Abstract
The lidar measurements (Tomsk:56.5∘N;85.0∘E) of the optical characteristics of the stratospheric aerosol layer (SAL) in the volcanic activity period 2006–2011 are summarized and analyzed. The background SAL state with minimum aerosol content, observed since 1997 under the conditions of long-term volcanically quiet period, was interrupted in October 2006 by series of explosive eruptions of volcanoes of Pacific Ring of Fire: Rabaul (October 2006, New Guinea); Okmok and Kasatochi (July-August 2008, Aleutian Islands); Redoubt (March-April 2009, Alaska); Sarychev Peak (June 2009, Kuril Islands); Grimsvötn (May 2011, Iceland). A short-term and minor disturbance of the lower stratosphere was also observed in April 2010 after eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull. The developed regional empirical model of the vertical distribution of background SAL optical characteristics was used to identify the periods of elevated stratospheric aerosol content after each of the volcanic eruptions. Trends of variations in the total ozone content are also considered.
Highlights
The optical and microstructure characteristics of the stratospheric aerosol (SA) substantially influence the radiative, dynamical, and chemical processes in the Earth’s atmosphere
The SA effects are most apparent after explosive volcanic eruptions, when sulfurcontaining products are injected through the tropopause directly to the stratosphere, where they participate in a number of photochemical reactions to form the sulfuric acid aerosol, whose mass is several orders of magnitude larger than the mass of the background aerosol
This model of background SA was used to analyze the process of development and relaxation of the elevated aerosol content in the stratosphere over Tomsk, which was observed in the fall-winter period of 2006/07
Summary
The optical and microstructure characteristics of the stratospheric aerosol (SA) substantially influence the radiative, dynamical, and chemical processes in the Earth’s atmosphere. Under active debate [6, 7] those are the geoengineering projects that aimed to counteract the global warming through artificial creation of sulfuric acid aerosol layer in the lower stratosphere in order to increase the albedo of the planet and, thereby, decrease the near-surface temperature or keep it at the present-day level Implementation of this global and expensive project will require comprehensively studying the different aspects of expedience, feasibility, and predictability of the consequences of the artificial increase in SA content such as through employment of systematic field, SAL observations in the periods when explosive volcanic eruptions with different intensities impact different regions on Earth
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