Analysis of In-Situ of Ozone Measurements in Saharan Mineral Dust during AEROSE Cruises

The trans-Atlantic Aerosol and Oceanographic Science Expeditions (AEROSE) are a series of experiments that began in 2004 and take place in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. AEROSE collects a unique set of critical measurements to characterize the microphysical and chemical evolution of the Saharan dust aerosols during long-range transport. Continuous in-situ surface level measurements over the tropical Atlantic allows for accurate determination of lower tropospheric ozone concentrations, and its effects on the regional environment and climate that may be used to validate satellite observations. Ozone is instrumental in regulating the atmosphere's oxidizing capacity and can influence background levels of trace chemical species which affect the composition of the atmosphere and create climatic variations. Several studies have shown that ozone concentrations diminish with increased loading of dust particles from the Sahara. Current theories indicate that decomposition of ozone may be due to NOx titrations, decreased radiation, photocatalysis, interactions with organics, or heterogeneous reactions. In effort to understand the response of marine boundary layer ozone with coarse aerosols, analyses of ozone concentrations and aerosol correlations found in dusty Saharan air masses from various cruises will be presented.