SOLAR MESOSPHERE EXPLORER SATELLITE MEASUREMENTS OF EL CHICHON STRATOSPHERIC AEROSOLS .1. CLOUD MORPHOLOGY

Data from the Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) is used to track the tim e, latitude, and altitude (above 18 km) development of the aerosol clo ud injected into the stratosphere by the eruption of el Chichon. This unique data set, using scattering data from the near-infrared (1.27 an d 1.87 mu m) and visible (440 nm) spectrometers on SME, covers the per iod from the initial injection in April 1982 through the end of 1986. Although the bulk of the mass is contained in the latitude band from 1 0 degrees S to 30 degrees N for the entire duration of the measurement s, transport of material to high latitudes is apparent in the data in the post eruption period. The times of aerosol density maxima vary gre atly as a function of altitude and latitude.