Distribution of aerosols in the South Atlantic Ocean

The distribution of aerosols over the global oceans directly influences the radiation budget and indirectly forces global climate change. As of present, many uncertainties remain regarding marine aerosols due to the remoteness and the resultant infrequent sampling periods of the global oceans. The Southern Atlantic Ocean is a region characterized by very low amounts of aerosols, which can be attributed to it’s remote nature and subsequent low anthropogenic influences. The aerosols identified in this region are mostly formed from sea salts, as the surface wind is relatively low in this region, only a small amount of aerosol is generated. The aim of this study is to investigate the spatial distribution of aerosols with respect to air parcel source in the South Atlantic using ship based measurements.

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