春季热带南大西洋海表温度异常与夏季亚澳季风区降水异常的联系

利用1979—2019年Hadley中心的海表温度资料、GPCP的降水资料以及NCEP-DOE的再分析资料等,分析了北半球春季热带南大西洋海表温度异常与北半球夏季亚澳季风区降水异常的联系。研究表明,北半球春季热带南大西洋海表温度异常与随后夏季热带西太平洋到南海（澳大利亚东侧海域到热带东印度洋）地区的降水异常为显著负相关（正相关）关系。北半球春季热带南大西洋的海表温度正异常可以引起热带大西洋和热带太平洋间的异常垂直环流,其中异常上升支（下沉支）位于热带大西洋（热带中太平洋）。热带中太平洋的异常下沉气流和低层辐散气流引起热带中西太平洋低层的异常东风,后者有利于热带中东太平洋海表温度出现负异常。通过Bjerknes正反馈机制,热带中东太平洋海表温度异常从北半球春季到夏季得到发展。热带中东太平洋海表温度负异常激发的Rossby波使得北半球夏季热带西太平洋低层出现一对异常反气旋。此时,850 hPa上热带西太平洋到海洋性大陆地区为显著的异常东风,有利于热带西太平洋到南海（澳大利亚东侧海域到热带东印度洋）地区出现异常的水汽辐散（辐合）,导致该地区降水减少（增加）。     

热带北大西洋海温异常对南海夏季风的影响及其机理

利用HadiSST资料、CMAP降水资料和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,分析了热带北大西洋(Northern Tropical Atlantic,NTA)海表温度异常(Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly,SSTA)与南海夏季风(South China Sea Summer Monsoon,SCSSM)的联系及可能机制。观测分析表明,夏季NTA海温异常与SCSSM存在显著的负相关关系;NTA海温正异常时,北半球副热带东太平洋至大西洋区域存在气旋式环流异常,有利于热带大西洋(热带中太平洋)地区产生异常上升(下沉)运动,使得西北太平洋地区出现反气旋环流异常,该反气旋环流异常西侧的南风异常使得SCSSM增强。利用春季NTA指数、东南印度洋海温异常指数、北太平洋海温异常指数、南太平洋经向模(South Pacific Ocean Meridional Dipole,SPOMD)及Niňo3.4指数构建了SCSSM季节预测模型,预测模型后报与观测的SCSSM指数的相关系数为0.81,表明该模型可较好预测SCSSM。     

华南秋季干旱的年代际转折及其与热带印度洋热含量的关系

采用1961—2014年逐月全球标准化降水蒸散指数(Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index,SPEI)数据集、ORA-S4海温资料及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,对华南地区秋季干旱的年代际转折及其与热带印度洋热含量的关系进行了研究。结果表明:华南秋季SPEI主要表现为全区一致变化型,且具有明显的年代际变化特征,在1988年发生了年代际转折,转折后(前)为偏旱(涝)期。进一步分析表明,华南秋季SPEI与同期热带西印度洋海洋热含量变化呈显著的正相关关系,即当秋季热带西印度洋热含量偏低时,华南地区SPEI偏小,易发生干旱。热带西印度洋热含量异常影响华南秋季干旱的可能机制为:秋季热带印度洋热含量变化表现为""型的东西向偶极子分布,即当热带西印度洋热含量偏低时,热带东印度洋热含量将会偏高;而热带东印度洋热含量偏高将会使热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度偏高、外逸长波辐射偏小、降水增多,凝结潜热释放增强,产生偏强的东亚Hadley环流,使华南地区存在异常下沉运动,不利于产生降水;热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度偏高,还会使西北太平洋副热带高压位置偏西、面积偏大,西北太平洋存在气旋性环流异常,使华南地区受偏北气流异常控制,从而削弱了向华南地区的水汽输送。热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度年代际变化是热带西印度洋热含量异常影响华南秋旱年代际变化的重要环节,因此用NCAR CAM5.1全球大气环流模式进行了热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度年代际变化的敏感性试验,证实该区海表温度年代际升高对华南秋季年代际干旱具有重要作用。     

