Aerosol Effect on Cloud Droplet Size Monitored from Satellite

2002/02/01 by Francois-Marie Bréon, François‐Marie Bréon, Didier Tanré +2 · 452 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Aeolian processes and effects #Aerosol #Atmospheric aerosols and clouds #Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols #Atmospheric sciences #Cloud computing #Environmental science #Meteorology #Physics #Satellite

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1066434

published in Science 295(5556), 834-838 (American Association for the Advancement of Science)

openalex publication_date 2002/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26

Abstract

Aerosol concentration and cloud droplet radii derived from space-borne measurements are used to explore the effect of aerosols on cloud microphysics. Cloud droplet size is found to be largest (14 micrometers) over remote tropical oceans and smallest (6 micrometers) over highly polluted continental areas. Small droplets are also present in clouds downwind of continents. By using estimates of droplet radii coupled with aerosol load, a statistical mean relationship is derived. The cloud droplet size appears to be better correlated with an aerosol index that is representative of the aerosol column number under some assumptions than with the aerosol optical thickness. This study reveals that the effect of aerosols on cloud microphysics is significant and occurs on a global scale.

Citations

• Climate Forcing by Anthropogenic Aerosols

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