Tropical Cyclones (TCs) channel planetary boundary layer air to the upper atmosphere through deep convective towers in their eyewall and rainbands, which change the distribution of heat, moisture, and chemicals in the vicinity of TCs. Aerosols affect TCs by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), and are also affected by them, by being rained and washed out. In this study, we use the output of a global high-resolution atmospheric simulation with interactive chemistry to understand how TC-aerosol interactions change the spatial distribution of different aerosols in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. We show that TCs form a large, contiguous clean plume of low hydrophilic aerosol in the TC outflow region (100-300 hPa). This relative deficit of hydrophilic aerosols, including sulfate aerosol relevant to solar radiation management proposals, is found to be a function of TCs' intensity. This apparent cleaning effect is unique to TCs among tropical convection. The clean plume can serve as a tracer of TC outflow, as it extends far beyond the visible cloud shield.
Tropical Cyclones Act as Scrubbers of Aerosols in the Upper Atmosphere
Host: Eylon Vakrat