Observations of the impact of cloud processing on aerosol light‐scattering efficiency

ABSTRACT Airborne data are presented on the impact of cloud processing on the aerosol mass light‐scattering efficiency. The measurements, on marine stratocumulus, suggest that cloud processing significantly enhanced the mass light‐scattering efficiency in three of the five cases analysed. Enhancements were of the order of 10% for air detraining from the cloud deck relative to non‐detraining air. A diagnostic modelling analysis suggested that the observed enhancements were consistent with the previously proposed explanation of in‐cloud sulfate production in the particle size range for efficient light scattering.