Articles | Volume 14, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-8105-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-8105-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Aug 2014
Research article |
| 13 Aug 2014
Aerosol hygroscopicity parameter derived from the light scattering enhancement factor measurements in the North China Plain
J. Chen
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
now at: Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
C. S. Zhao
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
N. Ma
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
now at: Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
P. Yan
Meteorological Observation Centre, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100871, China
Related authors
No articles found.
Jingnan Shi, Zhisheng Zhang, Li Li, Li Liu, Yaqing Zhou, Shuang Han, Shaobin Zhang, Minghua Liang, Linhong Xie, Weikang Ran, Shaowen Zhu, Hanbing Xu, Jiangchuan Tao, Alfred Wiedensohler, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, and Juan Hong
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2643, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2643, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines aerosol hygroscopicity and mixing states at Mt. Hua (2060 m), a key free-tropospheric site in central China. We found size-dependent hygroscopicity, source-related variations, and humidity-driven processing, distinguishing this region from other high-altitude sites, which may provide key constraints for aerosol-cloud and regional climate models.
Chengyi Fan, Bishuo He, Shuqi Guo, Jie Qiu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5761–5771, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5761-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5761-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Marine aerosols play a critical role in weather and climate, and their real part of the refractive index (RRI) is a key factor in their radiative effects. We present a study of RRI measurements using optical tweezer technology and find that the calculated results of RRI using the traditional method disagree with the measurements. A parameterization of the RRI and relative humidity relationship is proposed, and it will improve the radiation calculation in numerical models.
Weichao Huang, Sihang Wang, Peng Cheng, Bingna Chen, Bin Yuan, Pengfei Yu, Haichao Wang, Nan Ma, Mei Li, and Keding Lu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1835, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1835, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
We studied vehicle emissions from 10 3000-metre tunnels in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Since low pressure causes fuel evaporation, emissions of volatile organic compounds rise with elevation, unlike in low-altitude areas where exhaust gas is predominant. This indicates the need for specific emission control measures. Electric vehicles can use renewable energy in Tibet to reduce emissions. The study aims to understand emissions at high altitudes and guide cleaner transport.
Zheng Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, Jie Tian, Yaqing Zhou, Ge Xu, Miao Gao, Xiaoxian Zhou, Yang Zhang, Weikang Ran, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yunfei Wu, Junji Cao, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1020, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1020, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our results demonstrate that the reduction in mass absorption efficiency from biomass burning is mainly driven by the decline in the imaginary part, with particle size playing a minor role. And light absorption of oxygenated BrC increases significantly with aging, but hydrocarbon-like BrC decrease over time. These results emphasize the necessity to classify BrC into different groups based on their mass absorption efficiency and atmospheric behavior in climate models.
Ye Kuang, Jiangchuan Tao, Hanbing Xu, Li Liu, Pengfei Liu, Wanyun Xu, Weiqi Xu, Yele Sun, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1163–1174, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1163-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1163-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a novel optical framework to measure supersaturation, a fundamental parameter in cloud physics, by observing the scattering properties of particles that have or have not grown into cloud droplets. The technique offers high-resolution measurements, capturing essential fluctuations in supersaturation necessary for understanding cloud physics.
Bishuo He and Chunsheng Zhao
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3441, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3441, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Factor-uncertainty analysis helps us understand their impacts on complex systems. Traditional methods have many limitations. This study introduces a new method to measure how each factor contributes to uncertainty. It gains insights into the role of each variable and works for all multi-factor systems. As an application, we analyzed how aerosols affect solar radiation and identified the key factors. These analyses can improve our understanding of the role of aerosols in climate change.
Jia Sun, Markus Hermann, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Wolfram Birmili, Yifan Yang, Thomas Tuch, Harald Flentje, Björn Briel, Ludwig Ries, Cedric Couret, Michael Elsasser, Ralf Sohmer, Klaus Wirtz, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Schütze, Olaf Bath, Bryan Hellack, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Nan Ma, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10667–10687, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the characteristics of new particle formation (NPF) for various environments from urban background to high Alpine and the impacts of NPF on cloud condensation nuclei and aerosol radiative forcing. NPF features differ between site categories, implying the crucial role of local environmental factors such as the degree of emissions and meteorological conditions. The results also underscore the importance of local environments when assessing the impact of NPF on climate in models.
Ming Chu, Xing Wei, Shangfei Hai, Yang Gao, Huiwang Gao, Yujiao Zhu, Biwu Chu, Nan Ma, Juan Hong, Yele Sun, and Xiaohong Yao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6769–6786, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6769-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6769-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We used a 20-bin WRF-Chem model to simulate NPF events in the NCP during a three-week observational period in the summer of 2019. The model was able to reproduce the observations during June 29–July 6, which was characterized by a high frequency of NPF occurrence.
Weilun Zhao, Ying Li, Gang Zhao, Song Guo, Nan Ma, Shuya Hu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14889–14902, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14889-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14889-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Studies have concentrated on particles containing black carbon (BC) smaller than 700 nm because of technical limitations. In this study, BC-containing particles larger than 700 nm (BC>700) were measured, highlighting their importance to total BC mass and absorption. The contribution of BC>700 to the BC direct radiative effect was estimated, highlighting the necessity to consider the whole size range of BC-containing particles in the model estimation of BC radiative effects.
Chupeng Zhang, Shangfei Hai, Yang Gao, Yuhang Wang, Shaoqing Zhang, Lifang Sheng, Bin Zhao, Shuxiao Wang, Jingkun Jiang, Xin Huang, Xiaojing Shen, Junying Sun, Aura Lupascu, Manish Shrivastava, Jerome D. Fast, Wenxuan Cheng, Xiuwen Guo, Ming Chu, Nan Ma, Juan Hong, Qiaoqiao Wang, Xiaohong Yao, and Huiwang Gao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10713–10730, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10713-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10713-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
New particle formation is an important source of atmospheric particles, exerting critical influences on global climate. Numerical models are vital tools to understanding atmospheric particle evolution, which, however, suffer from large biases in simulating particle numbers. Here we improve the model chemical processes governing particle sizes and compositions. The improved model reveals substantial contributions of newly formed particles to climate through effects on cloud condensation nuclei.
Xurong Wang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Maria Prass, Christopher Pöhlker, Daniel Moran-Zuloaga, Paulo Artaxo, Jianwei Gu, Ning Yang, Xiajie Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Nan Ma, Yafang Cheng, Hang Su, and Meinrat O. Andreae
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9993–10014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9993-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9993-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, with an optimized particle mass size distribution, we captured observed aerosol optical depth (AOD) and coarse aerosol concentrations over source and/or receptor regions well, demonstrating good performance in simulating export of African dust toward the Amazon Basin. In addition to factors controlling the transatlantic transport of African dust, the study investigated the impact of African dust over the Amazon Basin, including the nutrient inputs associated with dust deposition.
Najin Kim, Hang Su, Nan Ma, Ulrich Pöschl, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2771–2780, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2771-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2771-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We propose a multiple-charging correction algorithm for a broad-supersaturation scanning cloud condensation nuclei (BS2-CCN) system which can obtain high time-resolution aerosol hygroscopicity and CCN activity. The correction algorithm aims at deriving the activation fraction's true value for each particle size. The meaningful differences between corrected and original κ values (single hygroscopicity parameter) emphasize the correction algorithm's importance for ambient aerosol measurement.
Juan Hong, Min Tang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Nan Ma, Shaowen Zhu, Shaobin Zhang, Xihao Pan, Linhong Xie, Guo Li, Uwe Kuhn, Chao Yan, Jiangchuan Tao, Ye Kuang, Yao He, Wanyun Xu, Runlong Cai, Yaqing Zhou, Zhibin Wang, Guangsheng Zhou, Bin Yuan, Yafang Cheng, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5699–5713, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5699-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5699-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A comprehensive investigation of the characteristics of new particle formation (NPF) events was conducted at a rural site on the North China Plain (NCP), China, during the wintertime of 2018 by covering the particle number size distribution down to sub–3 nm. Potential mechanisms for NPF under the current environment were explored, followed by a further discussion on the factors governing the occurrence of NPF at this rural site compared with other regions (e.g., urban areas) in the NCP region.
Ting Lei, Hang Su, Nan Ma, Ulrich Pöschl, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4763–4774, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4763-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4763-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the hygroscopic behavior of levoglucosan and D-glucose nanoparticles using a nano-HTDMA. There is a weak size dependence of the hygroscopic growth factor of levoglucosan and D-glucose with diameters down to 20 nm, while a strong size dependence of the hygroscopic growth factor of D-glucose has been clearly observed in the size range 6 to 20 nm. The use of the DKA method leads to good agreement with the hygroscopic growth factor of glucose nanoparticles with diameters down to 6 nm.
Liang Yuan and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3195–3205, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3195-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3195-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Chemical compositions vary between and within particles due to the complex sources and aging processes, causing particle-to-particle heterogeneity in aerosol hygroscopicity, which is of great importance to aerosol climatic and environmental effects. This study proposes an algorithm to quantify the heterogeneity from in situ measurements, sheds light on the reanalysis of the existing H-TDMA datasets, and could have a large impact on how we use and think about these datasets.
Weilun Zhao, Gang Zhao, Ying Li, Song Guo, Nan Ma, Lizi Tang, Zirui Zhang, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6807–6817, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6807-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6807-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A new method to determine black carbon mass size distribution (BCMSD) was proposed using the size-resolved absorption coefficient measured by an aerodynamic aerosol classifier in tandem with an aethalometer. This new method fills the gap in the high-time-resolution measurement of BCMSD ranging from upper submicron particle sizes to larger than 1 µm. This method can be applied to field measurement of BCMSD extensively for better understanding BC aging and better estimating the BC climate effect.
Jiaxing Sun, Yele Sun, Conghui Xie, Weiqi Xu, Chun Chen, Zhe Wang, Lei Li, Xubing Du, Fugui Huang, Yan Li, Zhijie Li, Xiaole Pan, Nan Ma, Wanyun Xu, Pingqing Fu, and Zifa Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7619–7630, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7619-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7619-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We analyzed the chemical composition and mixing state of BC-containing particles at urban and rural sites in winter in the North China Plain and evaluated their impact on light absorption enhancement. BC was dominantly mixed with organic carbon, nitrate, and sulfate, and the mixing state evolved significantly as a function of relative humidity (RH) at both sites. The absorption enhancement depended strongly on coated secondary inorganic aerosol and was up to ~1.3–1.4 during aging processes.
