Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations
<p>Dimethylsulfide (DMS), outgassed from ocean waters, plays an important role in the climate system, as it oxidizes to methane sulfonic acid (MSA) and sulfur dioxide (<span class="inline-formula">SO<sub>2</sub></span>), which can lead to the formation of sulf...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2019-05-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/19/6419/2019/acp-19-6419-2019.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818159748868997120 |
|---|---|
| author | R. Mahmood R. Mahmood K. von Salzen K. von Salzen A.-L. Norman M. Galí M. Galí M. Levasseur |
| author_facet | R. Mahmood R. Mahmood K. von Salzen K. von Salzen A.-L. Norman M. Galí M. Galí M. Levasseur |
| author_sort | R. Mahmood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Dimethylsulfide (DMS), outgassed from ocean waters, plays an
important role in the climate system, as it oxidizes to methane sulfonic
acid (MSA) and sulfur dioxide (<span class="inline-formula">SO<sub>2</sub></span>), which can lead to the formation of
sulfate aerosol. Newly formed sulfate aerosol resulting from DMS oxidation
may grow by condensation of gases, in-cloud oxidation, and coagulation to
sizes where they may act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and influence
cloud properties. Under future global warming conditions, sea ice in the
Arctic region is expected to decline significantly, which may lead to
increased emissions of DMS from the open ocean and changes in cloud regimes.
In this study we evaluate impacts of DMS on Arctic sulfate aerosol budget,
changes in cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), and cloud radiative
forcing in the Arctic region under current and future sea ice conditions
using an atmospheric global climate model. Given that future DMS
concentrations are highly uncertain, several simulations with different
surface seawater DMS concentrations and spatial distributions in the Arctic
were performed in order to determine the sensitivity of sulfate aerosol
budgets, CDNC, and cloud radiative forcing to Arctic surface seawater DMS
concentrations. For any given amount and distribution of Arctic surface
seawater DMS, similar amounts of sulfate are produced by oxidation of DMS
in 2000 and 2050 despite large increases in DMS emission in the latter period
due to sea ice retreat in the simulations. This relatively low sensitivity
of sulfate burden is related to enhanced sulfate wet removal by
precipitation in 2050. However simulated aerosol nucleation rates are higher
in 2050, which results in an overall increase in CDNC and substantially more
negative cloud radiative forcing. Thus potential future reductions in sea
ice extent may cause cloud albedos to increase, resulting in a negative
climate feedback on radiative forcing in the Arctic associated with ocean DMS emissions.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T15:50:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2cc1099575f74280a321214f5b216611 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T15:50:55Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-2cc1099575f74280a321214f5b2166112022-12-22T00:59:35ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242019-05-01196419643510.5194/acp-19-6419-2019Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrationsR. Mahmood0R. Mahmood1K. von Salzen2K. von Salzen3A.-L. Norman4M. Galí5M. Galí6M. Levasseur7School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaCanadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaCanadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaTakuvik Joint International Laboratory & Québec-Océan, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canadanow at: Climate Prediction Group, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Barcelona, SpainDépartement de biologie and Québec-Océan, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada<p>Dimethylsulfide (DMS), outgassed from ocean waters, plays an important role in the climate system, as it oxidizes to methane sulfonic acid (MSA) and sulfur dioxide (<span class="inline-formula">SO<sub>2</sub></span>), which can lead to the formation of sulfate aerosol. Newly formed sulfate aerosol resulting from DMS oxidation may grow by condensation of gases, in-cloud oxidation, and coagulation to sizes where they may act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and influence cloud properties. Under future global warming conditions, sea ice in the Arctic region is expected to decline significantly, which may lead to increased emissions of DMS from the open ocean and changes in cloud regimes. In this study we evaluate impacts of DMS on Arctic sulfate aerosol budget, changes in cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), and cloud radiative forcing in the Arctic region under current and future sea ice conditions using an atmospheric global climate model. Given that future DMS concentrations are highly uncertain, several simulations with different surface seawater DMS concentrations and spatial distributions in the Arctic were performed in order to determine the sensitivity of sulfate aerosol budgets, CDNC, and cloud radiative forcing to Arctic surface seawater DMS concentrations. For any given amount and distribution of Arctic surface seawater DMS, similar amounts of sulfate are produced by oxidation of DMS in 2000 and 2050 despite large increases in DMS emission in the latter period due to sea ice retreat in the simulations. This relatively low sensitivity of sulfate burden is related to enhanced sulfate wet removal by precipitation in 2050. However simulated aerosol nucleation rates are higher in 2050, which results in an overall increase in CDNC and substantially more negative cloud radiative forcing. Thus potential future reductions in sea ice extent may cause cloud albedos to increase, resulting in a negative climate feedback on radiative forcing in the Arctic associated with ocean DMS emissions.</p>https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/19/6419/2019/acp-19-6419-2019.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. Mahmood R. Mahmood K. von Salzen K. von Salzen A.-L. Norman M. Galí M. Galí M. Levasseur Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations |
| title_full | Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations |
| title_fullStr | Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations |
| title_short | Sensitivity of Arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations |
| title_sort | sensitivity of arctic sulfate aerosol and clouds to changes in future surface seawater dimethylsulfide concentrations |
| url | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/19/6419/2019/acp-19-6419-2019.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rmahmood sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations AT rmahmood sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations AT kvonsalzen sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations AT kvonsalzen sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations AT alnorman sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations AT mgali sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations AT mgali sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations AT mlevasseur sensitivityofarcticsulfateaerosolandcloudstochangesinfuturesurfaceseawaterdimethylsulfideconcentrations |