热带气旋生成指数对印度洋热带气旋频数变化的适用性研究

本文利用ERA5 1979-2019年逐月大气再分析资料计算南北印度洋热带气旋生成指数，并和IBTrACS观测数据进行比较，探讨用热带气旋生成指数研究南北印度洋热带气旋变化特征的适用性.研究发现热带气旋生成指数能较好地刻画南北印度洋热带气旋的空间分布特征、北印度洋热带气旋个数月变化的双峰结构，以及南印度洋比北印度洋热带气旋发生概率高等特征.最新的IBTrACS v4.0观测资料显示，40年来北印度洋热带气旋每年总生成个数平均每10年增加1.3个，频数的增加主要来源于热带低压和热带风暴，而南印度洋热带气旋每年总生成个数每10年减少2.8个.热带气旋生成指数能很好地描述北印度洋热带气旋生成个数的上升趋势，但对南印度洋热带气旋生成个数趋势的刻画与观测不一致，可能原因需要进一步深入研究.     

影响南海夏季风爆发年际变化的关键海区及机制初探

利用1958—2011年NCEP/ NCAR再分析资料和ERSST资料,采用Lanczos时间滤波器、相关分析、回归分析、合成分析和交叉检验等方法,研究了影响南海夏季风爆发年际变化的关键海区海温异常的来源与可能机制。结果表明,前冬(12—2月)热带西南印度洋和热带西北太平洋是影响南海夏季风爆发年际变化的关键海区。冬季热带西南印度洋(热带西北太平洋)的异常增暖是由前一年夏季El Ni?o早爆发(强印度季风异常驱动的行星尺度东-西向环流)触发、热带印度洋(西北太平洋)局地海气正反馈过程引起并维持到春季。冬季热带西北太平洋反气旋性环流(气旋性环流)及印度洋(热带西北太平洋)的暖海区局地海气相互作用使得印度洋(热带西北太平洋)海温异常维持到春末。春季,逐渐加强北移到10 °N附近的低层大气对北印度洋(热带西北太平洋)暖海温异常响应的东风急流(异常西风)及南海-热带西北太平洋维持的反气旋性环流(气旋性环流)异常,使得南海夏季风晚(早)爆发。      

海洋模式对1995年5月南海AXBT海温资料的同化分析

利用美国普林斯顿大学海洋模式 (POM )对 1995年 5月南海AXBT海洋观测资料和MISST卫星观测的海面温度进行模式四维同化分析研究。POM模式同化处理使用最优插值分析与逼近方法 ,从模式积分到第 4年开始 ,使用COADS气候平均风应力场、净热通量场强迫海洋 ,从第 5年 5月开始加入 1995年 5月的MISST和AXBT资料同化积分 30d ,然后对同化结果进行分析。结果表明 ,资料同化可以改进模式对温度场的预报 ,也可改进模式对海流的模拟。分析结果还显示 ,1995年 5月南海浅层有暖涡和冷涡形成     

1—3月北极涛动对北半球热带太平洋和大西洋对流活动的可能影响

利用1979—2008年日分辨率的向外长波辐射资料以及NCEP再分析资料,去除ENSO影响后,分析了1—3月北极涛动对热带太平洋和热带大西洋对流活动及降水的可能影响。结果表明北极涛动偏强(弱)时,热带太平洋和大西洋对流活动显著偏强(弱)。北半球热带大洋冬季平均向外长波辐射与北极涛动指数的相关系数存在两个显著负相关区:一个位于中太平洋区,大致包括13°—20°N、160°E—170°W;另外一个位于热带大西洋,显著区覆盖的范围大体包括5°—20°N、15°—70°W。这些区域的降水量也表现出显著的正相关。向外长波辐射、强对流面积指数、强对流强度指数、平均降水量等指标与北极涛动指数的相关均以冬季同期最高,随时间滞后相关迅速减弱。与此对应的对流层低层大气环流也有显著变化,850hPa风场的变化表现为热带太平洋有异常的气旋性环流,气旋中心区与显著强对流和降水异常区一致。而热带大西洋有显著的经向环流辐合和风切变,与异常对流和降水区吻合。海洋模式的模拟结果表明,与北极涛动有关联的海温分布,很大程度上与大气强迫有关,说明热带1—3月降水和对流活动与海温的关联较弱。北极涛动与热带太平洋、大西洋对流和降水活动之间主要是通过大气环流的变动产生联系的。     

