Biological aerosols and their role on cloud-aerosol interactions in the Southern Great Plains

Description

The United States Southern Great Plains (SGP) is the genesis for much of the warm season precipitation in the central and eastern United States. While atmospheric thermodynamics and large-scale dynamics play an important role in formation of precipitation, precipitation mechanisms are also sensitive to aerosols. Here we evaluate the role of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) in the SGP region and its influence on cloud formation. Using measurements from the DoE SGP ARM site and recent airborne campaigns, we evaluate the signatures of pollen and pollen-derived aerosols on optical properties, cloud properties and precipitation. These events are used in conjunction with regional modeling to improve our understanding of the role of biological aerosol on clouds and precipitation in the Central United States.