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Coral reef exposure increases aerosol and cloud condensation nuclei over the Great Barrier Reef 1.63 MB
Preprint (Author's original)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Preprint (Author's original)CC BY V4.0, Open
Preprint
Coral reef exposure increases aerosol and cloud condensation nuclei over the Great Barrier Reef
Copernicus Publications
16/02/2026
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Abstract
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the largest reef ecosystem in the world and a home to diverse marine life. Lower troposphere aerosol concentrations and dynamics over the GBR are important for cloud and radiative processes, however their in-situ characterisation is lacking in the literature. In this study, we present analysis of multi-year in situ aerosol measurements over the GBR, showing for the first time direct observations of coral reefs contributing to aerosol loading over the reef. Our 15 results show that aerosol concentrations over the GBR are typical of a clean coastal environment, and the aerosol loading over the GBR is primarily influenced by long-range transport of aerosol particles. However, a non-negligible effect from local sources is also observed. The fraction of ultrafine particles in the aerosol population increases in air masses that pass over the coral reef ecosystem. Our statistical modelling shows that cloud condensation nuclei concentrations over the GBR are dominantly driven by availability of accumulation and Aitken mode aerosol particles with negligible effects from local 20 meteorology. While accumulation mode particle concentrations have the strongest impact on cloud condensation nuclei concentrations, counterfactual modelling shows that Aitken mode concentrations can contribute up to 6% of cloud condensation nuclei over the reef.
Details
- Title
- Coral reef exposure increases aerosol and cloud condensation nuclei over the Great Barrier Reef
- Creators
- Juha Sulo - Queensland University of TechnologyMagdalena Okuljar - Queensland University of TechnologyJoel Alroe - Queensland University of TechnologyZijun Li - Queensland University of TechnologyEva Johanna Horchler - Queensland University of TechnologyLuke T Cravigan - Queensland University of TechnologyBranka Miljevic - Queensland University of TechnologyLuke Harrison - Southern Cross UniversityDaniel Patrick Harrison - Southern Cross UniversityZoran D Ristovski - Queensland University of Technology
- Publisher
- Copernicus Publications
- Identifiers
- 991013358014102368
- Copyright
- ©Author(s) 2026. CC BY 4.0 License.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; National Marine Science Centre; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Preprint