A DIAGNOSIS OF THE INTERANNUAL VARIABILITY OF SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SURFACE WIND FIELD IN THE TROPICAL OCEANS AND ITS CORRELATIVE CHARACTERS WITH ENSO CYCLE*

Utilizing the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis monthly datasets,and based on the filter and standard deviation calculation,the interannual variability of sea surface temperature (SST) and 1000 hPa wind field for the tropical Pacific,Indian and Atlantic Oceans is investigated for the past 20 years (1979-1998).The characters of space-time evolution in SST anomalies (SSTA) for each ocean and corresponding wind anomaly field are acquired by using rotated principal component (RPC) and linear regression analysis methods.Using the method of correlation analysis.the characters of three tropical oceans correlated with ENSO are investigated.The contemporary correlation between the SSTA in the Indian Ocean and in the equatorial eastern Pacific is positive,and there is a weak negative correlation between the SSTA in the equatorial east Atlantic Ocean and in the equatorial eastern Pacific.The lead-lag correlation analysis indicates that the SSTA in the equatorial Indian Ocean lags the dominant Pacific ENSO mode by 3 months,and the SSTA in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean leads ENSO mode by 6 months.The ENSO-correlated components in tropical Indian Ocean and tropical Atlantic Ocean display much the same amount of total variance in each ocean,i.e..14% in the Indian Ocean and 12% in the Atlantic Ocean and the maximums are all above 40%.     

Response of the Asian summer monsoon to weakening of Atlantic thermohaline circulation

Various paleoclimate records have shown that the Asian monsoon was punctuated by numerous suborbital time-scale events, and these events were coeval with those that happened in the North Atlantic. This study investigates the Asian summer monsoon responses to the Atlantic Ocean forcing by applying an additional freshwater flux into the North Atlantic. The simulated results indicate that the cold North Atlantic and warm South Atlantic induced by the weakened Atlantic thermohaline circulation （THC） due to the freshwater flux lead to significantly suppressed Asian summer monsoon. The authors analyzed the detailed processes of the Atlantic Ocean forcing on the Asian summer monsoon, and found that the atmospheric teleconnection in the eastern and central North Pacific and the atmosphere-ocean interaction in the tropical North Pacific play the most crucial role. Enhanced precipitation in the subtropical North Pacific extends the effects of Atlantic Ocean forcing from the eastern Pacific into the western Pacific, and the atmosphere-ocean interaction in the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean intensifies the circulation and precipitation anomalies in the Pacific and East Asia.     

Intraseasonal variability of sea level and circulation in the Gulf of Thailand: the role of the Madden–Julian Oscillation

Intraseasonal variability of the tropical Indo-Pacific ocean is strongly related to the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). Shallow seas in this region, such as the Gulf of Thailand, act as amplifiers of the direct ocean response to surface wind forcing by efficient setup of sea level. Intraseasonal ocean variability in the Gulf of Thailand region is examined using statistical analysis of local tide gauge observations and surface winds. The tide gauges detect variability on intraseasonal time scales that is related to the MJO through its effect on local wind. The relationship between the MJO and the surface wind is strongly seasonal, being most vigorous during the monsoon, and direction-dependent. The observations are then supplemented with simulations of sea level and circulation from a fully nonlinear barotropic numerical ocean model (Princeton Ocean Model). The numerical model reproduces well the intraseasonal sea level variability in the Gulf of Thailand and its seasonal modulations. The model is then used to map the wind-driven response of sea level and circulation in the entire Gulf of Thailand. Finally, the predictability of the setup and setdown signal is discussed by relating it to the, potentially predictable, MJO index.     