Jingnan Shi, Juan Hong, Nan Ma, Qingwei Luo, Yao He, Hanbing Xu, Haobo Tan, Qiaoqiao Wang, Jiangchuan Tao, Yaqing Zhou, Shuang Han, Long Peng, Linhong Xie, Guangsheng Zhou, Wanyun Xu, Yele Sun, Yafang Cheng, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4599–4613, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4599-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4599-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we investigated the hygroscopicity of submicron aerosols at a rural site in the North China Plain during the winter of 2018, using a HTDMA and a CV-ToF-ACSM. We observed differences in aerosol hygroscopicity during two distinct episodes with different primary emissions and secondary aerosol formation processes. These results provide an improved understanding of the complex influence of sources and aerosol evolution processes on their hygroscopicity.
Shuang Han, Juan Hong, Qingwei Luo, Hanbing Xu, Haobo Tan, Qiaoqiao Wang, Jiangchuan Tao, Yaqing Zhou, Long Peng, Yao He, Jingnan Shi, Nan Ma, Yafang Cheng, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3985–4004, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3985-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3985-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present the hygroscopicity of 23 organic species with different physicochemical properties using a hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) and compare the results with previous studies. Based on the hygroscopicity parameter κ, the influence of different physicochemical properties that potentially drive hygroscopicity, such as the functionality, water solubility, molar volume, and O : C ratio of organics, are examined separately.
Xiajie Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Nan Ma, Weiwei Hu, Yang Gao, Zhijiong Huang, Junyu Zheng, Bin Yuan, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yafang Cheng, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3743–3762, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3743-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3743-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We use the GEOS-Chem model with additional anthropogenic and biomass burning chlorine emissions combined with updated parameterizations for N2O5 ＋ Cl chemistry to investigate the impacts of chlorine chemistry on air quality in China. Our study not only significantly improves the model's performance but also demonstrates the importance of non-sea-salt chlorine sources as well as an appropriate parameterization for N2O5 ＋ Cl chemistry to the impact of chlorine chemistry in China.
Yaqing Zhou, Nan Ma, Qiaoqiao Wang, Zhibin Wang, Chunrong Chen, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Long Peng, Yao He, Linhong Xie, Shaowen Zhu, Yuxuan Zhang, Guo Li, Wanyun Xu, Peng Cheng, Uwe Kuhn, Guangsheng Zhou, Pingqing Fu, Qiang Zhang, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2029–2047, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2029-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2029-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study characterizes size-resolved particle effective densities and their evolution associated with emissions and aging processes in a rural area of the North China Plain. Particle effective density exhibits a high-frequency bimodal distribution, and two density modes exhibit opposite trends with increasing particle size. SIA and BC mass fractions are key factors of particle effective density, and a value of 0.6 g cm−3 is appropriate to represent BC effective density in bulk particles.
Gang Zhao, Tianyi Tan, Yishu Zhu, Min Hu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 18055–18063, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-18055-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-18055-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, the black carbon (BC) mixing state index (χ) is developed to quantify the dispersion of ambient black carbon aerosol mixing states based on binary systems of BC and other non-black carbon components. We demonstrate that the BC light absorption enhancement increases with χ for the same MR, which indicates that χ can be employed as a factor to constrain the light absorption enhancement of ambient BC.
Najin Kim, Yafang Cheng, Nan Ma, Mira L. Pöhlker, Thomas Klimach, Thomas F. Mentel, Ovid O. Krüger, Ulrich Pöschl, and Hang Su
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6991–7005, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6991-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6991-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A broad supersaturation scanning CCN (BS2-CCN) system, in which particles are exposed to a range of supersaturation simultaneously, can measure a broad range of CCN activity distribution with a high time resolution. We describe how the BS2-CCN system can be effectively calibrated and which factors can affect the calibration curve. Intercomparison experiments between typical DMA-CCN and BS2-CCN measurements to evaluate the BS2-CCN system showed high correlation and good agreement.
Helmi Uusitalo, Jenni Kontkanen, Ilona Ylivinkka, Ekaterina Ezhova, Anastasiia Demakova, Mikhail Arshinov, Boris Denisovich Belan, Denis Davydov, Nan Ma, Tuukka Petäjä, Alfred Wiedensohler, Markku Kulmala, and Tuomo Nieminen
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-530, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2021-530, 2021
Publication in ACP not foreseen
Short summary
Short summary
Characteristics of formation of atmospheric aerosol at four boreal forest sites in Finland and Russian Siberia was analyzed. Our results provide information on the governing processes of atmospheric aerosol formation in the boreal forest area, which a substantial part of the continental biosphere. Aerosol formation was occurring less frequently at Siberian than in Finnish sites, which was affected by the lower particle growth rates and higher loss rates in Siberia.
Jie Qiu, Wangshu Tan, Gang Zhao, Yingli Yu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 4879–4891, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4879-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-4879-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Considering nephelometers' major problems of a nonideal Lambertian light source and angle truncation, a new correction method based on a machine learning model is proposed. Our method has the advantage of obtaining data with high accuracy while achieving self-correction, which means that researchers can get more accurate scattering coefficients without the need for additional observation data. This method provides a more precise estimation of the aerosol’s direct radiative forcing.
Gang Zhao, Yishu Zhu, Zhijun Wu, Taomou Zong, Jingchuan Chen, Tianyi Tan, Haichao Wang, Xin Fang, Keding Lu, Chunsheng Zhao, and Min Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9995–10004, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9995-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9995-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
New particle formation is thought to contribute half of the global cloud condensation nuclei. We find that the new particle formation is more likely to happen in the upper boundary layer than that at the ground, which can be partially explained by the aerosol–radiation interaction. Our study emphasizes the influence of aerosol–radiation interaction on the NPF.
Weiqi Xu, Masayuki Takeuchi, Chun Chen, Yanmei Qiu, Conghui Xie, Wanyun Xu, Nan Ma, Douglas R. Worsnop, Nga Lee Ng, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3693–3705, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3693-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3693-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here we developed a method for estimation of particulate organic nitrates (pON) from the measurements of a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer coupled with a thermodenuder based on the volatility differences between inorganic nitrate and pON. The results generally had improvements in reducing negative values due to the influences of a high concentration of inorganic nitrate and a constant ratio of NO+ to NO2+ of organic nitrates (RON).
Jiangchuan Tao, Ye Kuang, Nan Ma, Juan Hong, Yele Sun, Wanyun Xu, Yanyan Zhang, Yao He, Qingwei Luo, Linhong Xie, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 7409–7427, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7409-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7409-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The mechanism of secondary aerosol (SA) formation can be affected by relative humidity (RH) and has different influences on the particle CCN activity under different RH conditions. In the North China Plain, we find different responses of CCN activity and enhancements of CCN number concentration to SA formation under different RH conditions. In addition, variations of aerosol mixing state due to SA formation contribute some of the largest uncertainties in predicting CCN number concentration.
Weiqi Xu, Chun Chen, Yanmei Qiu, Ying Li, Zhiqiang Zhang, Eleni Karnezi, Spyros N. Pandis, Conghui Xie, Zhijie Li, Jiaxing Sun, Nan Ma, Wanyun Xu, Pingqing Fu, Zifa Wang, Jiang Zhu, Douglas R. Worsnop, Nga Lee Ng, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 5463–5476, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-5463-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-5463-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here aerosol volatility and viscosity at a rural site (Gucheng) and an urban site (Beijing) in the North China Plain (NCP) were investigated in summer and winter. Our results showed that organic aerosol (OA) in winter in the NCP is more volatile than that in summer due to enhanced primary emissions from coal combustion and biomass burning. We also found that OA existed mainly as a solid in winter in Beijing but as semisolids in Beijing in summer and Gucheng in winter.
Weilun Zhao, Wangshu Tan, Gang Zhao, Chuanyang Shen, Yingli Yu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1319–1331, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1319-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1319-2021, 2021
Chuanyang Shen, Gang Zhao, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 1293–1301, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1293-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-1293-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol hygroscopicity measured by the humidified tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) is affected by multiply charged particles from two aspects: (1) number contribution and (2) the weakening effect. An algorithm is proposed to do the multi-charge correction and applied to a field measurement. Results show that the difference between corrected and measured size-resolved κ can reach 0.05, highlighting that special attention needs to be paid to the multi-charge effect when using HTDMA.
Chuanyang Shen, Gang Zhao, Weilun Zhao, Ping Tian, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1375–1388, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1375-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1375-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Submicron particles larger than 300 nm dominate the aerosol light extinction and mass concentration in the urban environment. Aerosol hygroscopic properties extended to 600 nm were investigated at an urban site. Our results find that there exists a large fraction of a less hygroscopic group above 300 nm, and the hygroscopicity in this size range is enhanced significantly with the development of pollution levels. The hygroscopicity variation contributes greatly to the low visibility.
Chaomin Wang, Bin Yuan, Caihong Wu, Sihang Wang, Jipeng Qi, Baolin Wang, Zelong Wang, Weiwei Hu, Wei Chen, Chenshuo Ye, Wenjie Wang, Yele Sun, Chen Wang, Shan Huang, Wei Song, Xinming Wang, Suxia Yang, Shenyang Zhang, Wanyun Xu, Nan Ma, Zhanyi Zhang, Bin Jiang, Hang Su, Yafang Cheng, Xuemei Wang, and Min Shao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14123–14138, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14123-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14123-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We utilized a novel online mass spectrometry method to measure the total concentration of higher alkanes at each carbon number at two different sites in China, allowing us to take into account SOA contributions from all isomers for higher alkanes. We found that higher alkanes account for significant fractions of SOA formation at the two sites. The contributions are comparable to or even higher than single-ring aromatics, the most-recognized SOA precursors in urban air.
Guo Li, Hang Su, Nan Ma, Guangjie Zheng, Uwe Kuhn, Meng Li, Thomas Klimach, Ulrich Pöschl, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 6053–6065, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6053-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6053-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol acidity plays an important role in regulating the chemistry, health, and ecological effect of aerosol particles. However, a direct measurement of aerosol pH is very challenging because of its fast transition and equilibrium with adjacent environments. Therefore, most early studies have to use modeled pH, resulting in intensive debates about model uncertainties. Here we developed an optimized approach to measure aerosol pH by using pH-indicator papers combined with RGB-based colorimetry.
Ting Lei, Nan Ma, Juan Hong, Thomas Tuch, Xin Wang, Zhibin Wang, Mira Pöhlker, Maofa Ge, Weigang Wang, Eugene Mikhailov, Thorsten Hoffmann, Ulrich Pöschl, Hang Su, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5551–5567, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5551-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5551-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present the design of a nano-hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (nano-HTDMA) apparatus that enables high accuracy and precision in hygroscopic growth measurements of aerosol nanoparticles with diameters less than 10 nm. We further introduce comprehensive methods for system calibration and validation of the performance of the system. We then study the size dependence of the deliquescence and the efflorescence of aerosol nanoparticles for sizes down to 6 nm.
