Intersection of a sloping aerosol layer observed by airborne lidar with a cloud-capped marine boundary layer

Abstract

In situ measurements support the interpretation of the lidar observations as arising from a particle-laden layer with relatively clean air above, below, and to the SW. Intersection of these sloping layers with cloud top leads to substantial horizontal variability of boundary-layer structure in the intersection region. The intersection of the aerosol layer with cloud top also corresponded closely to a quasi-linear trough in the cloud top that showed enhanced brightness and an enhanced number of small particles. -from Authors