热带印度洋-西太平洋水汽输送异常对中国东部夏季降水的影响

利用1979~2015年NCEP/NCAR发布的月平均全球再分析资料,分析了热带印度洋-西太平洋水汽输送异常对中国东部夏季降水的影响及其形成机理。研究结果表明:热带印度洋-西太平洋地区（10°S~30°N,60°~140°E）夏季异常水汽输送主要包括两个模态,他们可以解释总的水汽输送异常34%的方差。其中,第一模态（EOF1）表现为异常水汽沿反气旋从热带西太平洋经过南海及孟加拉湾输送到中国东部上空,对应南海、孟加拉湾水汽路径输送均偏多,此时西太平洋副热带高压显著偏强,异常水汽在长江中下游地区辐合并伴随显著上升运动,有利于长江中下游降水偏多;第二模态（EOF2）表现为异常水汽从热带印度洋沿阿拉伯海、印度半岛、中南半岛等呈反气旋式输送,华南上空相应出现气旋式水汽输送异常,并对应异常水汽辐合和上升运动,有利于华南降水偏多。就可能的外部成因而言,EOF1与ENSO关系密切,表现为前冬热带中东太平洋显著偏暖,夏季同期热带北印度洋、南海上空显著偏暖,造成西太平洋副热带高压显著偏强,异常水汽主要来源于热带西太平洋和南海;EOF2与同期热带印度洋偶极子（TIOD）异常有关,TIOD为正位相时热带印度洋上空出现异常东风,华南上空出现异常气旋并伴随水汽异常辐合,异常水汽主要来源于热带南印度洋。     

The relative importance of ENSO and tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies for seasonal precipitation over South America: a numerical study

The role of tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies during ENSO episodes over northeast Brazil (Nordeste) is investigated using the CPTEC/COLA Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM). Four sets of integrations are performed using SST in El Niño and La Niña (ENSO) episodes, changing the SST of the Atlantic Ocean. A positive dipole (SST higher than normal in the tropical North Atlantic and below normal in the tropical South Atlantic) and a negative dipole (opposite conditions), are set as the boundary conditions of SST in the Atlantic Ocean. The four experiments are performed using El Niño or La Niña SST in all oceans, except in the tropical Atlantic where the two phases of the SST dipole are applied. Five initial conditions were integrated in each case in order to obtain four ensemble results. The positive SST dipole over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and El Niño conditions over the Pacific Ocean resulted in dry conditions over the Nordeste. When the negative dipole and El Niño conditions over the Pacific Ocean were applied, the results showed precipitation above normal over the north of Nordeste. When La Niña conditions over Pacific Ocean were tested together with a negative dipole, positive precipitation anomalies occurred over the whole Nordeste. Using the positive dipole over the tropical Atlantic, the precipitation over Nordeste was below average. During La Niña episodes, the Atlantic Ocean conditions have a larger effect on the precipitation of Nordeste than the Pacific Ocean. In El Niño conditions, only the north region of Nordeste is affected by the Atlantic SST. Other tropical areas of South America show a change only in the intensity of anomalies. Central and southeast regions of South America are affected by the Atlantic conditions only during La Niña conditions, whereas during El Niño these regions are influenced only by conditions in the Pacific Ocean.     

海底地形对南海海流、海面高度和海温影响的数值试验

利用美国普林斯顿入学海洋模式（ＰＯＭ）的南海版本（ＳＣＳ－ＰＯＭ）,研究了南海海底地形对南海海流、海面高度和海温的影响。共做了４个数值试验,分别包含陡峭（ＳＴＰ）、光滑（ＳＭＴ）、平坦（ＰＬＴ）和中间（ＭＤＴ）４种地形。在真实的海岸线和１月气候个均风应力的共同强迫下,将模式积分３６０天,对所得结果进行了比较分析。结果表明,海底地形对海水质量输送和海温分布有重要的影响,对表层和次表层流以及海面自由高度的影响较小,它们的分布主要由海岸线和风应力次定。并对海气耦合模式中海洋模式的选择提出了看法。     

热带印度洋春季海表温度异常与南海夏季风强度变化的关系

利用50年的Reynolds月平均海表温度资料和NCEP/NCAR全球大气再分析资料,分析了热带印度洋春季海温异常对南海夏季风强度变化的影响。结果表明:1)热带印度洋春季海表温度距平(SSTA)的模态主要是全区一致型(USBM)和热带南印度洋偶极型(SIODM),USBM模态既有年际时间尺度的变化特征,又有年际以上时间尺度的变化特征,既包含有对冬季ENSO信号响应的变化特征,又有独立于ENSO的变化特征;SIODM模态主要表现为独立于ENSO的年际时间尺度变化。2)USBM模态与南海夏季风强度变化呈显著负相关关系,且二者都是对冬季ENSO信号的响应,USBM模态的年际变化不能独立于ENSO信号影响南海夏季风的强度变化。3)经(1~8年)带通滤波及去除ENSO信号的热带印度洋春季SSTA的SIODM型分布是影响南海夏季风强度变化的主要模态,表现为热带东南印度洋为负(正)、其他海区为正(负)时,南海夏季风强度增强(减弱),大气环流对热带东南印度洋SSTA热力作用的响应是造成这一关系的直接原因,SIODM型的SSTA分布与南海夏季风年际异常关系在热带印度洋长期变化趋势的暖位相期显著,在长期变化趋势的冷位相期不显著。     