Wei Tao, Hang Su, Guangjie Zheng, Jiandong Wang, Chao Wei, Lixia Liu, Nan Ma, Meng Li, Qiang Zhang, Ulrich Pöschl, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 11729–11746, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11729-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-11729-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We simulated the thermodynamic and multiphase reactions in aerosol water during a wintertime haze event over the North China Plain. It was found that aerosol pH exhibited a strong spatiotemporal variability, and multiple oxidation pathways were predominant for particulate sulfate formation in different locations. Sensitivity tests further showed that ammonia, crustal particles, and dissolved transition metal ions were important factors for multiphase chemistry during haze episodes.
Jia Sun, Wolfram Birmili, Markus Hermann, Thomas Tuch, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Fabian Rasch, Thomas Müller, Alexander Schladitz, Susanne Bastian, Gunter Löschau, Josef Cyrys, Jianwei Gu, Harald Flentje, Björn Briel, Christoph Asbach, Heinz Kaminski, Ludwig Ries, Ralf Sohmer, Holger Gerwig, Klaus Wirtz, Frank Meinhardt, Andreas Schwerin, Olaf Bath, Nan Ma, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 7049–7068, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-7049-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-7049-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
To evaluate the effectiveness of emission mitigation policies, we evaluated the trends of the size-resolved particle number concentrations and equivalent black carbon mass concentration at 16 observational sites for various environments in Germany (2009–2018). Overall, significant decrease trends are found for most of the parameters and sites. This study suggests that a combination of emission mitigation policies can effectively improve the air quality on large spatial scales such as in Germany.
Bruna A. Holanda, Mira L. Pöhlker, David Walter, Jorge Saturno, Matthias Sörgel, Jeannine Ditas, Florian Ditas, Christiane Schulz, Marco Aurélio Franco, Qiaoqiao Wang, Tobias Donth, Paulo Artaxo, Henrique M. J. Barbosa, Stephan Borrmann, Ramon Braga, Joel Brito, Yafang Cheng, Maximilian Dollner, Johannes W. Kaiser, Thomas Klimach, Christoph Knote, Ovid O. Krüger, Daniel Fütterer, Jošt V. Lavrič, Nan Ma, Luiz A. T. Machado, Jing Ming, Fernando G. Morais, Hauke Paulsen, Daniel Sauer, Hans Schlager, Johannes Schneider, Hang Su, Bernadett Weinzierl, Adrian Walser, Manfred Wendisch, Helmut Ziereis, Martin Zöger, Ulrich Pöschl, Meinrat O. Andreae, and Christopher Pöhlker
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 4757–4785, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-4757-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-4757-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Biomass burning smoke from African savanna and grassland is transported across the South Atlantic Ocean in defined layers within the free troposphere. The combination of in situ aircraft and ground-based measurements aided by satellite observations showed that these layers are transported into the Amazon Basin during the early dry season. The influx of aged smoke, enriched in black carbon and cloud condensation nuclei, has important implications for the Amazonian aerosol and cloud cycling.
Quan Liu, Dantong Liu, Qian Gao, Ping Tian, Fei Wang, Delong Zhao, Kai Bi, Yangzhou Wu, Shuo Ding, Kang Hu, Jiale Zhang, Deping Ding, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 3931–3944, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-3931-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-3931-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present a series of aircraft-based in situ measurements of aerosol chemical components and size distributions over the North China Plain, and the hygroscopicity is derived from aerosol chemical composition. These results reveal the vertical characteristics of aerosol hygroscopicity, and we investigated their impacts on optical properties and activation under different moisture and pollution conditions over this polluted region.
Ping Tian, Dantong Liu, Delong Zhao, Chenjie Yu, Quan Liu, Mengyu Huang, Zhaoze Deng, Liang Ran, Yunfei Wu, Shuo Ding, Kang Hu, Gang Zhao, Chunsheng Zhao, and Deping Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 2603–2622, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2603-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2603-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study paints a full picture of the evolution of vertical characteristics of aerosol optical properties and shortwave heating impacts of carbonaceous aerosols during different stages of pollution events over the Beijing region and highlights the increased contribution of brown carbon absorption, especially at higher levels, during pollution.
Yu Wang, Ying Chen, Zhijun Wu, Dongjie Shang, Yuxuan Bian, Zhuofei Du, Sebastian H. Schmitt, Rong Su, Georgios I. Gkatzelis, Patrick Schlag, Thorsten Hohaus, Aristeidis Voliotis, Keding Lu, Limin Zeng, Chunsheng Zhao, M. Rami Alfarra, Gordon McFiggans, Alfred Wiedensohler, Astrid Kiendler-Scharr, Yuanhang Zhang, and Min Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 2161–2175, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2161-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2161-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Severe haze events, with high particulate nitrate (pNO3−) burden, frequently prevail in Beijing. In this study, we demonstrate a mutual-promotion effect between aerosol water uptake and pNO3− formation backed up by theoretical calculations and field observations throughout a typical pNO3−-dominated haze event in Beijing wintertime. This self-amplified mutual-promotion effect between aerosol water content and particulate nitrate can rapidly deteriorate air quality and degrade visibility.
Ye Kuang, Yao He, Wanyun Xu, Pusheng Zhao, Yafang Cheng, Gang Zhao, Jiangchuan Tao, Nan Ma, Hang Su, Yanyan Zhang, Jiayin Sun, Peng Cheng, Wenda Yang, Shaobin Zhang, Cheng Wu, Yele Sun, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 865–880, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-865-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-865-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A new method was developed to calculate hygroscopicity parameter κ of organic aerosols (κOA) based on aerosol light-scattering measurements and bulk aerosol chemical-composition measurements. Derived high-time-resolution κOA varied in a wide range (near 0 to 0.25), and the organic aerosol oxidation degree significantly impacts variations in κOA. Distinct diurnal variation in κOA is found, and its relationship with oxygenated organic aerosol is discussed.
Gang Zhao, Jiangchuan Tao, Ye Kuang, Chuanyang Shen, Yingli Yu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 13175–13188, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-13175-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-13175-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Characteristics of the black carbon size distribution (BCMSD) are studied by using our developed measurement system. Results show that the BCMSDs have two modes and the mean peak diameters are 150 nm and 503 nm, respectively. The coarser mode varies significantly under different pollution conditions, which gives rise to significant variation in aerosol bulk optical properties. Our study reveals that the BCMSD as well as the mixing state in estimating aerosol radiative forcing matters.
Gang Zhao, Tianyi Tan, Weilun Zhao, Song Guo, Ping Tian, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 12875–12885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-12875-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-12875-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Traditionally, the real part of the refractive index (RRI) of ambient aerosols is calculated by their chemical components. In this study, we demonstrate that the RRI is highly related to effective density rather than chemical components using field measurements. For the first time, a parameterization scheme for ambient aerosol RRI using effective density is proposed. This simple scheme is more reliable and ready to use in the calculation of aerosol optics and radiation.
Meng Li, Hang Su, Guo Li, Nan Ma, Ulrich Pöschl, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 10981–11011, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10981-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10981-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols and the ground provide two kinds of surfaces for multiphase reactions in the planetary boundary layer. However, the relative importance of these two surfaces for gas uptake has not been quantified. We compare the uptake fluxes of aerosols and the ground surface for reactive trace gases under various conditions. More studies regarding O3 uptake on liquid organic aerosols and H2O2 uptakes on various aerosols are needed considering their potential important roles in atmospheric chemistry.
Wanyun Xu, Ye Kuang, Chunsheng Zhao, Jiangchuan Tao, Gang Zhao, Yuxuan Bian, Wen Yang, Yingli Yu, Chuanyang Shen, Linlin Liang, Gen Zhang, Weili Lin, and Xiaobin Xu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 10557–10570, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10557-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-10557-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The study of HONO, the primary source of OH radicals, is crucial for atmospheric photochemistry and heterogeneous chemistry. Heterogeneous NO2 conversion was shown to be one of the missing sources of HONO on the North China Plain, but the reaction path is still under debate. In this work, evidence was found that NH3 was the key factor that promoted the hydrolysis of NO2, leading to the explosive growth of HONO and nitrate, suggesting that NH3 emission control measures are urgently needed.
Wangshu Tan, Gang Zhao, Yingli Yu, Chengcai Li, Jian Li, Ling Kang, Tong Zhu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 3825–3839, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3825-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3825-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
A new method to retrieve CCN number concentrations using multiwavelength Raman lidars is proposed. The method implements hygroscopic enhancements of backscatter and extinction with relative humidity to represent particle hygroscopicity. The retrieved CCN number concentrations are in good agreement with theoretical calculated values. Sensitivity tests indicate that retrieval error in CCN arises mostly from uncertainties in extinction coefficients and RH profiles.
Gang Zhao, Weilun Zhao, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 3541–3550, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3541-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-3541-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
A new method is proposed to retrieve the size-resolved real part of the refractive index (RRI). The main principle of deriving the RRI is measuring the scattering intensity by a single-particle soot photometer of a size-selected aerosol. This method is validated by a series of calibration experiments using the components of the known RI. The retrieved size-resolved RRI covers a wide range, from 200 nm to 450 nm, with uncertainty of less than 0.02.
Guo Li, Yafang Cheng, Uwe Kuhn, Rongjuan Xu, Yudong Yang, Hannah Meusel, Zhibin Wang, Nan Ma, Yusheng Wu, Meng Li, Jonathan Williams, Thorsten Hoffmann, Markus Ammann, Ulrich Pöschl, Min Shao, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2209–2232, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2209-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2209-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
VOCs play a key role in atmospheric chemistry. Emission and deposition on soil have been suggested as important sources and sinks of atmospheric trace gases. The exchange characteristics and heterogeneous chemistry of VOCs on soil, however, are not well understood. We used a newly designed differential coated-wall flow tube system to investigate the long-term variability of bidirectional air–soil exchange of 13 VOCs at ambient air conditions of an urban background site in Beijing.
Jorge Saturno, Bruna A. Holanda, Christopher Pöhlker, Florian Ditas, Qiaoqiao Wang, Daniel Moran-Zuloaga, Joel Brito, Samara Carbone, Yafang Cheng, Xuguang Chi, Jeannine Ditas, Thorsten Hoffmann, Isabella Hrabe de Angelis, Tobias Könemann, Jošt V. Lavrič, Nan Ma, Jing Ming, Hauke Paulsen, Mira L. Pöhlker, Luciana V. Rizzo, Patrick Schlag, Hang Su, David Walter, Stefan Wolff, Yuxuan Zhang, Paulo Artaxo, Ulrich Pöschl, and Meinrat O. Andreae
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 12817–12843, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12817-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-12817-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Biomass burning emits light-absorbing aerosol particles that warm the atmosphere. One of them is the primarily emitted black carbon, which strongly absorbs radiation in the visible and UV spectral regions. Another one is the so-called brown carbon, a fraction of organic aerosol particles that are able to absorb radiation, especially in the UV spectral region. The contribution of both kinds of aerosol particles to light absorption over the Amazon rainforest is studied in this paper.
