The China Clipper — fast advective transport of radon-rich air from the Asian boundary layer to the upper troposphere near California

A series of upper tropospheric radon concentration measurements made over the eastern Pacific and west coast of the United States during the summers of 1983 and 1984 has revealed the occurrence of unexpectedly high [> 16 pCi/SCM] radon concentrations for 9 of the 61 measurements (and 6 of the 13 flights). A frequency distribution plot of the set of 61 observations shows a distinct bimodal distribution, with approximately ⅖ of the observations falling close to 1 pCi/SCM, and ⅗ falling in a high concentration mode centered at about 11 pCi/SCM. Trajectory and synoptic analyses for two of the flights on which such high radon concentrations were observed indicate that this radon-rich air originated in the Asian boundary layer, ascended in cumulus updrafts, and was carried eastward in the fast moving air on the anti-cyclonic side of the upper tropospheric jet. Transit times were of the order of 3 days; however, in one instance, transport from China to a point a few hundred kilometers west of San Francisco occurred in 48 h. These findings suggest that the combination of rapid vertical transport from the surface boundary layer to the upper troposphere, followed by rapid horizontal transport eastward represents an efficient mode of long-transport for other, chemically reactive atmospheric trace constituents.