Assessing Radiative Impacts of African Smoke Aerosols over the Southeastern Atlantic Ocean

Biomass burning smoke aerosols exhibit complex impacts on the temperature profile of the atmosphere and cloud development. Central Africa is a region where smoke aerosols are constantly being transported westward over the remote southeastern Atlantic Ocean. A dedicated measurement platform located on Ascension Island, maintained by the U. S. Department of Energy, observed several plumes of biomass burning smoke during the 2016 and 2017 austral burn season months. It was found that the smoke aerosols displayed different radiative properties while readily activating as cloud condensation nuclei. An anomalously strong African Easterly Jet was responsible for facilitating extreme fire conditions in 2016. During the 2017 burn season, an anomalously weaker jet led to more mixing of mineral dust and marine aerosols which were more efficient at cooling the atmosphere than in 2016.