Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2013

DOI

10.1002/asl2.441

Publication Title

Atmospheric Science Letters

Volume

14

Issue

4

Pages

207-213

Abstract

(First paragraph)

The impact of sea spray aerosols on global climate remains one of the most uncertain components of the aerosol–radiation–climate problem, but has received less attention than the impacts of terrestrial and anthropogenic aerosols. The last decade has produced a large body of information regarding the sources and composition of marine aerosols, resulting in a reassessment of the complex role that sea spray particles play in climate and various geophysical phenomena. As sea spray aerosol contributes substantially to the preindustrial, natural background which provides the baseline on top of which anthropogenic forcing should be quantified, and because the ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface, the representation of sea spray aerosol in climate models strongly influences the predicted impact on climate of anthropogenic aerosols via direct and indirect effects. In addition, climate change affects atmospheric parameters, such as wind speed which has controlling effect on the production of sea spray aerosol. Recent reviews on sea spray aerosol production and composition (de Leeuw et al., 2011) summarized the state of the art and remaining uncertainties.

Original Publication Citation

Meskhidze, N., Petters, M. D., Tsigaridis, K., Bates, T., O'Dowd, C., Reid, J., . . . Zorn, S. R. (2013). Production mechanisms, number concentration, size distribution, chemical composition, and optical properties of sea spray aerosols. Atmospheric Science Letters, 14(4), 207-213. doi:10.1002/asl2.441

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