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Report on Atmospheric Effects (1980-1989) — December 1989


Atmospheric Effects (1980-1989)

Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 14, no. 12 (December 1989)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.

Atmospheric Effects (1980-1989) Aerosols, probably from Redoubt, seen over Germany

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1989. Report on Atmospheric Effects (1980-1989) (McClelland, L., ed.). Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 14:12. Smithsonian Institution.



Atmospheric Effects (1980-1989)

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Lidar data from Germany and an unusual sunrise over Colorado indicated apparent new aerosol layers, probably from the explosive activity at Redoubt, Alaska, that began 14 December [but see caution in 15:1].

Lidar profiles at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany (figure 73) remained similar to previous measurements through 19 December. On 23 December, strong signals were detected below and between the local tropopauses at 9.4 and 13.6 km, and enhanced backscattering extended up to about 17 km. The next measurement, on 25 December, showed moderately enhanced backscattering through the tropopause (at 11.7 km) to about 15 km altitude. On the 3 January profile, backscattering was enhanced below 12 km (tropopause at 10.5 km). No enhanced layers were evident on 9 January. No new aerosols were evident over Mauna Loa, Hawaii on 19 December or in preliminary 4 January data, suggesting that Redoubt aerosols have not yet reached lower northern latitudes.

Figure with caption Figure 73. Lidar data from various locations, showing altitudes of aerosol layers during October-December 1989. Backscattering ratios are all for the ruby wavelength of 0.69 µm. Only bases of layers at Mauna Loa are shown. Integrated values show total backscatter, expressed in steradians-1, integrated over 300-m intervals from 16-33 km at Mauna Loa and from the tropopause to 30 km at Hampton.

Richard Keen saw horizontal striations in the SE sky from Golden, Colorado early 24 December from shortly before until about an hour after sunrise. From the timing of its initial illumination, several minutes before nearby cirrus clouds were illuminated, the new material appeared to be in the upper troposphere or lower stratosphere. Aerosols were not evident on other days through 9 January. The striations appeared similar to those seen several weeks after the 1980 eruption of St. Helens (after the initial dense ash cloud had moved away) but lacked the vivid coloration of the aerosol layers from El Chichón's 1982 eruption.

Information Contacts: Horst Jäger, Fraunhofer-Institut für Atmosphärische Umweltforschung, Kreuzeckbahnstrasse 19, D-8100 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, West Germany; Thomas DeFoor, Mauna Loa Observatory, P.O. Box 275, Hilo, HI 96720 USA; Richard Keen, 34296 Gap Road, Golden, CO 80403 USA.