Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East Antarctica

Abstract The impact that biogenic emissions have on aerosol-cloud interactions across the Southern Ocean is poorly quantified. Here we use satellite and ship observations during austral summer to study these interactions. We present observational evidence that biogenic aerosols increase cloud conden...

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Main Authors: Marc D. Mallet, Branka Miljevic, Ruhi S. Humphries, Gerald G. Mace, Simon P. Alexander, Alain Protat, Scott Chambers, Luke Cravigan, Paul J. DeMott, Sonya Fiddes, James Harnwell, Melita D. Keywood, Greg M. McFarquhar, Ian McRobert, Kathryn A. Moore, Caleb Mynard, Chiemeriwo Godday Osuagwu, Zoran Ristovski, Paul Selleck, Sally Taylor, Jason Ward, Alastair Williams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00990-5
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author Marc D. Mallet
Branka Miljevic
Ruhi S. Humphries
Gerald G. Mace
Simon P. Alexander
Alain Protat
Scott Chambers
Luke Cravigan
Paul J. DeMott
Sonya Fiddes
James Harnwell
Melita D. Keywood
Greg M. McFarquhar
Ian McRobert
Kathryn A. Moore
Caleb Mynard
Chiemeriwo Godday Osuagwu
Zoran Ristovski
Paul Selleck
Sally Taylor
Jason Ward
Alastair Williams
author_facet Marc D. Mallet
Branka Miljevic
Ruhi S. Humphries
Gerald G. Mace
Simon P. Alexander
Alain Protat
Scott Chambers
Luke Cravigan
Paul J. DeMott
Sonya Fiddes
James Harnwell
Melita D. Keywood
Greg M. McFarquhar
Ian McRobert
Kathryn A. Moore
Caleb Mynard
Chiemeriwo Godday Osuagwu
Zoran Ristovski
Paul Selleck
Sally Taylor
Jason Ward
Alastair Williams
author_sort Marc D. Mallet
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The impact that biogenic emissions have on aerosol-cloud interactions across the Southern Ocean is poorly quantified. Here we use satellite and ship observations during austral summer to study these interactions. We present observational evidence that biogenic aerosols increase cloud condensation nuclei and cloud droplet number concentrations over the Southern Ocean off East Antarctica, coinciding with very low concentrations of ice-nucleating particles and higher occurrences of supercooled liquid-containing low-level clouds.
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spelling doaj-art-fe51fd73dbd2404ebe66afa6c0eef2522025-08-20T02:51:28ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-03-01811710.1038/s41612-025-00990-5Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East AntarcticaMarc D. Mallet0Branka Miljevic1Ruhi S. Humphries2Gerald G. Mace3Simon P. Alexander4Alain Protat5Scott Chambers6Luke Cravigan7Paul J. DeMott8Sonya Fiddes9James Harnwell10Melita D. Keywood11Greg M. McFarquhar12Ian McRobert13Kathryn A. Moore14Caleb Mynard15Chiemeriwo Godday Osuagwu16Zoran Ristovski17Paul Selleck18Sally Taylor19Jason Ward20Alastair Williams21Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaSchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of TechnologyAustralian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaUniversity of UtahAustralian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaAustralian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationSchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of TechnologyDepartment of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State UniversityAustralian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaCSIRO EnvironmentAustralian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaCooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations, University of OklahomaEngineering and Technology Program, CSIRO National Collections and Marine InfrastructureDepartment of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State UniversityCSIRO EnvironmentSchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of TechnologySchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of TechnologyCSIRO EnvironmentCSIRO EnvironmentCSIRO EnvironmentAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationAbstract The impact that biogenic emissions have on aerosol-cloud interactions across the Southern Ocean is poorly quantified. Here we use satellite and ship observations during austral summer to study these interactions. We present observational evidence that biogenic aerosols increase cloud condensation nuclei and cloud droplet number concentrations over the Southern Ocean off East Antarctica, coinciding with very low concentrations of ice-nucleating particles and higher occurrences of supercooled liquid-containing low-level clouds.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00990-5
spellingShingle Marc D. Mallet
Branka Miljevic
Ruhi S. Humphries
Gerald G. Mace
Simon P. Alexander
Alain Protat
Scott Chambers
Luke Cravigan
Paul J. DeMott
Sonya Fiddes
James Harnwell
Melita D. Keywood
Greg M. McFarquhar
Ian McRobert
Kathryn A. Moore
Caleb Mynard
Chiemeriwo Godday Osuagwu
Zoran Ristovski
Paul Selleck
Sally Taylor
Jason Ward
Alastair Williams
Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East Antarctica
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
title Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East Antarctica
title_full Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East Antarctica
title_fullStr Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East Antarctica
title_full_unstemmed Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East Antarctica
title_short Biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off East Antarctica
title_sort biological enhancement of cloud droplet concentrations observed off east antarctica
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00990-5
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