Aerosol Concentrations and Fluxes near the Ocean Surface during the Rough Evaporation Duct (RED) Project

The overall aim of this project is to improve substantially the parameterisation of sea spray particulate fluxes for a wide range of environmental conditions. To meet US Navy needs for more accurate predictions of aerosol loadings, the underlying physical and chemical processes determining aerosol formation and evolution in the maritime environment must be defined. Progress is already being made with the formulation of aerosol models, such as NAAPS, which aim to provide a mesoscale aerosol predictive capability. However, to date, these models have concentrated upon the smaller accumulation mode aerosol components (r < 1μm) of importance in defining general air mass turbidity and radiative impacts. Close to the sea surface and in localised regions, these models must be extended to incorporate predominantly wind-driven sea spray generation and surf zone aerosol processes to deal with current and future Navy requirements (De Leeuw et al, 2000, Reid et al, 2001). In addition to its primary purpose of addressing the sea spray source function, this work aims to provide detailed atmospheric particulate measurements in order to permit closure between electro-optical propagation and aerosol properties in the RED project, undertaken in Hawaii during August/September 2001.