Total vertical aerosol optical depth over Barrow, Alaska, during March 1983 was up to four times greater than the average for recent years, with part of the excess being due to stratospheric debris from El Chichon. The variability in optical depth during a 10-day period spanning the aircraft flights of the Arctic Gas and Aerosol Sampling Program (AGASP) suggests a major tropospheric aerosol event on March 12 and 13, which accounts for the maximum observed optical depths. Occurrence of the tropospheric event is substantiated with independent aerosol data from aircraft, surface sampling, and synoptic scale meteorological data. Analysis of the Barrow optical depth data yields information on the climatic effects of both the stratospheric aerosol from El Chichon and the tropospheric aerosol commonly called Arctic haze.