Measuring the stratospheric aerosol size distribution profile following the next big volcanic eruption. What is required?

Abstract:

Two of the key missing features of fresh and evolving volcanic plumes are the particle size distribution and its partitioning into non-volatile ash and volatile sulfate particles. Such information would allow more refined estimates of the evolution and dispersal of the aerosol, of the impacts of the aerosol on radiation and on stratospheric chemistry, and of the overall amount of sulfur injected into the stratosphere. To provide this information aerosol measurements must be sensitive to particles in the 0.1 - 10 µm radius range, with concentration detection thresholds > 0.001 cm-3, and to the total aerosol population. An added bonus would be a size resolved measurement of the non-volatile fraction of the aerosol. The measurements must span the lower and mid stratosphere up to about 30 km. There are no remote measurements which can provide this information. In situ measurements using aerosol and condensation nuclei counters are required. Aircraft platforms are available for measurements up to 20 km, but beyond that requires balloon platforms. Measurements above 20 km would be required for a large volcanic eruption. There are balloon-borne instruments capable of fulfilling all of the measurement requirements; however such instruments are reasonably large and not expendable. The difficulty is deploying the instruments, obtaining the flight permissions from air traffic control, and recovering the instruments after flight. Such difficulties are compounded in the tropics. This talk will detail some previous experience in this area and suggest ways forward to be ready for the next big eruption.