Gang Zhao, Chunsheng Zhao, Ye Kuang, Yuxuan Bian, Jiangchuan Tao, Chuanyang Shen, and Yingli Yu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 9049–9060, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9049-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9049-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The aerosol asymmetry factor (g) is one of the most important factors for assessing direct aerosol radiative forcing (DARF) and remote sensing. So far, few studies have focused on the measurements and parameterization of g. Our study shows that relative humidity has significant impacts on g and DARF due to aerosol hygroscopic growth. For the first time, a novel method based on measurements from the humidified nephelometer system is proposed to calculate g accurately with high time resolution.
Ye Kuang, Chun Sheng Zhao, Gang Zhao, Jiang Chuan Tao, Wanyun Xu, Nan Ma, and Yu Xuan Bian
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 2967–2982, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2967-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-2967-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol water has become an important topic recently because of its implications for multiphase secondary aerosol formation during severe haze events in Asia. This is a timely paper on this topic; a novel method is proposed to calculate ambient aerosol liquid water contents based only on measurements of a three-wavelength humidified nephelometer system. The advantage of this method is that this technique can provide continuous measurements of the changing ambient conditions.
Jing Li, Chengcai Li, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 3289–3298, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3289-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3289-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Our study investigates the long-term trends of extreme aerosol pollution in China over the past ~ 30 years. In the 1980s, an overall positive trend is found throughout China with the extreme trend exceeding the mean trend, except for Northwest China and the North China Plain. In the 1990s, the extreme trends continued to dominate in the south while they yield to the mean trend in the north. After 2000, the extreme trend became weaker than the mean trend overall.
Jiangchuan Tao, Chunsheng Zhao, Ye Kuang, Gang Zhao, Chuanyang Shen, Yingli Yu, Yuxuan Bian, and Wanyun Xu
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 895–906, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-895-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-895-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Existing chamber technologies for direct measurements of number concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (NCCN) are sophisticated and expensive. In this paper, a new method is proposed to calculate NCCN based only on measurements of a humidified nephelometer system which have accounted for influences of both aerosol size and aerosol hygroscopicity on NCCN calculation. This new method makes NCCN measurements more convenient and is capable of obtaining NCCN at lower supersaturations.
Gang Zhao, Chunsheng Zhao, Ye Kuang, Jiangchuan Tao, Wangshu Tan, Yuxuan Bian, Jing Li, and Chengcai Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 12133–12143, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12133-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12133-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, influences of aerosol hygroscopic growth on the lidar ratio are studied. Results indicate that both the magnitude and vertical structures of the retrieved aerosol extinction coefficient (σext) profile from lidar signals are significantly biased. This study proposes a feasible method for reducing the bias of retrieving the σext profile and this method can be implemented in operational retrieval of the aerosol σext profile and for pollution monitoring.
Yuxuan Bian, Chunsheng Zhao, Wanyun Xu, Gang Zhao, Jiangchuan Tao, and Ye Kuang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 2313–2322, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2313-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2313-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol phase function is crucial for understanding the climate effects of aerosols. So far, there is a lack of instruments for measuring the aerosol phase function directly and accurately in laboratory studies and in situ measurements. A novel portable instrument with high angular range and resolution named
charge-coupled device-laser aerosol detective system(CCD-LADS) has been developed and validated for the measurement of the phase function of ambient aerosols in this study.
Ye Kuang, Chunsheng Zhao, Jiangchuan Tao, Yuxuan Bian, Nan Ma, and Gang Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 6651–6662, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-6651-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-6651-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
A novel approach is proposed in this research to derive the aerosol hygroscopicity parameter based only on measurements from a humidified nephelometer system without any additional information about particle number size distribution and black carbon. New findings in this research can bridge the gap between κ-Köhler theory and the aerosol light-scattering enhancement factor and will make the humidified nephelometer system more convenient when it comes to aerosol hygroscopicity research.
Zhibin Wang, Yafang Cheng, Nan Ma, Eugene Mikhailov, Ulrich Pöschl, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2017-253, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2017-253, 2017
Revised manuscript has not been submitted
Ying Chen, Yafang Cheng, Nan Ma, Ralf Wolke, Stephan Nordmann, Stephanie Schüttauf, Liang Ran, Birgit Wehner, Wolfram Birmili, Hugo A. C. Denier van der Gon, Qing Mu, Stefan Barthel, Gerald Spindler, Bastian Stieger, Konrad Müller, Guang-Jie Zheng, Ulrich Pöschl, Hang Su, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 12081–12097, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-12081-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-12081-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Sea salt aerosol (SSA) is important for primary and secondary aerosols on a global scale. During 10–20 September 2013, the SSA mass concentration was overestimated by a factor of 8–20 over central Europe by WRF-Chem model, stem from the uncertainty of its emission scheme. This could facilitate the coarse-mode nitrate formation (~ 140 % but inhibit the fine-mode nitrate formation (~−20 %). A special long-range transport mechanism could broaden this influence of SSA to a larger downwind region.
Nan Ma, Chunsheng Zhao, Jiangchuan Tao, Zhijun Wu, Simonas Kecorius, Zhibin Wang, Johannes Größ, Hongjian Liu, Yuxuan Bian, Ye Kuang, Monique Teich, Gerald Spindler, Konrad Müller, Dominik van Pinxteren, Hartmut Herrmann, Min Hu, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 8593–8607, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-8593-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-8593-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
New particle formation (NPF) is one of main sources of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in the atmosphere. Based on in situ measurements, we found that CCN activity of newly formed particles largely differs in different NPF events. It is therefore difficult to find a simple parameterization of CCN activity for NPF events. Using a fixed size-resolved activation ratio curve or critical diameter is very likely to result in large biases up to 50 % in the calculated NCCN during NPF events.
Y. Kuang, C. S. Zhao, J. C. Tao, and N. Ma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 5761–5772, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5761-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5761-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, it is found that the diurnal variations of single scattering albedo (SSA) and asymmetry factor (g) for ambient aerosol are both evident and far different from those of dry state aerosol in the North China Plain (NCP. The diurnal changes of SSA and g have significant impacts on the estimation of daily average direct aerosol radiative effect (DARE) at the top of the atmosphere. In addition, several suggestions are proposed to improve the accurate prediction of DARE in the NCP.
J. Huang, H. Liu, J. H. Crawford, C. Chan, D. B. Considine, Y. Zhang, X. Zheng, C. Zhao, V. Thouret, S. J. Oltmans, S. C. Liu, D. B. A. Jones, S. D. Steenrod, and M. R. Damon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 5161–5179, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5161-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-5161-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
High ozone concentrations (up to 94.7ppbv) were frequently observed at an altitude of ~1.5--2km over Beijing during April--May 2005. Ozone due to Asian anthropogenic pollution made major contributions to the observed ozone enhancements. These enhancements typically occurred under southerly wind and warmer conditions. An earlier onset of the Asian summer monsoon would cause more ozone enhancement events in the lower troposphere over the North China Plain in late spring and early summer.
J. C. Tao, C. S. Zhao, N. Ma, and P. F. Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 12055–12067, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12055-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-12055-2014, 2014
G. Q. Fu, W. Y. Xu, R. F. Yang, J. B. Li, and C. S. Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 11949–11958, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-11949-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-11949-2014, 2014
W. Y. Xu, C. S. Zhao, L. Ran, W. L. Lin, P. Yan, and X. B. Xu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 7757–7768, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-7757-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-7757-2014, 2014
Y. X. Bian, C. S. Zhao, N. Ma, J. Chen, and W. Y. Xu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 6417–6426, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6417-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6417-2014, 2014
N. Ma, W. Birmili, T. Müller, T. Tuch, Y. F. Cheng, W. Y. Xu, C. S. Zhao, and A. Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 6241–6259, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6241-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6241-2014, 2014
H. J. Liu, C. S. Zhao, B. Nekat, N. Ma, A. Wiedensohler, D. van Pinxteren, G. Spindler, K. Müller, and H. Herrmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2525–2539, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2525-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2525-2014, 2014
Z. Z. Deng, C. S. Zhao, N. Ma, L. Ran, G. Q. Zhou, D. R. Lu, and X. J. Zhou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 6227–6237, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-6227-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-6227-2013, 2013
J. Z. Ma, S. Beirle, J. L. Jin, R. Shaiganfar, P. Yan, and T. Wagner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 1547–1567, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-1547-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-1547-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Aerosols | Research Activity: Field Measurements | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Pollution affects Arabian and Saharan dust optical properties in the eastern Mediterranean
Phase matrix characterization of long-range-transported Saharan dust using multiwavelength-polarized polar imaging nephelometry
Measurement report: The influence of particle number size distribution and hygroscopicity on the microphysical properties of cloud droplets at a mountain site
Measurement report: Long-term assessment of primary and secondary organic aerosols in the Shanghai megacity throughout China's Clean Air actions since 2010
The evolution of aerosol mixing state derived from a field campaign in Beijing: implications for particle aging timescales in urban atmospheres
Measurement report: Size-resolved particle effective density measured by an AAC-SMPS and implications for chemical composition
Measurement report: Aircraft observations of aerosol and microphysical quantities of stratocumulus in autumn over Guangxi Province, China – daylight variation, vertical distribution, and aerosol–cloud interactions
Hygroscopic aerosols amplify longwave downward radiation in the Arctic
Measurement report: Aerosol and cloud nuclei properties along the Central and Northern Great Barrier Reef: Impact of continental emissions
Measurement report: Optical and structural properties of atmospheric water-soluble organic carbon in China – insights from multi-site spectroscopic measurements
Measurement report: The variation properties of aerosol hygroscopic growth related to chemical composition during new particle formation days in a coastal city of Southeast China
In situ vertical observations of the layered structure of air pollution in a continental high-latitude urban boundary layer during winter
Size-resolved hygroscopicity and volatility properties of ambient urban aerosol particles measured by a volatility hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer system in Beijing
Terrestrial runoff is an important source of biological ice-nucleating particles in Arctic marine systems
Characterization of aerosol over the eastern Mediterranean by polarization-sensitive Raman lidar measurements during A-LIFE – aerosol type classification and type separation
Aerosol spectral optical properties in the Paris urban area and its peri-urban and forested surroundings during summer 2022 from ACROSS surface observations
Measurement report: An investigation of the spatiotemporal variability in aerosols in the mountainous terrain of the upper Colorado River basin using SAIL-Net
Contributions of the synoptic meteorology to the seasonal cloud condensation nuclei cycle over the Southern Ocean
