Actinic flux measurements and photolysis frequencies enhancements near clouds during DC3 and TORERO

Spectrally resolved up and down-welling actinic flux was measured from aircraft during the Deep Convective Clouds & Chemistry Experiment (DC3) and Tropical Ocean Troposphere Exchange of reactive halogen species and oxygenated VOC (TORERO) field campaigns. The measurements were made on the NASA DC-8 and NSF/NCAR G-V aircraft with the Charged coupled device Actinic Flux Spectroradiometer (CAFS)and the HIAPER Airborne Radiation Package (HARP), respectively. Improvements in this instrumentation and the data analysis provide for fast, accurate measurements from the aircraft. Photolysis frequencies calculated from the actinic flux show significant enhancements above clouds. The upwelling signal is enhanced by the high reflectivity of the cloud below. The downwelling is also enhanced due to backscatter of reflected light from the cloud top. Under specific conditions, including high sun and highly reflective clouds, upwelling actinic radiation may exceed the downwelling even with clear skies above. These conditions may have occurred during TORERO and DC3 resulting in regions of highly active photochemistry.