南海夏季风爆发与热带海洋海温和大气环流异常变化关系的研究

用合成和相关分析方法及SVD技术研究了南海夏季风爆发早、晚年份4～6月季风建立时期季风环流的异常及其与热带太平洋-印度洋海温的关系。结果表明,南海夏季风爆发与热带大气环流和海温变异密切相关。（1）当热带中、东太平洋—印度洋（主要在西南部）及南海海温低（高）,西太平洋—澳洲邻近海域海温高（低）时,南海夏季风爆发早（晚）。不同区域海温对季风的影响有明显的季节差异,印度洋主要为晚春至初夏（4～6月）,南海为5～6月,而热带太平洋从前冬一直持续到夏季。（2）不同的海温异常产生不同的季风环流型,南海夏季风爆发早、晚年大气环流的异常变化基本相反。南海夏季风的活动主要受印度季风环流变化的影响,与前期冬春季西太副高的强弱及位置变化密切相关。西太副高弱时,南海夏季风爆发早;反之,爆发晚。（3）热带太平洋—印度洋海温异常引起季风环流和Walker环流的异常变化可能是影响南海夏季风爆发早、晚的物理过程。     

热带印度洋夏季水汽输送特征及对南亚季风区降水的影响

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析环流资料、CMAP降水量和NOAA海温资料研究了热带印度洋夏季水汽输送的时空变化特征,并考察其对南亚季风区夏季降水的影响.热带印度洋夏季异常水汽输送第一模态表现为异常水汽从南海向西到达孟加拉湾后分成两支,其中一支继续往西到达印度次大陆和阿拉伯海,对应印度半岛南端和中南半岛的西风水汽输送减弱,导致这些区域降水减少;第二模态表现为异常水汽从赤道东印度洋沿赤道西印度洋、阿拉伯海、印度半岛、中南半岛的反气旋输送,印度和孟加拉湾南部为反气旋异常水汽输送,水汽辐散、降水减少,而印度东北部为气旋性水汽输送,水汽辐合、降水增多.就水汽输送与局地海温的关系而言,水汽输送第一模态与热带印度洋海温整体增暖关系密切,而第二模态与同期印度洋偶极子关系密切.     

Marine-Atmospheric Boundary Layer Characteristics over the South China Sea During the Passage of Strong Typhoon Hagupit

The structures and characteristics of the marine-atmospheric boundary layer over the South China Sea during the passage of strong Typhoon Hagupit are analyzed in detail in this paper. The typhoon was generated in the western Pacific Ocean, and it passed across the South China Sea, finally landfalling in the west of Guangdong Province. The shortest distance between the typhoon center and the observation station on Zhizi Island(10 m in height) is 8.5 km. The observation data capture the whole of processes that occurred in the regions of the typhoon eye, two squall regions of the eye wall, and weak wind regions,before and after the typhoon's passage. The results show that:(a) during the strong wind(average velocityˉu 10 m s-1) period, in the atmospheric boundary layer below 110 m, ˉu is almost independent of height,and vertical velocity ˉw is greater than 0, increasing with ˉu and reaching 2–4 m s-1in the squall regions;(b) the turbulent fluctuations(frequency 1/60 Hz) and gusty disturbances(frequency between 1/600 and1/60 Hz) are both strong and anisotropic, but the anisotropy of the turbulent fluctuations is less strong;(c) ˉu can be used as the basic parameter to parameterize all the characteristics of fluctuations; and(d) the vertical flux of horizontal momentum contributed by the average flow(ˉu ·ˉw) is one order of magnitude larger than those contributed by fluctuation fluxes(u w and v w), implying that strong wind may have seriously disturbed the sea surface through drag force and downward transport of eddy momentum and generated large breaking waves, leading to formation of a strongly coupled marine-atmospheric boundary layer. This results in ˉw 0 in the atmosphere, and some portion of the momentum in the sea may be fed back again to the atmosphere due to ˉu ·ˉw 0.     

