Aerosol input to the South China Sea: Results from the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer, the Quick Scatterometer, and the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere Sensor

Data from the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) and other satellite sensors in 2002–2004 indicate that, in addition to locally produced sea-salt particles, aerosols from various remote sources also find their ways to the South China Sea, including industrial/urban pollution in eastern China, wind-blown dust from Asian deserts and biomass burning in Sumatra and Borneo. Among these sources, anthropogenic aerosols from eastern China are produced year round while desert dusts are produced primarily between February and April and biomass burning smoke from August to October. In terms of size of aerosols, sea salt and dust predominate the coarse mode while pollution and smoke predominate the fine-mode particles. Our study suggests that the aerosol input to the South China Sea come from different remote sources dependent upon the season, as opposed to a single dust source as previously anticipated. In the winter monsoon season from November to April, the prevailing northeasterly carries anthropogenic aerosols mixed with dust during dust outbreaks to the northern South China Sea. In the summer monsoon season from June to September, the prevailing southwesterly favours the transporting of smoke particles associated with biomass burning in Borneo and Sumatra to the southern South China Sea. The variety of remote aerosol sources associated with strong spatial and temporal variability of transporting aerosols to the region shows the complexity of atmospheric impact on the biogeochemistry in the South China Sea. Hence, an integrated research approach is deemed critical to assess the biogeochemical impact of these aerosols to the South China Sea.