Measurement report: Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity in the South China Sea from shipborne observations during the summer and winter of 2021 – seasonal variation and anthropogenic influence
Differential characterization of air ions in boreal forest of Finland and megacity of eastern China
Source-Dependent Optical Properties and Molecular Characteristics of Atmospheric Brown Carbon
On-road vehicle emission measurements show a significant reduction of black carbon and nitrogen oxides emissions in Euro6c and 6d diesel-powered cars
Measurement report: A comparative analysis of an intensive incursion of fluorescing African dust particles over Puerto Rico and another over Spain
Measurement report: Analysis of aerosol optical depth variation at Zhongshan Station in Antarctica
External particle mixing influences hygroscopicity in a sub-urban area
Long-term observations of black carbon and carbon monoxide in the Poker Flat Research Range, central Alaska, with a focus on forest wildfire emissions
Origin, size distribution and hygroscopic properties of marine aerosols in the south-western Indian Ocean: report of 6 campaigns of shipborne observations
High ice-nucleating particle concentrations associated with Arctic haze in springtime cold-air outbreaks
CCN estimations at a high-altitude remote site: role of organic aerosol variability and hygroscopicity
Aerosol hygroscopicity over the southeast Atlantic Ocean during the biomass burning season – Part 1: From the perspective of scattering enhancement
Spatial, temporal, and meteorological impact of the 26 February 2023 dust storm: increase in particulate matter concentrations across New Mexico and West Texas
Large spatiotemporal variability in aerosol properties over central Argentina during the CACTI field campaign
Microphysical properties of refractory black carbon aerosols for different air masses at a central European background site
Quantification and characterization of primary biological aerosol particles and microbes aerosolized from Baltic seawater
Brownness of organics in anthropogenic biomass burning aerosols over South Asia
Multi-year black carbon observations and modeling close to the largest gas flaring and wildfire regions (Western Siberian Arctic)
Strong influence of Black Carbon on aerosol optical properties in Central Amazonia during the fire season
Source apportionment of particle number size distribution at the street canyon and urban background sites
Long-range transport of coarse mineral dust: an evaluation of the Met Office Unified Model against aircraft observations
Extreme Saharan dust events expand northward over the Atlantic and Europe, prompting record-breaking PM10 and PM2.5 episodes
Atmospheric black carbon in the metropolitan area of La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia: concentration levels and emission sources
Changing optical properties of black carbon and brown carbon aerosols during long-range transport from the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the equatorial Indian Ocean
Aerosol size distribution properties associated with cold-air outbreaks in the Norwegian Arctic
Ice-nucleating particles active below −24 °C in a Finnish boreal forest and their relationship to bioaerosols
Measurements of particle emissions of an A350-941 burning 100 % sustainable aviation fuels in cruise
Vertical distribution of ice nucleating particles over the boreal forest of Hyytiälä, Finland
Multi-year gradient measurements of sea spray fluxes over the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean
Measurement report: In situ vertical profiles of below-cloud aerosol over the central Greenland Ice Sheet
Occurrence, abundance, and formation of atmospheric tarballs from a wide range of wildfires in the western US
Measurement report: Contribution of atmospheric new particle formation to ultrafine particle concentration, cloud condensation nuclei, and radiative forcing – results from 5-year observations in central Europe
Marilena Teri, Josef Gasteiger, Katharina Heimerl, Maximilian Dollner, Manuel Schöberl, Petra Seibert, Anne Tipka, Thomas Müller, Sudharaj Aryasree, Konrad Kandler, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6633–6662, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6633-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6633-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The A-LIFE aircraft field experiment was carried out in the eastern Mediterranean in 2017. Using A-LIFE data, we studied the change in mineral dust optical properties due to mixing with anthropogenic aerosols. We found that increasing pollution affects dust optical properties, which has implications for identifying dust events and understanding their climate effects. We also show that optical properties of Saharan and Arabian dust are similar when comparing cases with equal pollution content.
Elena Bazo, Daniel Pérez-Ramírez, Antonio Valenzuela, J. Vanderlei Martins, Gloria Titos, Alberto Cazorla, Fernando Rejano, Diego Patrón, Arlett Díaz-Zurita, Francisco José García-Izquierdo, David Fuertes, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, and Francisco José Olmo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6325–6352, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6325-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6325-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This works analyzes the aerosol scattering phase function for transported Saharan dust to the city of Granada – located in southwestern Europe. We use the novel technique polar imaging nephelometry that helps to determine the phase functions using a CMOS camera. The capability of measuring with polarized light helps to infer new properties about the mixture of Saharan dust particles with those of anthropogenic origin.
Xiaojing Shen, Quan Liu, Junying Sun, Wanlin Kong, Qianli Ma, Bing Qi, Lujie Han, Yangmei Zhang, Linlin Liang, Lei Liu, Shuo Liu, Xinyao Hu, Jiayuan Lu, Aoyuan Yu, Huizheng Che, and Xiaoye Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5711–5725, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5711-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5711-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, an automatic switched inlet system was developed and employed to investigate the aerosols and cloud droplets at a mountain site with frequent cloud processes. It showed different characteristics of cloud residual and interstitial particles. Stronger particle hygroscopicity reduced liquid water content and smaller cloud droplet diameters. This investigation contributes to understanding aerosol–cloud interactions by assessing the impact of aerosol particles on cloud microphysics.
Haifeng Yu, Yunhua Chang, Lin Cheng, Yusen Duan, and Jianlin Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5355–5369, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5355-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5355-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents long-term measurements and comprehensive analysis of carbonaceous aerosols in fine particles in Shanghai. We further estimated primary and secondary carbon levels, examining their temporal variations on interannual, monthly, seasonal, and diurnal scales. Through rigorous statistical analysis and correlation studies with meteorological parameters and pollutant concentrations, the origins, formation mechanisms, and spatial distribution patterns of secondary organic carbon were elucidated.
Jieyao Liu, Fang Zhang, Jingye Ren, Lu Chen, Anran Zhang, Zhe Wang, Songjian Zou, Honghao Xu, and Xingyan Yue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5075–5086, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5075-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5075-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Particle mixing states and aging timescales are important for the evaluation of aerosol climate effects, but they are poorly parameterized in current models. We unravel the evolution of real-time mixing states and the aging timescale of size-resolved particles based on field measurements in urban Beijing. This study provides an observational basis for accurately parameterizing the aging timescale of aerosol particles in climate models.
Yao Song, Jing Wei, Wenlong Zhao, Jinmei Ding, Xiangyu Pei, Fei Zhang, Zhengning Xu, Ruifang Shi, Ya Wei, Lu Zhang, Lingling Jin, and Zhibin Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4755–4766, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4755-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4755-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates the size-resolved effective density (ρeff) of aerosol particles in Hangzhou using a tandem aerodynamic aerosol classifier and scanning mobility particle sizer system. The ρeff values ranged from 1.47 to 1.63 g cm-3, increasing with particle diameter. The relationship between ρeff and the particle diameter varies due to differences in the chemical composition of the particles. A new method to derive the size-resolved chemical composition of particles from ρeff is proposed.
Sihan Liu, Honglei Wang, Delong Zhao, Wei Zhou, Yuanmou Du, Zhengguo Zhang, Peng Cheng, Tianliang Zhao, Yue Ke, Zihao Wu, and Mengyu Huang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4151–4165, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4151-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4151-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
To understand the effect of aerosols on the vertical distribution of stratocumulus microphysical quantities in southwest China, the daily variation characteristics and formation mechanism of the vertical profiles of stratocumulus microphysical characteristics in this region were described using the data of nine cloud-crossing aircraft observations over Guangxi from 10 October to 3 November 2020.
Denghui Ji, Mathias Palm, Matthias Buschmann, Kerstin Ebell, Marion Maturilli, Xiaoyu Sun, and Justus Notholt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3889–3904, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3889-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3889-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study explores how certain aerosols, like sea salt, affect infrared heat radiation in the Arctic, potentially speeding up warming. We used advanced technology to measure aerosol composition and found that these particles grow with humidity, significantly increasing their heat-trapping effect in the infrared region, especially in winter. Our findings suggest these aerosols could be a key factor in Arctic warming, emphasizing the importance of understanding aerosols for climate prediction.
E. Johanna Horchler, Joel Alroe, Luke Harrison, Luke Cravigan, Daniel P. Harrison, and Zoran D. Ristovski
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-465, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-465, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols play a role in global climate by interacting with incoming solar radiation and by taking up water vapour from the atmosphere to form clouds. Enhancing local-scale cloud cover can reduce sea surface temperatures. Coral bleaching events increased in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) as sea surface temperatures rise. Our study found that the number of aerosols and the cloud forming ability over the GBR increased if the aerosols were transported from inland Australia rather than the ocean.
Haibiao Chen, Caiqing Yan, Liubin Huang, Lin Du, Yang Yue, Xinfeng Wang, Qingcai Chen, Mingjie Xie, Junwen Liu, Fengwen Wang, Shuhong Fang, Qiaoyun Yang, Hongya Niu, Mei Zheng, Yan Wu, and Likun Xue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3647–3667, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3647-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3647-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
A comprehensive understanding of the optical properties of brown carbon (BrC) is essential to accurately assess its climatic effects. Based on multi-site spectroscopic measurements, this study demonstrated the significant spatial heterogeneity in the optical and structural properties of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in different regions of China and revealed factors affecting WSOC light absorption and the relationship between fluorophores and light absorption of WSOC.
Lingjun Li, Mengren Li, Xiaolong Fan, Yuping Chen, Ziyi Lin, Anqi Hou, Siqing Zhang, Ronghua Zheng, and Jinsheng Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3669–3685, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3669-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3669-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Here, we show differences and variations in the aerosol scattering hygroscopic growth factor (f(RH)) between new particle formation (NPF) and non-NPF days and the effect of aerosol chemical compositions on f(RH) in Xiamen with in situ observations. The findings are helpful for the further understanding of aerosol hygroscopicity in a coastal city and the use of hygroscopic growth factors in models of air quality and climate change.
Roman Pohorsky, Andrea Baccarini, Natalie Brett, Brice Barret, Slimane Bekki, Gianluca Pappaccogli, Elsa Dieudonné, Brice Temime-Roussel, Barbara D'Anna, Meeta Cesler-Maloney, Antonio Donateo, Stefano Decesari, Kathy S. Law, William R. Simpson, Javier Fochesatto, Steve R. Arnold, and Julia Schmale
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3687–3715, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3687-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3687-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents an analysis of vertical measurements of pollution in an Alaskan city during winter. It investigates the relationship between the atmospheric structure and the layering of aerosols and trace gases. Results indicate an overall very shallow surface mixing layer. The height of this layer is strongly influenced by a local shallow wind. The study also provides information on the pollution chemical composition at different altitudes, including pollution signatures from power plants.
