycles.
Karine Desboeufs, Paola Formenti, Raquel Torres-Sánchez, Kerstin Schepanski, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Stefanie Feuerstein, Benoit Laurent, Danitza Klopper, Andreas Namwoonde, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Anaïs Feron, Cécile Mirande-Bret, Sylvain Triquet, and Stuart J. Piketh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1525–1541, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1525-2024, 2024
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This study investigates the fractional solubility of iron (Fe) in dust particles along the coast of Namibia, a critical region for the atmospheric Fe supply of the South Atlantic Ocean. Our results suggest a possible two-way interplay whereby marine biogenic emissions from the coastal marine ecosystems into the atmosphere would increase the solubility of Fe-bearing dust by photo-reduction processes. The subsequent deposition of soluble Fe could act to further enhance marine biogenic emissions.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Junying Sun, Ye Kuang, and Paola Formenti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2319, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2319, 2023
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Our study examined the interaction between atmospheric particles and moisture over the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean during the biomass burning seasons in Africa. We found that organic components of these particles play a more important role in aerosol-moisture interactions than previously expected. This discovery is important as such interactions impact radiation and climate. Current climate models might need better representations of the moisture-absorbing properties of organic aerosols.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Gilles Foret, Paola Formenti, Guillaume Siour, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12455–12475, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12455-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12455-2023, 2023
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Long-term (2000–2021) 1 km resolution satellite data have been used to investigate the climatological aerosol optical depth (AOD) variability and trends at different scales in Europe. Average enhancements of the local-to-regional AOD ratio at 550 nm of 57 %, 55 %, 39 % and 32 % are found for large metropolitan areas such as Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris and Athens, respectively, suggesting a non-negligible enhancement of the aerosol burden through local emissions.
Jianyu Zheng, Zhibo Zhang, Hongbin Yu, Anne Garnier, Qianqian Song, Chenxi Wang, Claudia Di Biagio, Jasper F. Kok, Yevgeny Derimian, and Claire Ryder
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8271–8304, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8271-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8271-2023, 2023
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We developed a multi-year satellite-based retrieval of dust optical depth at 10 µm and the coarse-mode dust effective diameter over global oceans. It reveals climatological coarse-mode dust transport patterns and regional differences over the North Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the North Pacific.
Clarissa Baldo, Paola Formenti, Claudia Di Biagio, Gongda Lu, Congbo Song, Mathieu Cazaunau, Edouard Pangui, Jean-Francois Doussin, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Olafur Arnalds, David Beddows, A. Robert MacKenzie, and Zongbo Shi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7975–8000, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7975-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7975-2023, 2023
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This paper presents new shortwave spectral complex refractive index and single scattering albedo data for Icelandic dust. Our results show that the imaginary part of the complex refractive index of Icelandic dust is at the upper end of the range of low-latitude dust. Furthermore, we observed that Icelandic dust is more absorbing towards the near-infrared, which we attribute to its high magnetite content. These findings are important for modeling dust aerosol radiative effects in the Arctic.
Michail Mytilinaios, Sara Basart, Sergio Ciamprone, Juan Cuesta, Claudio Dema, Enza Di Tomaso, Paola Formenti, Antonis Gkikas, Oriol Jorba, Ralph Kahn, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, Serena Trippetta, and Lucia Mona
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5487–5516, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5487-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5487-2023, 2023
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Multiscale Online Non-hydrostatic AtmospheRe CHemistry model (MONARCH) dust reanalysis provides a high-resolution 3D reconstruction of past dust conditions, allowing better quantification of climate and socioeconomic dust impacts. We assess the performance of the reanalysis needed to reproduce dust optical depth using dust-related products retrieved from satellite and ground-based observations and show that it reproduces the spatial distribution and seasonal variability of atmospheric dust well.
Qianqian Song, Zhibo Zhang, Hongbin Yu, Jasper F. Kok, Claudia Di Biagio, Samuel Albani, Jianyu Zheng, and Jiachen Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13115–13135, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13115-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13115-2022, 2022
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This study developed a dataset that enables us to efficiently calculate dust direct radiative effect (DRE, i.e., cooling or warming our planet) for any given dust size distribution in addition to three sets of dust mineral components and two dust shapes. We demonstrate and validate the method of using this dataset to calculate dust DRE. Moreover, using this dataset we found that dust mineral composition is a more important factor in determining dust DRE than dust size and shape.
Michael John Weston, Stuart John Piketh, Frédéric Burnet, Stephen Broccardo, Cyrielle Denjean, Thierry Bourrianne, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10221–10245, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10221-2022, 2022
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An aerosol-aware microphysics scheme is evaluated for fog cases in Namibia. AEROCLO-sA campaign observations are used to access and parameterise the model. The model cloud condensation nuclei activation is lower than the observations. The scheme is designed for clouds with updrafts, while fog typically forms in stable conditions. A pseudo updraft speed assigned to the lowest model levels helps achieve more realistic cloud droplet number concentration and size distribution in the model.