Unstable Dynamical Properties of Spiral Cloud Bands in Tropical Cyclones

A nondivergent barotropic model （Model 1） and a barotropic primitive equation vortex model （Model 2） are linearized respectively in this paper. Then their perturbation wave spectrums are computed with a normal mode approach to study the instability problem on an appointed tropical cyclone （TC）-like vortex, thereby, the dynamic instability properties of spiral cloud bands of TCs are discussed. The results show that the unstable mode of both models exhibits a spiral band-like structure that propagates away from the vortex outside the radius of maximum winds. The discrete modal instability of the pure vortex Rossby wave can account for the generation of the eyewall and the inner spiral band. The unstable mode in Model 2 has three parts, i.e., eyewall, inner and outer spiral bands. This mode can be interpreted as a mixed vortex Rossby-inertia gravitational wave. The unbalanced property of the wave outside the stagnation radius of the vortex Rossby wave is one of the important reasons for the formation of the outer spiral band in TCs. Accordingly, the outer spiral band can be identified to possess properties of an inertial-gravitational wave. When the formation of unstable inner and outer spiral bands is studied, a barotropic vortex model shall be used. In this model, the most unstable perturbation bears the attributes of either the vortex Rossby wave or the inertial-gravitational wave, depending on the vortex radius. So such perturbations shall be viewed as an unbalanced and unstable mixed wave of these two kinds of waves.     

热带海表温度和低层风场的年际变率及与ENSO循环的相关特征研究

采用 NCEP/NCAR的 1 979～ 1 998年逐月平均的海表温度及 1 0 0 0 h Pa风场资料 ,进行滤波和均方差计算 ,得到了热带太平洋、印度洋、大西洋海表温度 (SST)和风场的年际变化特征。用旋转主分量 (RPC)方法和投影法对热带三大洋海表温度距平 (SSTA)进行分析 ,得到了各大洋 SSTA演变的主要时空特征和相应的距平风场特征 ;并用相关分析研究热带三大洋与ENSO相关的特征 ,得到三大洋间的同期相关关系为 :印度洋 SSTA与赤道东太平洋 SSTA成正相关 ,而赤道东大西洋 SSTA与赤道东太平洋 SSTA成弱的负相关 ;赤道印度洋在落后于赤道东太平洋 3个月左右时正相关达到最大 ,赤道大西洋在超前于赤道东太平洋 6个月左右时负相关达到最大 ;热带印度洋和大西洋与 ENSO相关的分量对各自大洋海表温度年际变化的方差贡献数值相近 ,最大在 40 %以上 ,平均解释方差分别为 1 4%和 1 2 %。     

Sources and Transport of Urban and Biomass Burning Aerosol Black Carbon at the South–West Atlantic Coast

The total extent of the atmospheric impacts associated to the aerosol black carbon (BC) emissions from South America is not completed described. This work presents results of BC monitored during three scientific expeditions (2002, 2003 and 2004) on board of a Brazilian oceanographic vessel Ary Rongel that covered the South–West Atlantic coast between 22–62°S. This latitudinal band encloses major urban regions of South America and the outflow region of the SACZ (South Atlantic Convergent Zone), which is an important mechanism of advective transport of heat, moisture, minor gases and aerosols from the South America continental land to the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Our results showed that aerosol BC enhanced concentrations from urban/industrial origin can be transported to the South–West Atlantic Ocean due to the migration of sub-polar fronts that frequently reach tropical/subtropical regions. Despite the decrease of aerosol BC concentrations southwards (from ∼1,200 ng m⁻³ at latitude 22°S to ∼10 ng m⁻³ at latitude 62°S), several observed peak events were attributed to regional urban activities. Most of such events could be explained by the use of air mass back trajectories analysis. In addition, a global model simulation is presented (Goddard Institute for Space Studies – GISS GCM BC simulation) to explore the origins of aerosol BC in the South–West Atlantic. The model allowed isolating the biomass emissions from South America and Africa and industrial (non-biomass) pollution from other regions of the globe. This model suggests that the apportionment of about half of the aerosol BC at the South–West Atlantic may derive from South American biomass burning.