Clarifying the dominant sources and mechanisms of cirrus cloud formation

Daniel J. Cziczo; Karl D. Froyd; Corinna Hoose; Eric J. Jensen; Minghui Diao; Mark Andrew Zondlo; Jessica B. Smith; Cynthia H. Twohy; Daniel M. Murphy

doi:10.1126/science.1234145

Clarifying the dominant sources and mechanisms of cirrus cloud formation

Daniel J. Cziczo
, Karl D. Froyd
, Corinna Hoose
, Eric J. Jensen
, Minghui Diao
, Mark Andrew Zondlo
, Jessica B. Smith
, Cynthia H. Twohy
, Daniel M. Murphy

Princeton University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

291 Scopus citations

Abstract

Formation of cirrus clouds depends on the availability of ice nuclei to begin condensation of atmospheric water vapor. Although it is known that only a small fraction of atmospheric aerosols are efficient ice nuclei, the critical ingredients that make those aerosols so effective have not been established. We have determined in situ the composition of the residual particles within cirrus crystals after the ice was sublimated. Our results demonstrate that mineral dust and metallic particles are the dominant source of residual particles, whereas sulfate and organic particles are underrepresented, and elemental carbon and biological materials are essentially absent. Further, composition analysis combined with relative humidity measurements suggests that heterogeneous freezing was the dominant formation mechanism of these clouds.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	1320-1324
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	340
Issue number	6138
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1234145
State	Published - 2013

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@article{97da598148d54bcab5fba387dd38d472,

title = "Clarifying the dominant sources and mechanisms of cirrus cloud formation",

abstract = "Formation of cirrus clouds depends on the availability of ice nuclei to begin condensation of atmospheric water vapor. Although it is known that only a small fraction of atmospheric aerosols are efficient ice nuclei, the critical ingredients that make those aerosols so effective have not been established. We have determined in situ the composition of the residual particles within cirrus crystals after the ice was sublimated. Our results demonstrate that mineral dust and metallic particles are the dominant source of residual particles, whereas sulfate and organic particles are underrepresented, and elemental carbon and biological materials are essentially absent. Further, composition analysis combined with relative humidity measurements suggests that heterogeneous freezing was the dominant formation mechanism of these clouds.",

author = "Cziczo, \{Daniel J.\} and Froyd, \{Karl D.\} and Corinna Hoose and Jensen, \{Eric J.\} and Minghui Diao and Zondlo, \{Mark Andrew\} and Smith, \{Jessica B.\} and Twohy, \{Cynthia H.\} and Murphy, \{Daniel M.\}",

year = "2013",

doi = "10.1126/science.1234145",

language = "American English",

volume = "340",

pages = "1320--1324",

journal = "Science",

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publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Clarifying the dominant sources and mechanisms of cirrus cloud formation

AU - Cziczo, Daniel J.

AU - Froyd, Karl D.

AU - Hoose, Corinna

AU - Jensen, Eric J.

AU - Diao, Minghui

AU - Zondlo, Mark Andrew

AU - Smith, Jessica B.

AU - Twohy, Cynthia H.

AU - Murphy, Daniel M.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Formation of cirrus clouds depends on the availability of ice nuclei to begin condensation of atmospheric water vapor. Although it is known that only a small fraction of atmospheric aerosols are efficient ice nuclei, the critical ingredients that make those aerosols so effective have not been established. We have determined in situ the composition of the residual particles within cirrus crystals after the ice was sublimated. Our results demonstrate that mineral dust and metallic particles are the dominant source of residual particles, whereas sulfate and organic particles are underrepresented, and elemental carbon and biological materials are essentially absent. Further, composition analysis combined with relative humidity measurements suggests that heterogeneous freezing was the dominant formation mechanism of these clouds.

AB - Formation of cirrus clouds depends on the availability of ice nuclei to begin condensation of atmospheric water vapor. Although it is known that only a small fraction of atmospheric aerosols are efficient ice nuclei, the critical ingredients that make those aerosols so effective have not been established. We have determined in situ the composition of the residual particles within cirrus crystals after the ice was sublimated. Our results demonstrate that mineral dust and metallic particles are the dominant source of residual particles, whereas sulfate and organic particles are underrepresented, and elemental carbon and biological materials are essentially absent. Further, composition analysis combined with relative humidity measurements suggests that heterogeneous freezing was the dominant formation mechanism of these clouds.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84878917331

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84878917331#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1126/science.1234145

DO - 10.1126/science.1234145

M3 - Article

C2 - 23661645

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 340

SP - 1320

EP - 1324

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6138

ER -

Clarifying the dominant sources and mechanisms of cirrus cloud formation

Abstract

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