Caroline Dang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Lu Zhang, Paola Formenti, Jonathan Taylor, Amie Dobracki, Sara Purdue, Pui-Shan Wong, Athanasios Nenes, Arthur Sedlacek III, Hugh Coe, Jens Redemann, Paquita Zuidema, Steven Howell, and James Haywood
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9389–9412, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9389-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9389-2022, 2022
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Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze aged African smoke particles and how the smoke interacts with the marine atmosphere. We found that the volatility of organic aerosol increases with biomass burning plume age, that black carbon is often mixed with potassium salts and that the marine atmosphere can incorporate Na and Cl into smoke particles. Marine salts are more processed when mixed with smoke plumes, and there are interesting Cl-rich yet Na-absent marine particles.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Arthur J. Sedlacek III, Ernie R. Lewis, Amie Dobracki, Jenny P. S. Wong, Paola Formenti, Steven G. Howell, and Athanasios Nenes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9199–9213, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9199-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9199-2022, 2022
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Widespread biomass burning (BB) events occur annually in Africa and contribute ~ 1 / 3 of global BB emissions, which contain a large family of light-absorbing organics, known as brown carbon (BrC), whose absorption of incident radiation is difficult to estimate, leading to large uncertainties in the global radiative forcing estimation. This study quantifies the BrC absorption of aged BB particles and highlights the potential presence of absorbing iron oxides in this climatically important region.
Enza Di Tomaso, Jerónimo Escribano, Sara Basart, Paul Ginoux, Francesca Macchia, Francesca Barnaba, Francesco Benincasa, Pierre-Antoine Bretonnière, Arnau Buñuel, Miguel Castrillo, Emilio Cuevas, Paola Formenti, María Gonçalves, Oriol Jorba, Martina Klose, Lucia Mona, Gilbert Montané Pinto, Michail Mytilinaios, Vincenzo Obiso, Miriam Olid, Nick Schutgens, Athanasios Votsis, Ernest Werner, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 2785–2816, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2785-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2785-2022, 2022
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MONARCH reanalysis of desert dust aerosols extends the existing observation-based information for mineral dust monitoring by providing 3-hourly upper-air, surface and total column key geophysical variables of the dust cycle over Northern Africa, the Middle East and Europe, at a 0.1° horizontal resolution in a rotated grid, from 2007 to 2016. This work provides evidence of the high accuracy of this data set and its suitability for air quality and health and climate service applications.
Cyrille Flamant, Marco Gaetani, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Patrick Chazette, Juan Cuesta, Stuart John Piketh, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5701–5724, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5701-2022, 2022
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Rivers of smoke extend from tropical southern Africa towards the Indian Ocean during the winter fire season, controlled by the interaction of tropical easterly waves, and westerly waves at mid latitudes. During the AEROCLO-sA field campaign in 2017, a river of smoke was directly observed over Namibia. In this paper, the evolution and atmospheric drivers of the river of smoke are described, and the role of a mid-latitude cut-off low in lifting the smoke to the upper troposphere is highlighted.
Paola Formenti, Claudia Di Biagio, Yue Huang, Jasper Kok, Marc Daniel Mallet, Damien Boulanger, and Mathieu Cazaunau
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-403, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-403, 2021
Publication in AMT not foreseen
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This paper provides with standardized correction factors for the measurements of the most common instruments used in the atmosphere to measure the concentration per size of aerosol particles. These correction factors are provided to users with supplementary information for their use.
Marco Gaetani, Benjamin Pohl, Maria del Carmen Alvarez Castro, Cyrille Flamant, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16575–16591, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16575-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16575-2021, 2021
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During the dry austral winter, biomass fires in tropical Africa emit large amounts of smoke in the atmosphere, with large impacts on climate and air quality. The study of the relationship between atmospheric circulation and smoke transport shows that midlatitude atmospheric disturbances may deflect the smoke from tropical Africa towards southern Africa. Understanding the distribution of the smoke in the region is crucial for climate modelling and air quality monitoring.
Lilian Loyer, Jean-Christophe Raut, Claudia Di Biagio, Julia Maillard, Vincent Mariage, and Jacques Pelon
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-326, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2021-326, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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The Arctic is facing drastic climate changes, and more observations are needed to better understand what is happening. Unfortunately observations are limited in the High Arctic. To obtain more observations, multiples buoys equipped with lidar, have been deployed in this region. This paper presents an approach to estimate the optical properties of clouds, and solar plus terrestrial energies from lidar measurements in the Arctic.
Isabelle Chiapello, Paola Formenti, Lydie Mbemba Kabuiku, Fabrice Ducos, Didier Tanré, and François Dulac
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 12715–12737, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12715-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12715-2021, 2021
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The Mediterranean atmosphere is impacted by a variety of particle pollution, which exerts a complex pressure on climate and air quality. We analyze the 2005–2013 POLDER-3 satellite advanced aerosol data set over the Western Mediterranean Sea. Aerosols' spatial distribution and temporal evolution suggests a large-scale improvement of air quality related to the fine aerosol component, most probably resulting from reduction of anthropogenic particle emissions in the surrounding European countries.
Danitza Klopper, Stuart J. Piketh, Roelof Burger, Simon Dirkse, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-668, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-668, 2021
Revised manuscript not accepted
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The western coast of southern Africa is a key region of the Earth, with persistent clouds and particles also transported from distant forest fires. The atmosphere is stratified as a result of the different temperatures of the cold Atlantic ocean and the warm semi-arid land, and that affects how the particles will be distributed whilst in the atmosphere and how long they will persist. We used long term satellite and in situ observations to describe, for the first time, those main features.
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Short summary
Particles from deserts and semi-vegetated areas (mineral dust) are important for Earth's climate and human health, notably depending on their size. In this paper we collect and make a synthesis of a body of these observations since 1972 in order to provide researchers modeling Earth's climate and developing satellite observations from space with a simple way of confronting their results and understanding their validity.
Particles from deserts and semi-vegetated areas (mineral dust) are important for Earth's climate...
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