This study investigates the role of aerosol microphysics in stratospheric sulfate aerosol changes after the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption using an atmospheric general circulation model that is coupled interactively with a chemistry module and a modal aerosol microphysical module with three modes. Our model can reproduce the global mean stratospheric aerosol optical depth (SAOD) observed by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II during June 1991 to January 1993. The model underestimates the observed SAOD before the eruption and after January 1993. The model also underestimates the integrated backscatter coefficient observed by ground-based lidar at Tsukuba, Naha, and Lauder. The modeled effective radius becomes larger (about 0.5 μm) and agrees with the balloon-borne measurements at Laramie, Wyoming (41°N, 105°W). We further investigate effects of the inclusion of evaporation along with the condensation processes and the inclusion of van der Waals and viscous forces in the coagulation processes. The inclusion of evaporation along with the condensation processes reduces the global mean effective radius by up to 0.04 μm and increases the global burden of stratospheric sulfate aerosols (about 15% in late 1993). The inclusion of van der Waals and viscous forces in the coagulation processes increases the global mean effective radius by up to 0.06–0.07 μm and decreases the global burden (15–30% in late 1993). The effects of van der Waals and viscous forces differ between two schemes. However, we do not conclude which simulation is superior because all simulations fall within error bars.
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