Aoyuan Yu, Xiaojing Shen, Qianli Ma, Jiayuan Lu, Xinyao Hu, Yangmei Zhang, Quan Liu, Linlin Liang, Lei Liu, Shuo Liu, Hongfei Tong, Huizheng Che, Xiaoye Zhang, and Junying Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3389–3412, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3389-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3389-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, we utilized a volatility hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (VH-TDMA) to investigate, for the first time, the hygroscopicity and volatility of submicron aerosols, as well as their hygroscopicity after heating, in urban Beijing during the autumn of 2023. We analyzed the size-resolved characteristics of hygroscopicity and volatility, the relationship between hygroscopic and volatile properties, and the hygroscopicity of heated submicron aerosols.
Corina Wieber, Lasse Z. Jensen, Leendert Vergeynst, Lorenz Meire, Thomas Juul-Pedersen, Kai Finster, and Tina Šantl-Temkiv
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3327–3346, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3327-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3327-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic region is subject to profound changes due to a warming climate. Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) in the seawater can get transported to the atmosphere and impact cloud formation. However, the sources of characteristics of INPs in the marine areas are poorly understood. We investigated the INPs in seawater from Greenlandic fjords and identified a seasonal variability, with highly active INPs originating from terrestrial sources such as glacial and soil runoff.
Silke Groß, Volker Freudenthaler, Moritz Haarig, Albert Ansmann, Carlos Toledano, David Mateos, Petra Seibert, Rodanthi-Elisavet Mamouri, Argyro Nisantzi, Josef Gasteiger, Maximilian Dollner, Anne Tipka, Manuel Schöberl, Marilena Teri, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3191–3211, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3191-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3191-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosols contribute to the largest uncertainties in climate change predictions. The eastern Mediterranean is a hotspot for aerosols with natural and anthropogenic contributions. We present lidar measurements performed during A-LIFE (Absorbing aerosol layers in a changing climate: aging, lifetime and dynamics) to characterize aerosols and aerosol mixtures. We extend current lidar classification and separation schemes and compare them to classification schemes using different methods.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Aline Gratien, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Patrice Coll, Barbara D'Anna, Joel F. de Brito, David O. De Haan, Juliette R. Dignum, Shravan Deshmukh, Olivier Favez, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Cecile Gaimoz, Lelia N. Hawkins, Julien Kammer, Brigitte Language, Franck Maisonneuve, Griša Močnik, Emilie Perraudin, Jean-Eudes Petit, Prodip Acharja, Laurent Poulain, Pauline Pouyes, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Kanuri I. Roundtree, Marwa Shahin, Guillaume Siour, Eric Villenave, Pascal Zapf, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3161–3189, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The spectral complex refractive index (CRI) and single scattering albedo were retrieved from submicron aerosol measurements at three sites within the greater Paris area during the ACROSS field campaign (June–July 2022). Measurements revealed urban emission impact on surrounding areas. CRI full period averages at 520 nm were 1.41 – 0.037i (urban), 1.52 – 0.038i (peri-urban), and 1.50 – 0.025i (rural). Organic aerosols dominated the aerosol mass and contributed up to 22 % of absorption at 370 nm.
Leah D. Gibson, Ezra J. T. Levin, Ethan Emerson, Nick Good, Anna Hodshire, Gavin McMeeking, Kate Patterson, Bryan Rainwater, Tom Ramin, and Ben Swanson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2745–2762, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2745-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2745-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
From fall 2021 to summer 2023, SAIL-Net, a network of six aerosol measurement nodes, was deployed in the East River watershed (Colorado, USA) to study aerosol variability across space and time in mountainous terrain. We found that aerosol variability is influenced by elevation differences, with the most representative site in the region changing seasonally, suggesting aerosol spatial variability also varies seasonally. This work offers a blueprint for future studies in other mountainous regions.
Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, Yi Huang, Francisco Lang, Steven Siems, Michael Manton, Luis Ackermann, Melita Keywood, Ruhi Humphries, Paul Krummel, Alastair Williams, and Greg Ayers
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2631–2648, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2631-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2631-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Clouds over the Southern Ocean are crucial to Earth's energy balance, but understanding the factors that control them is complex. Our research examines how weather patterns affect tiny particles called cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), which influence cloud properties. Using data from Kennaook / Cape Grim, we found that winter air from Antarctica brings cleaner conditions with lower CCN, while summer patterns from Australia transport more particles. Precipitation also helps reduce CCN in winter.
Hengjia Ou, Mingfu Cai, Yongyun Zhang, Xue Ni, Baoling Liang, Qibin Sun, Shixin Mai, Cuizhi Sun, Shengzhen Zhou, Haichao Wang, Jiaren Sun, and Jun Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2495–2513, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2495-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2495-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Two shipborne observations in the South China Sea (SCS) in summer and winter 2021 were conducted. Our study found aerosol hygroscopicity is higher in the SCS in summer than winter, with significant influences from various terrestrial air masses. Aerosol size distribution had a stronger effect on activation ratio than aerosol hygroscopicity in summer and vice versa in winter. Our study provides valuable information to enhance our understanding of cloud condensation nuclei activities in the SCS.
Tinghan Zhang, Ximeng Qi, Janne Lampilahti, Liangduo Chen, Xuguang Chi, Wei Nie, Xin Huang, Zehao Zou, Wei Du, Tom Kokkonen, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Aijun Ding, and Markku Kulmala
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3370, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3370, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
By comparing air ions at two “flagship” sites —the SMEAR II site in the boreal forest of Finland and the SORPES site in a megacity in eastern China—we characterized ion concentrations and their roles in new particle formation (NPF) across contrasting environments. The ion-induced fraction was much higher in clean areas. However, earlier activation of charged particles and high ion-induced fraction during quiet NPF at SORPES imply a non-negligible role for ion-induced NPF in polluted areas.
Jinghao Zhai, Yin Zhang, Pengfei Liu, Yujie Zhang, Antai Zhang, Yaling Zeng, Baohua Cai, Jingyi Zhang, Chunbo Xing, Honglong Yang, Xiaofei Wang, Jianhuai Ye, Chen Wang, Tzung-May Fu, Lei Zhu, Huizhong Shen, Shu Tao, and Xin Yang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-463, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-463, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our findings show that BrC's optical properties vary by source. Secondary BrC from ozone pollution had the lowest absorption but highest wavelength dependence, while BrC from biomass combustion had the highest absorption with the lowest wavelength dependence. Molecular analysis indicated that CHON species from biomass burning had the strongest light absorption. These insights enhance the accuracy of climate models by highlighting source-specific optical properties of BrC.
Irena Ježek Brecelj, Asta Gregorič, Lucijan Zgonik, Tjaša Rutar, Matic Ivančič, Balint Alfoldy, Griša Močnik, and Martin Rigler
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3553, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3553, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Following a major car industry scandal involving diesel emissions tests, Europe introduced new testing procedures. However, concerns remained about their effectiveness. Our independent study examined real-world vehicle emissions and revealed encouraging findings: modern diesel cars perform as well as, or even better than, gasoline cars in terms of nitrogen oxides emissions. We found the same pattern for soot particles, challenging common perceptions about diesel's environmental impact.
Bighnaraj Sarangi, Darrel Baumgardner, Ana Isabel Calvo, Benjamin Bolaños-Rosero, Roberto Fraile, Alberto Rodríguez-Fernández, Delia Fernández-González, Carlos Blanco-Alegre, Cátia Gonçalves, Estela D. Vicente, and Olga L. Mayol-Bracero
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 843–865, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-843-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-843-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of fluorescing aerosol particle properties have been made during two major African dust events, one over the island of Puerto Rico and the other over the city of León, Spain. The measurements were made with two wideband integrated bioaerosol spectrometers. A significant change in the background aerosol properties, at both locations, is observed when the dust is in the respective regions.
Lijing Chen, Lei Zhang, Yong She, Zhaoliang Zeng, Yu Zheng, Biao Tian, Wenqian Zhang, Zhaohui Liu, Huizheng Che, and Minghu Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 727–739, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-727-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-727-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol optical depth (AOD) at Zhongshan Station varies seasonally, with lower values in summer and higher values in winter. Winter and spring AOD increases due to reduced fine-mode particles, while summer and autumn increases are linked to particle growth. Diurnal AOD variation correlates positively with temperature but negatively with wind speed and humidity. Backward trajectories show that aerosols on high-AOD (low-AOD) days primarily originate from the ocean (interior Antarctica).
Shravan Deshmukh, Laurent Poulain, Birgit Wehner, Silvia Henning, Jean-Eudes Petit, Pauline Fombelle, Olivier Favez, Hartmut Herrmann, and Mira Pöhlker
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 741–758, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-741-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-741-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol hygroscopicity has been investigated at a sub-urban site in Paris; analysis shows the sub-saturated regime's measured hygroscopicity and the chemically derived hygroscopic growth, shedding light on the large effect of external particle mixing and its influence on predicting hygroscopicity.
Takeshi Kinase, Fumikazu Taketani, Masayuki Takigawa, Chunmao Zhu, Yongwon Kim, Petr Mordovskoi, and Yugo Kanaya
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 143–156, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-143-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-143-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Boreal forest wildfires in interior Alaska represent an important black carbon (BC) source for the Arctic and surrounding regions. We observed BC and carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in the Poker Flat Research Range since 2016 and found a positive correlation between the observed BC / ∆CO ratio and fire radiative power (FRP) observed in Alaska and Canada. Our finding suggests the BC emission factor and/or inventory could be potentially improved by using FRP.
Meredith Dournaux, Pierre Tulet, Joris Pianezze, Jérome Brioude, Jean-Marc Metzger, and Melilotus Thyssen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3747, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3747, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol measurements collected during six oceanographic campaigns carried out in 2021 and 2023 in the southwest Indian Ocean are presented and analyzed in this paper. The results highlight a large variability in the aerosol concentration, size and water vapor affinity depending on in-situ conditions and air mass transport over the ocean. Marine aerosol chemical composition is highly variable over this region, and should be considered to better study their impacts on regional weather and climate.
Erin N. Raif, Sarah L. Barr, Mark D. Tarn, James B. McQuaid, Martin I. Daily, Steven J. Abel, Paul A. Barrett, Keith N. Bower, Paul R. Field, Kenneth S. Carslaw, and Benjamin J. Murray
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 14045–14072, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14045-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-14045-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) allow ice to form in clouds at temperatures warmer than −35°C. We measured INP concentrations over the Norwegian and Barents seas in weather events where cold air is ejected from the Arctic. These concentrations were among the highest measured in the Arctic. It is likely that the INPs were transported to the Arctic from distant regions. These results show it is important to consider hemispheric-scale INP processes to understand INP concentrations in the Arctic.
