资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

With oceans covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, sea spray aerosols (SSA) play an important role in the global radiative budget by acting as cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleating particles. By acting as ice nucleating particles (INPs), SSA can affect the structure and properties of mixed‐phase clouds by inducing freezing at warmer temperatures than the homogeneous freezing temperature. Climate models that incorporate marine INPs use the emission of submicron SSA in INP parameterizations, due to the fact these particles contain a higher fraction of organic mass. Here we show supermicron SSA, produced using a natural breaking wave analogue, are the major source of INPs throughout the lifecycle of a phytoplankton bloom. Additionally, supermicron SSA are shown to be more efficient INPs than submicron SSA, because they carry a greater number of ice active components. Thus, supermicron SSA need to be incorporated in INP parameterizations for future climate models.