Aerosol–Cloud–PBL Interactions and Impact on the Development of Convective Clouds and Air Quality due to Absorbing Aerosols

Development of clouds in the boundary-layer and air-quality near surface are strongly governed by aerosol-cloud-atmospheric interactions due to the joint influences of aerosol-radiation-interactions, aerosol-cloud-interactions and aerosol-PBL-interactions. To untangle these effects, we have analyzed rich measurements from the DOE-ARM, intensive field experiments and routine meteorological data under a wide range of atmospheric, cloud and surface conditions around the world. Several major mechanisms have been identified such as: 1) increasing near-surface temperature and shallowing the thickness of PBL due to aerosol-PBL-interactions by absorbing aerosols; 2) enhancement of severe convection due to aerosol-cloud-interactions; 2) delaying and strengthening severe thunderstorms due to the joint effects of aerosol-radiation and aerosol-cloud interactions. Some new factors and mechanisms dictating the development of convective cloud and near surface air quality are identified such as the influences of aerosol type and hygroscopic properties. Due to the aerosol-PBL interactions, a knowledge of the PBL was found to be essential in understanding and forecasting of surface air quality that is also connected with the aerosol-cloud interactions.