Fernando Rejano, Andrea Casans, Marta Via, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Sonia Castillo, Hassan Lyamani, Alberto Cazorla, Elisabeth Andrews, Daniel Pérez-Ramírez, Andrés Alastuey, Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Francisco José Olmo, and Gloria Titos
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13865–13888, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13865-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13865-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides valuable insights to improve cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) estimations at a high-altitude remote site which is influenced by nearby urban pollution. Understanding the factors that affect CCN estimations is essential to improve the CCN data coverage worldwide and assess aerosol–cloud interactions on a global scale. This is crucial for improving climate models, since aerosol–cloud interactions are the most important source of uncertainty in climate projections.
Lu Zhang, Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer, Haochi Che, Caroline Dang, Junying Sun, Ye Kuang, Paola Formenti, and Steven G. Howell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13849–13864, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13849-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Using airborne measurements over the southeast Atlantic Ocean, we examined how much moisture aerosols take up during Africa’s biomass burning season. Our study revealed the important role of organic aerosols and introduced a predictive model for moisture uptake, accounting for organics, sulfate, and black carbon, summarizing results from various campaigns. These findings improve our understanding of aerosol–moisture interactions and their radiative effects in this climatically critical region.
Mary C. Robinson, Kaitlin Schueth, and Karin Ardon-Dryer
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13733–13750, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13733-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13733-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
On 26 February 2023, New Mexico and West Texas were impacted by a severe dust storm. To analyze this storm, 28 meteorological stations and 19 PM2.5 and PM10 stations were used. Dust particles were in the air for 16 h, and dust storm conditions lasted for up to 120 min. Hourly PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were up to 518 and 9983 µg m−3, respectively. For Lubbock, Texas, the maximum PM2.5 concentrations were the highest ever recorded.
Jerome D. Fast, Adam C. Varble, Fan Mei, Mikhail Pekour, Jason Tomlinson, Alla Zelenyuk, Art J. Sedlacek III, Maria Zawadowicz, and Louisa Emmons
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13477–13502, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13477-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13477-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol property measurements recently collected on the ground and by a research aircraft in central Argentina during the Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) campaign exhibit large spatial and temporal variability. These measurements coupled with coincident meteorological information provide a valuable data set needed to evaluate and improve model predictions of aerosols in a traditionally data-sparse region of South America.
Yifan Yang, Thomas Müller, Laurent Poulain, Samira Atabakhsh, Bruna A. Holanda, Jens Voigtländer, Shubhi Arora, and Mira L. Pöhlker
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3539, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3539, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Black carbon (BC) is the major atmospheric aerosol that can absorb light and influence climate. We measured the physical properties of BC at a background site in Germany. In summer, BC particles were smaller and the mixture with other atmospheric components occurred during the daytime. In winter, emissions from residential heating significantly influenced BC's properties. Understanding these characteristics of BC can help improve aerosol optics simulation accuracy.
Julika Zinke, Gabriel Pereira Freitas, Rachel Ann Foster, Paul Zieger, Ernst Douglas Nilsson, Piotr Markuszewski, and Matthew Edward Salter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13413–13428, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13413-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13413-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Bioaerosols, which can influence climate and human health, were studied in the Baltic Sea. In May and August 2021, we used a sea spray simulation chamber during two ship-based campaigns to collect and measure these aerosols. We found that microbes were enriched in air compared to seawater. Bacterial diversity was analysed using DNA sequencing. Our methods provided consistent estimates of microbial emission fluxes, aligning with previous studies.
Chimurkar Navinya, Taveen Singh Kapoor, Gupta Anurag, Chandra Venkataraman, Harish C. Phuleria, and Rajan K. Chakrabarty
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13285–13297, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13285-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13285-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Brown carbon (BrC) aerosols show an order-of-magnitude variation in their light absorption strength. Our understanding of BrC from real-world biomass burning remains limited, complicating the determination of its radiative impact. Our study reports absorption properties of BrC emitted from four major biomass burning sources using field measurements in India. It develops an absorption parameterization for BrC and examines the spatial variability in BrC's absorption strength across India.
Olga B. Popovicheva, Marina A. Chichaeva, Nikolaos Evangeliou, Sabine Eckhardt, Evangelia Diapouli, and Nikolay S. Kasimov
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3124, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3124, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
High-quality measurements of light-absorbing carbon were performed at the polar aerosol station "Island Bely” (Western Siberian Arctic) from 2019 to 2022. The maximum light absorption coefficients were seen in summer due to gas flaring contribution, which is the most significant source in the region. However, the increasing Siberian wildfires had a special share in carbon contribution to this high Arctic station with a persistent smoke layer extending over the whole troposphere in summer.
Rafael Stern, Joel F. de Brito, Samara Carbone, Luciana Varanda Rizzo, Jonathan Daniel Muller, and Paulo Artaxo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3339, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3339, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Our work reveals the impact of forest fires on climate. We found that particles related to direct emissions from fires, beyond the well-known effect of absorbing light and thus heating the atmosphere, are also very efficient in scattering light, which causes an atmospheric cooling effect. In our remote study site, most of the particles presented a different chemical composition then particles directly emitted by the fires, but those were the main responsible for total light extinction.
Sami D. Harni, Minna Aurela, Sanna Saarikoski, Jarkko V. Niemi, Harri Portin, Hanna Manninen, Ville Leinonen, Pasi Aalto, Phil K. Hopke, Tuukka Petäjä, Topi Rönkkö, and Hilkka Timonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12143–12160, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12143-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12143-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, particle number size distribution data were used in a novel way in positive matrix factorization analysis to find aerosol source profiles in the area. Measurements were made in Helsinki at a street canyon and urban background sites between February 2015 and June 2019. Five different aerosol sources were identified. These sources underline the significance of traffic-related emissions in urban environments despite recent improvements in emission reduction technologies.
Natalie G. Ratcliffe, Claire L. Ryder, Nicolas Bellouin, Stephanie Woodward, Anthony Jones, Ben Johnson, Lisa-Maria Wieland, Maximilian Dollner, Josef Gasteiger, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12161–12181, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12161-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12161-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Large mineral dust particles are more abundant in the atmosphere than expected and have different impacts on the environment than small particles, which are better represented in climate models. We use aircraft measurements to assess a climate model representation of large-dust transport. We find that the model underestimates the amount of large dust at all stages of transport and that fast removal of the large particles increases this underestimation with distance from the Sahara.
Sergio Rodríguez and Jessica López-Darias
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12031–12053, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12031-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12031-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Extreme Saharan dust events expanded northward to the Atlantic and Europe, prompting record-breaking PM10 and PM2.5 events. These episodes are caused by low-to-high dipole meteorology during hemispheric anomalies characterized by subtropical anticyclones shifting to higher latitudes, anomalous low pressures beyond the tropics and amplified Rossby waves. Extreme dust events occur in a paradoxical context of a multidecadal decrease in dust emissions, a topic that requires further investigation.
Valeria Mardoñez-Balderrama, Griša Močnik, Marco Pandolfi, Robin L. Modini, Fernando Velarde, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Isabel Moreno R., Diego Aliaga, Federico Bianchi, Claudia Mohr, Martin Gysel-Beer, Patrick Ginot, Radovan Krejci, Alfred Wiedensohler, Gaëlle Uzu, Marcos Andrade, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12055–12077, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12055-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12055-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Levels of black carbon (BC) are scarcely reported in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in high-altitude conditions. This study provides insight into the concentration level, variability, and optical properties of BC in La Paz and El Alto and at the Chacaltaya Global Atmosphere Watch Station. Two methods of source apportionment of absorption were tested and compared showing traffic as the main contributor to absorption in the urban area, in addition to biomass and open waste burning.
Krishnakant Budhavant, Mohanan Remani Manoj, Hari Ram Chandrika Rajendran Nair, Samuel Mwaniki Gaita, Henry Holmstrand, Abdus Salam, Ahmed Muslim, Sreedharan Krishnakumari Satheesh, and Örjan Gustafsson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11911–11925, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11911-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11911-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The South Asian Pollution Experiment 2018 used access to three strategically located receptor observatories. Observational constraints revealed opposing trends in the mass absorption cross sections of black carbon (BC MAC) and brown carbon (BrC MAC) during long-range transport. Models estimating the climate effects of BC aerosols may have underestimated the ambient BC MAC over distant receptor areas, leading to discrepancies in aerosol absorption predicted by observation-constrained models.
Abigail S. Williams, Jeramy L. Dedrick, Lynn M. Russell, Florian Tornow, Israel Silber, Ann M. Fridlind, Benjamin Swanson, Paul J. DeMott, Paul Zieger, and Radovan Krejci
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11791–11805, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11791-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11791-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The measured aerosol size distribution modes reveal distinct properties characteristic of cold-air outbreaks in the Norwegian Arctic. We find higher sea spray number concentrations, smaller Hoppel minima, lower effective supersaturations, and accumulation-mode particle scavenging during cold-air outbreaks. These results advance our understanding of cold-air outbreak aerosol–cloud interactions in order to improve their accurate representation in models.
Franziska Vogel, Michael P. Adams, Larissa Lacher, Polly B. Foster, Grace C. E. Porter, Barbara Bertozzi, Kristina Höhler, Julia Schneider, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Jens Nadolny, Zoé Brasseur, Paavo Heikkilä, Erik S. Thomson, Nicole Büttner, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Alexander D. Harrison, Jorma Keskinen, Ulrike Proske, Jonathan Duplissy, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Benjamin J. Murray
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11737–11757, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Primary ice formation in clouds strongly influences their properties; hence, it is important to understand the sources of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) and their variability. We present 2 months of INP measurements in a Finnish boreal forest using a new semi-autonomous INP counting device based on gas expansion. These results show strong variability in INP concentrations, and we present a case that the INPs we observe are, at least some of the time, of biological origin.
Rebecca Dischl, Daniel Sauer, Christiane Voigt, Theresa Harlaß, Felicitas Sakellariou, Raphael Märkl, Ulrich Schumann, Monika Scheibe, Stefan Kaufmann, Anke Roiger, Andreas Dörnbrack, Charles Renard, Maxime Gauthier, Peter Swann, Paul Madden, Darren Luff, Mark Johnson, Denise Ahrens, Reetu Sallinen, Tobias Schripp, Georg Eckel, Uwe Bauder, and Patrick Le Clercq
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11255–11273, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11255-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11255-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In-flight measurements of aircraft emissions burning 100 % sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) show reduced particle number concentrations up to 41 % compared to conventional jet fuel. Particle emissions are dependent on engine power setting, flight altitude, and fuel composition. Engine models show a good correlation with measurement results. Future increased prevalence of SAF can positively influence the climate impact of aviation.
