The impact of ammonia on particle formation in the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer
Every summer, the South Asian monsoon in Southeast Asia lifts ground-level pollution, including ammonia, into the upper atmosphere. This affects air quality and cloud formation. Ammonia, mainly from agriculture, is carried by the monsoon into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS), forming the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL). This study uses advanced Earth system modeling to understand how ammonia influences particle formation in the ATAL, which spans from the East Mediterranean to West China.