Journal article
An overview of the ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) project: aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions in the southeast Atlantic basin
Atmospheric chemistry and physics, Vol.21(3), pp.1507-1563
02/04/2021
DOI: 10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021
Abstract
Southern Africa produces almost a third of the Earth's biomass burning (BB) aerosol particles, yet the fate of these particles and their influence on regional and global climate is poorly understood. ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) is a 5-year NASA EVS-2 (Earth Venture Suborbital-2) investigation with three intensive observation periods designed to study key atmospheric processes that determine the climate impacts of these aerosols. During the Southern Hemisphere winter and spring (June–October), aerosol particles reaching 3–5 km in altitude are transported westward over the southeast Atlantic, where they interact with one of the largest subtropical stratocumulus (Sc) cloud decks in the world. The representation of these interactions in climate models remains highly uncertain in part due to a scarcity of observational constraints on aerosol and cloud properties, as well as due to the parameterized treatment of physical processes. Three ORACLES deployments by the NASA P-3 aircraft in September 2016, August 2017, and October 2018 (totaling ∼350 science flight hours), augmented by the deployment of the NASA ER-2 aircraft for remote sensing in September 2016 (totaling ∼100 science flight hours), were intended to help fill this observational gap. ORACLES focuses on three fundamental science themes centered on the climate effects of African BB aerosols: (a) direct aerosol radiative effects, (b) effects of aerosol absorption on atmospheric circulation and clouds, and (c) aerosol–cloud microphysical interactions. This paper summarizes the ORACLES science objectives, describes the project implementation, provides an overview of the flights and measurements in each deployment, and highlights the integrative modeling efforts from cloud to global scales to address science objectives. Significant new findings on the vertical structure of BB aerosol physical and chemical properties, chemical aging, cloud condensation nuclei, rain and precipitation statistics, and aerosol indirect effects are emphasized, but their detailed descriptions are the subject of separate publications. The main purpose of this paper is to familiarize the broader scientific community with the ORACLES project and the dataset it produced.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- An overview of the ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) project: aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions in the southeast Atlantic basin
- Creators
- Jens Redemann - University of OklahomaRobert Wood - University of WashingtonPaquita Zuidema - University of MiamiSarah J Doherty - University of WashingtonBernadette Luna - Ames Research CenterSamuel E LeBlanc - Ames Research CenterMichael S Diamond - University of WashingtonYohei Shinozuka - Universities Space Research AssociationIan Y Chang - University of OklahomaRei Ueyama - Ames Research CenterLeonhard Pfister - Ames Research CenterJu-Mee Ryoo - Ames Research CenterAmie N Dobracki - University of MiamiArlindo M da Silva - Goddard Space Flight CenterKarla M Longo - Goddard Space Flight CenterMeloë S Kacenelenbogen - Ames Research CenterConnor J Flynn - University of OklahomaKristina Pistone - Ames Research CenterNichola M KnoxStuart J Piketh - North-West UniversityJames M HaywoodPaola Formenti - Université Paris CitéMarc Mallet - Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST)Philip Stier - University of OxfordAndrew S Ackerman - Goddard Institute for Space StudiesSusanne E Bauer - Goddard Institute for Space StudiesAnn M Fridlind - Goddard Institute for Space StudiesGregory R Carmichael - University of IowaPablo E Saide - University of California, Los AngelesGonzalo A Ferrada - University of IowaSteven G Howell - University of HawaiiSteffen Freitag - University of HawaiiBrian Cairns - Goddard Institute for Space StudiesBrent N Holben - Goddard Space Flight CenterKirk D Knobelspiesse - Goddard Space Flight CenterSimone TanelliTristan S L'EcuyerAndrew M DzamboOusmane O Sy - California Institute of TechnologyGreg M McFarquhar - University of OklahomaMichael R Poellot - University of North DakotaSiddhant Gupta - University of OklahomaJoseph R O'BrienAthanasios Nenes - École PolytechniqueMary Kacarab - Georgia Institute of TechnologyJenny P. S Wong - Georgia Institute of TechnologyJennifer D Small-GriswoldKenneth L Thornhill - Langley Research CenterDavid Noone - University of AucklandJames R Podolske - Ames Research CenterK. Sebastian Schmidt - University of Colorado BoulderPeter Pilewskie - University of Colorado BoulderHong Chen - University of Colorado BoulderSabrina P Cochrane - University of Colorado BoulderArthur J Sedlacek - Brookhaven National LaboratoryTimothy J Lang - Marshall Space Flight CenterEric StithMichal Segal-RozenhaimerRichard A Ferrare - Langley Research CenterSharon P Burton - Langley Research CenterChris A Hostetler - Langley Research CenterDavid J Diner - California Institute of TechnologyFelix C Seidel - California Institute of TechnologySteven E Platnick - Goddard Space Flight CenterJeffrey S Myers - University of California, Santa CruzKerry G Meyer - Goddard Space Flight CenterDouglas A SpangenbergHal Maring - NASA HeadquartersLan Gao - University of Oklahoma
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Atmospheric chemistry and physics, Vol.21(3), pp.1507-1563
- DOI
- 10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021
- ISSN
- 1680-7324
- eISSN
- 1680-7324
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000104, name: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, award: 13-EVS2-13-0028
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/04/2021
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; Center for Global & Regional Environmental Research; Nursing; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984185471402771
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