Aerosol particles were collected aboard two Brazilian Bandeirante EMB 110 planes, and the University of Washington Convair C‐131A aircraft during the Smoke, Clouds, and Radiation‐Brazil (SCAR‐B) field project in the Amazon Basin in August and September 1995. Aerosols were collected on Nuclepore and Teflon filters. Aerosol size distribution was measured with a MOUDI cascade impactor. Sampling was performed mostly over areas heavily influenced by biomass burning smoke. Particle‐induced X ray emission (PIXE) was used to measure concentrations of up to 20 elements (Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, and Pb). Black carbon (BC) and gravimetric mass analysis were also performed. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) determined the concentrations of about 15 elements on the Teflon filters. Electron probe X ray microanalysis (EPMA) was used to analyze individual aerosol particles. The average aerosol mass concentration was 105 μg m−3, with a maximum of 297 μg m−3. Black carbon (BC) averaged 5.49 μg m−3, or 1–7% of the aerosol mass load. Five aerosol components were revealed by absolute principal factor analysis: (1) a biomass burning component (responsible for 54% of the aerosol mass and associated with BC, K, Cl, Zn, I, S, Br, Rb, aerosol mass concentration, and other elements); (2) a soil dust aerosol component (15.6% of the aerosol mass); (3) a natural biogenic component (18.7% of the aerosol mass and associated with P, K, S, Ca, Sr, Mg, Mn, Cu and Zn); (4) a second soil dust (5.7% of the aerosol mass and enriched in Si, Ti, and Fe); and (5) a NaCl aerosol component (5.9% of the aerosol mass with Na, Cl, Br, and iodine). Electron microscopy analysis of individual aerosol particles confirmed these five aerosol types. Organic material dominated the aerosol mass and the number concentration of airborne particles. Aerosol size distributions show that the fine mode accounts for 78% of the aerosol mass, centered at 0.33 μm aerodynamic diameter. The coarse mode accounts for 22% of the mass, centered at about 3.2 μm. Black carbon size distributions show a consistent picture, with a mass median diameter centered at about 0.175‐0.33 μm aerodynamic diameter. This study suggests that for modeling the optical properties of aerosol in the Amazon Basin, it is essential to use a model that includes the optical and physical properties of at least two aerosol components other than the biomass burning aerosol, namely, natural biogenic aerosol and soil dust.