Likely seeding of cirrus clouds by stratospheric Kasatochi volcanic aerosol particles near a mid-latitude tropopause fold

Following the explosive 7–8 August 2008 Mt. Kasatochi volcanic eruption in southwestern Alaska, a segment of the dispersing stratospheric aerosol layer was profiled beginning 16 August in continuous ground-based lidar measurements over the Mid-Atlantic coast of the eastern United States. On 17–18 August, the layer was displaced downward into the upper troposphere through turbulent mixing near a tropopause fold. Cirrus clouds and ice crystal fallstreaks were subsequently observed, having formed within the entrained layer. The likely seeding of these clouds by Kasatochi aerosol particles is discussed. Cloud formation is hypothesized as resulting from either preferential homogenous freezing of relatively large sulfate-based solution droplets deliquesced after mixing into the moist upper troposphere or through heterogeneous droplet activation by volcanic ash. Satellite-borne spectrometer measurements illustrate the evolution of elevated Kasatochi SO2 mass concentrations regionally and the spatial extent of the cirrus cloud band induced by likely particle seeding. Satellite-borne polarization lidar observations confirm ice crystal presence within the clouds. Geostationary satellite-based water vapor channel imagery depicts strong regional subsidence, symptomatic of tropopause folding, along a deepening trough in the sub-tropical westerlies. Regional radiosonde profiling confirms both the position of the fold and depth of upper-tropospheric subsidence. These data represent the first unambiguous observations of likely cloud seeding by stratospheric volcanic aerosol particles after mixing back into the upper troposphere.

► Stratospheric volcanic aerosol entrained into upper troposphere downwind of eruption. ► Cirrus clouds formed, likely-seeded by enhanced sulfate droplet and ash presence. ► Comprehensive ground and satellite-based atmospheric observations are described. ► First unambiguous account of likely cirrus cloud seeding by aged volcanic aerosol.