Modeling of extinction and backscatter profiles in the marine mixed layer.

A steady state model is presented which describes the vertical structure of aerosol particle size distributions in the marine mixed layer. A balance is assumed between the fluxes at the top of the mixed layer and at the airsea interface. Effects of surface stability and entrainment are taken into account. The concentration gradients are further determined by the interaction of the aerosol size distribution and the humidity field. Results of numerical calculations are compared to profiles of 1.06-microm backscatter coefficients which were measured with lidar over the North Atlantic. The correct trends are predicted in 65% of the cases.