Atmospheric impact of the volcanic eruptions of El Chichon over Mexico

Abstract

In the present study we report the tropospheric effects observed on the Mexican territory of El Chichón volcano eruptions. We have used in the study, the air surface temperature records of five observatories as well as solar radiation and atmospheric turbidity measurements made in Mexico City. The results show that from Ma) une 1982 to March-April 1983, a temperatura cooling trend was observed in all the Observatorie~, tollowed by an abrupt ,,·arming in the summer of 1983 concomitant to an important extinction of direct solar radiation and the corresponding elevation of atmospheric turbidity. The observed regional cooling is in agreement with the. results of radiative transfer models on atmospheric effects of volcanic eruptions. The joint analysis of our results together with those reported from NASA aircraft observations and those of stratospheric balloons performed at the same time period, points out to the conclusion that this regional tropospheric warming associated to an important solar radiation extinction. May be due to the massive descent into the troposphere of the stratospheric volcanic aerosols.