Mixing state and size-resolved chemical composition of Saharan aerosol in the Cape Verde region - results of airplane taken samples

The Saharan Mineral Dust Experiment (SAMUM) is dedicated to the understanding of the radiative effects of mineral dust. A field campaign was performed during the winter season in the region of Cape Verde Islands, where desert dust from the African continent, especially from the Sahel and Sahara regions mixes with aerosol from biomass burning (bush fires). Flights were conducted over the Atlantic ocean heading south, east and north, and above the Cape Verde islands to gain information about the spacial distribution and mixing state of this heterogeneous aerosol.