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Regional modelling of Saharan dust and biomass-burning smoke: Part 2: Direct radiative forcing and atmospheric dynamic response Cover

Regional modelling of Saharan dust and biomass-burning smoke: Part 2: Direct radiative forcing and atmospheric dynamic response

Open Access
|Jan 2011

Abstract

The direct radiative forcing and dynamic atmospheric response due to Saharan dust and biomass-burning aerosol particles are presented for a case study during the SAMUM-2 field campaign in January and February 2008. The regional model system COSMO-MUSCAT is used. It allows online interaction of the computed dust and smoke load with the solar and terrestrial radiation and with the model dynamics. Model results of upward solar irradiances are evaluated against airborne radiation measurements in the Cape Verde region. The comparison shows a good agreement for the case of dust and smoke mixture. Dust and smoke particles influence the atmospheric dynamics by changing the radiative heating rates. The related pressure perturbations modify local and synoptic scale air-flow patterns. In the radiative feedback simulations, the Hadley circulation is enhanced and convergence zones occur along the Guinea coast. Thus, the smoke particles spread more than 5° further north and the equatorward transport is reduced. Within the convergence zones, Saharan dust and biomass-burning material are more effectively advected towards the Cape Verdes. Given the model uncertainties, the agreement between the modelled and observed aerosol distribution is locally improved when aerosol–radiation interaction is considered.

Language: English
Page range: 800 - 813
Submitted on: Nov 10, 2010
Accepted on: Jun 14, 2011
Published on: Jan 1, 2011
Published by: Stockholm University Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 2011 Bernd Heinold, Ina Tegen, Stefan Bauer, Manfred Wendisch, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.