Measurements of ice nuclei concentrations and compositions in the maritime tropics

Tropical maritime cumulus clouds represent an important component of the global water cycle, but the relative roles of primary and secondary ice production in these clouds are poorly understood. Heterogeneous ice nuclei (IN) are responsible for ice initiation in towering tropical cumulus clouds, so information regarding their abundance, distribution, source compositions and dependence on cloud temperature is crucial to understanding the ice production processes. Here we present recent measurements of ice nuclei (IN) concentrations measured from ground-based and airborne (NSF/NCAR C-130) platforms during the Ice in Clouds-Tropical experiment, which took place in July 2011 over the Caribbean Sea near St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. IN measurement techniques included airborne ambient and cloud particle residual measurements using a continuous flow diffusion chamber and off-line analysis of samples collected from the aircraft and two ground sites located on the island of Puerto Rico. Off-line measurements of IN concentrations included analysis by the Frankfurt Ice Nuclei Deposition FreezinG Experiment (FRIDGE) system and drop freezing via two methods of particles collected from filter samples. The measurement period included some periods with a strong Saharan dust influence that resulted in higher IN concentrations compared to clean maritime conditions. First analysis of IN physical, chemical and biological composition, and investigation of relationships between IN concentrations and total aerosol concentrations, composition and size are also presented.