CIFEX Experiment #1

Flight # 1

April 1, 2004

Flight Scientist: Greg Roberts

Vertical profile over the ocean:

We began the vertical profile over the ocean in a dissipating cloud system. The boundary layer reached 600 m as shown by the strong gradient in CN. The cloud base was at 500 meters. Multiple aerosol layers define this profile with two potential dust layers at 1800 m and 3300 m as indicated by increasing concentrations of CN (> 10 nm diameter) and PCASP (> 100 nm diameter). Three sharp layers around 2500 m likely originate from anthropogenic sources.The pictures below show the dust layers – multiple layers can be seen in the picture on the right.

Vertical profile over Trinidad Head:

The vertical profiles over Trinidad Head indicate a well-mixed boundary layer up to 1800 m. Multiple aerosol layers also defined this profile. The dust layers seen over the ocean were also seen over Trinidad Head at roughly the same altitude. The lower dust layer, however, is mixed into the boundary layer.