Abstract
Aerosol particles play a critical role in the tropical tropopause layer
(TTL) through cloud formation and heterogeneous chemistry, influencing
the radiative and chemical balance of the stratosphere. However, aerosol
measurements in the TTL are sparse, resulting in poor knowledge of
aerosol abundance and distribution in this important region. Here, we
present in situ aircraft measurements over the western tropical Pacific,
revealing a persistent and altitude-dependent enhancement of aerosol
mass in the TTL compared to the convectively influenced troposphere
below. Notably, our data demonstrate a striking positive correlation
between aerosol mass and ozone. Model simulations suggest that organic
materials constitute a substantial fraction of the total aerosol mass
within the TTL. We further derived an empirical parameterization of TTL
aerosol mass as a function of ozone. Given the relative ease of ozone
measurements and modeling, the parameterization provides a promising
framework for estimating TTL aerosol abundance and its effects on
climate.