Sea spray aerosol concentration modulated by sea surface temperature

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Science
• Climate Science
• Oceanography

Background:

• Natural aerosols are crucial for understanding anthropogenic impacts on climate.
• Sea spray aerosol (SSA) is a significant natural aerosol, but its abundance is poorly quantified.
• Current models primarily attribute SSA production to wind-driven wave breaking, which doesn't fully explain observed concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of sea surface temperature (SST) on sea spray aerosol (SSA) mass generation.
• To demonstrate that SST, in addition to wind speed, is a key factor in SSA production.
• To improve the predictability of SSA concentrations in global climate models.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a global dataset of airborne SSA measurements collected at 150-200m altitude over the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
• Employed statistical analysis to assess the relationship between SSA concentration, wind speed, and sea surface temperature (SST).
• Analyzed data from the NASA Atmospheric Tomography Mission.

Main Results:

• Higher sea surface temperatures (SST) were found to promote SSA mass generation across various wind speed levels.
• The inclusion of SST significantly enhanced the predictability of SSA concentration compared to wind speed alone.
• The study confirmed the wind-driven mechanism of SSA production while highlighting the additional role of SST.

Conclusions:

• Sea surface temperature (SST) is a critical parameter influencing sea spray aerosol (SSA) production.
• Incorporating SST into SSA source functions is essential for improving global climate models.
• Accurate modeling of SSA burdens requires accounting for both wind speed and SST.