Interactive stratospheric aerosol models' response to different amounts and altitudes of SO₂ injection during the 1991 Pinatubo eruption

Abstract. A previous model intercomparison of the Tambora aerosol cloud has highlighted substantial differences among simulated volcanic properties in pre-industrial stratosphere and led to questions about applicability global models for large-magnitude explosive eruptions prior observational period. Here, we compare evolution stratospheric following well-observed June 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption with six interactive microphysics a range data sets. Our primary focus is on uncertainties regarding initial SO2 emission eruption, as prescribed Historical Eruptions Emission Assessment experiments (HErSEA), framework Interactive Stratospheric Aerosol Model Intercomparison Project (ISA-MIP). Six took part this study: ECHAM6-SALSA, EMAC, ECHAM5-HAM, SOCOL-AERv2, ULAQ-CCM, UM-UKCA. simulations are performed by varying injection amount (ranging between 5 10 Tg S) altitude (between 18–25 km). The comparisons show that all consistently demonstrate faster reduction from peak sulfate mass burden tropical stratosphere. Most also stronger transport towards extratropics Northern Hemisphere, at expense observed confinement, suggesting much weaker subtropical barrier models, which results shorter e-folding time compared observations. Furthermore, more than S form injected an overestimation tropics and, some Hemisphere large surface area density few months after values measured situ measurements over Laramie. This draws attention importance including processes such ash removal lofting through local heating.