Zoé Brasseur, Julia Schneider, Janne Lampilahti, Ville Vakkari, Victoria A. Sinclair, Christina J. Williamson, Carlton Xavier, Dmitri Moisseev, Markus Hartmann, Pyry Poutanen, Markus Lampimäki, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Erik S. Thomson, Kristina Höhler, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11305–11332, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11305-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11305-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) strongly influence the formation of clouds by initiating the formation of ice crystals. However, very little is known about the vertical distribution of INPs in the atmosphere. Here, we present aircraft measurements of INP concentrations above the Finnish boreal forest. Results show that near-surface INPs are efficiently transported and mixed within the boundary layer and occasionally reach the free troposphere.
Piotr Markuszewski, E. Douglas Nilsson, Julika Zinke, E. Monica Mårtensson, Matthew Salter, Przemysław Makuch, Małgorzata Kitowska, Iwona Niedźwiecka-Wróbel, Violetta Drozdowska, Dominik Lis, Tomasz Petelski, Luca Ferrero, and Jacek Piskozub
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11227–11253, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11227-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11227-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Our research provides new insights into the study of sea spray aerosol (SSA) emissions in the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic. We observed that SSA flux is suppressed during increased marine biological activity in the Baltic Sea. At the same time, the influence of wave age showed higher SSA emissions in the Baltic Sea for younger waves compared to the Atlantic Ocean. These insights underscore the complex interplay between biological activity and physical dynamics in regulating SSA emissions.
Heather Guy, Andrew S. Martin, Erik Olson, Ian M. Brooks, and Ryan R. Neely III
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11103–11114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11103-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles impact cloud properties which influence Greenland Ice Sheet melt. Understanding the aerosol population that interacts with clouds is important for constraining future melt. Measurements of aerosols at cloud height over Greenland are rare, and surface measurements are often used to investigate cloud–aerosol interactions. We use a tethered balloon to measure aerosols up to cloud base and show that surface measurements are often not equivalent to those just below the cloud.
Kouji Adachi, Jack E. Dibb, Joseph M. Katich, Joshua P. Schwarz, Hongyu Guo, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Jose L. Jimenez, Jeff Peischl, Christopher D. Holmes, and James Crawford
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10985–11004, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10985-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10985-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We examined aerosol particles from wildfires and identified tarballs (TBs) from the Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) campaign. This study reveals the compositions, abundance, sizes, and mixing states of TBs and shows that TBs formed as the smoke aged for up to 5 h. This study provides measurements of TBs from various biomass-burning events and ages, enhancing our knowledge of TB emissions and our understanding of their climate impact.
Jia Sun, Markus Hermann, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Wolfram Birmili, Yifan Yang, Thomas Tuch, Harald Flentje, Björn Briel, Ludwig Ries, Cedric Couret, Michael Elsasser, Ralf Sohmer, Klaus Wirtz, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Schütze, Olaf Bath, Bryan Hellack, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Nan Ma, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10667–10687, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the characteristics of new particle formation (NPF) for various environments from urban background to high Alpine and the impacts of NPF on cloud condensation nuclei and aerosol radiative forcing. NPF features differ between site categories, implying the crucial role of local environmental factors such as the degree of emissions and meteorological conditions. The results also underscore the importance of local environments when assessing the impact of NPF on climate in models.
Cited articles
Bohren, C. F. and Huffman, D. R.: Absorption and Scattering of Light by Small Particles, John Wiley, Hoboken, 477–482, 1983.
Carrico, C., Rood, M., and Ogren, J.: Aerosol light scattering properties at Cape Grim, Tasmania, during the first Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE 1), J. Geophys. Res., 103, 16565–16574, https://doi.org/10.1029/98JD00685, 1998.
Carrico, C., Rood, M., Ogren, J., Neusüß, C., Wiedensohler, A., and Heintzenberg, J.: Aerosol optical properties at Sagres, Portugal, during ACE-2, Tellus B, 52, 694–715, https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0889.2000.00049.x, 2000.
Carrico, C., Kus, P., Rood, M., Quinn, P., and Bates, T.: Mixtures of pollution, dust, sea salt, and volcanic aerosol during ACE-Asia: Radiative properties as a function of relative humidity, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 8650, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JD003405, 2003.
Charlson, R. J., Schwartz, S. E., Hales, J. M., Cess, R. D., Coakley Jr., J. A., Hansen, J. E., and Hofmann, D. J.: Climate forcing by anthropogenic aerosols, Science, 255, 423–430, 1992.
Cheng, Y. F., Eichler, H., Wiedensohler, A., Heintzenberg, J., Zhang, Y. H., Hu, M., Herrmann, H., Zeng, L. M., Liu, S., Gnauk, T., Brüggemann, E., and He, L. Y.: Mixing state of elemental carbon and non-light-absorbing aerosol components derived from in situ particle optical properties at Xinken in Pearl River Delta of China, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D20204, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006929, 2006.
Cheng, Y. F., Wiedensohler, A., Eichler, H., Su, H., Gnauk, T., Brüggemann, E., Herrmann, H., Heintzenberg, J., Slanina, J., Tuch, T., Hu, M., and Zhang, Y. H.: Aerosol optical properties and related chemical apportionment at Xinken in Pearl River Delta of China, Atmos. Environ., 42, 6351–6372, 2008.
Chen, J., Zhao, C. S., Ma, N., Liu, P. F., Göbel, T., Hallbauer, E., Deng, Z. Z., Ran, L., Xu, W. Y., Liang, Z., Liu, H. J., Yan, P., Zhou, X. J., and Wiedensohler, A.: A parameterization of low visibilities for hazy days in the North China Plain, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 4935–4950, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-4935-2012, 2012.
Covert, D. S., Charlson, R. J., and Ahlquist, N. C.: A study of the relationship of chemical composition and humidity to light scattering by aerosols, J. Appl. Meteorol., 11, 968–976, 1972.
Deng, Z. Z., Zhao, C. S., Ma, N., Liu, P. F., Ran, L., Xu, W. Y., Chen, J., Liang, Z., Liang, S., Huang, M. Y., Ma, X. C., Zhang, Q., Quan, J. N., Yan, P., Henning, S., Mildenberger, K., Sommerhage, E., Schäfer, M., Stratmann, F., and Wiedensohler, A.: Size-resolved and bulk activation properties of aerosols in the North China Plain, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 3835–3846, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-3835-2011, 2011.
Dusek, U., Frank, G. P., Hildebrandt, L., Curtius, J., Schneider, J., Walter, S., Chand, D., Drewnick, F., Hings, S., Jung, D., Borrmann, S., and Andreae, M. O.: Size matters more than chemistry for cloud-nucleating ability of aerosol particles, Science, 312, 1375–1378, 2006.
Ervens, B., Cubison, M., Andrews, E., Feingold, G., Ogren, J. A., Jimenez, J. L., DeCarlo, P., and Nenes, A.: Prediction of cloud condensation nucleus number concentration using measurements of aerosol size distributions and composition and light scattering enhancement due to humidity, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D10S32, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007426, 2007.
Fierz-Schmidhauser, R., Zieger, P., Gysel, M., Kammermann, L., DeCarlo, P. F., Baltensperger, U., and Weingartner, E.: Measured and predicted aerosol light scattering enhancement factors at the high alpine site Jungfraujoch, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 2319–2333, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-2319-2010, 2010a.
Fierz-Schmidhauser, R., Zieger, P., Vaishya, A., Monahan, C., Bialek, J., O'Dowd, C. D., Jennings, S. G., Baltensperger, U., and Weingartner, E.: Light scattering enhancement factors in the marine boundary layer (Mace Head, Ireland), J. Geophys. Res., 115, D20204, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009jd013755, 2010b.
Fierz-Schmidhauser, R., Zieger, P., Wehrle, G., Jefferson, A., Ogren, J. A., Baltensperger, U., and Weingartner, E.: Measurement of relative humidity dependent light scattering of aerosols, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 3, 39–50, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-3-39-2010, 2010c.
Fitzgerald, J., Hoppel, W., and Vietti, M.: The size and scattering coefficient of urban aerosol particles at Washington, DC as a function of relative humidity, J. Atmos. Sci., 39, 1838–1852, 1982.
Gasso, S., Hegg, D., Covert, D., Collins, D., Noone, K., Öström, E., Schmid, B., Russell, P., Livingston, J., Durkee, P., and Jonsson, H.: Influence of humidity on the aerosol scattering coefficient and its effect on the upwelling radiance during ACE-2, Tellus B, 52, 546–567, 2000.
Hegg, D. A., Covert, D. S., Crahan, K., and Jonssen, H.: The dependence of aerosol light-scattering on RH over the Pacific Ocean, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, 1219, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001GL014495, 2002.
IPCC: Climate Change 2007 – The Physical Science Basis, edited by: Solomon, S., Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, 2007.
Khalizov, A. F., Xue, H., Wang, L., Zheng, J., and Zhang, R.: Enhanced Light Absorption and Scattering by Carbon Soot Aerosol Internally Mixed with Sulfuric Acid, J. Phys. Chem. A, 113, 1066–1074, 2009.
Kim, J., Yoon, S.-C., Jefferson, A., and Kim, S.-W.: Aerosol hygroscopic properties during Asian dust, pollution, and biomass burning episodes at Gosan, Korea, in April 2001, Atmos. Environ., 40, 1550–1560, 2006.
Kotchenruther, R. and Hobbs, P.: Humidification factors of aerosols from biomass burning in Brazil, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 32081–32089, https://doi.org/10.1029/98JD00340, 1998.
Kotchenruther, R. A., Hobbs, P. V., and Hegg, D. A.: Humidification factors for atmospheric aerosols off the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. J. Geophys. Res., 104, 2239–2251, 1999.
Lance, S., Medina, J., Smith, J. N., and Nenes, A.: Mapping the operation of the dmt continuous flow CCN counter, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 40, 242–254, 2006.
Lesins, G., Chylek, P., and Lohman, U.: A study of internal and external mixing scenarios and its effect on aerosol optical properties and direct radiative forcing, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 4094, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD000973, 2002.
Li-Jones, X., Maring, H., and Prospero, J.: Effect of relative humidity on light scattering by mineral dust aerosol as measured in the marine boundary layer over the tropical Atlantic Ocean, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 31113–31121, https://doi.org/10.1029/98JD01800, 1998.
Liu, H. J., Zhao, C. S., Nekat, B., Ma, N., Wiedensohler, A., van Pinxteren, D., Spindler, G., Müller, K., and Herrmann, H.: Aerosol hygroscopicity derived from size-segregated chemical composition and its parameterization in the North China Plain, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2525–2539, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2525-2014, 2014.
Liu, P., Zhao, C., Zhang, Q., Deng, Z., Huang, M., Ma, X., and Tie, X.: Aircraft study of aerosol vertical distributions over Beijing and their optical properties, Tellus B, 61, 756–767, 2009.
Liu, P. F., Zhao, C. S., Göbel, T., Hallbauer, E., Nowak, A., Ran, L., Xu, W. Y., Deng, Z. Z., Ma, N., Mildenberger, K., Henning, S., Stratmann, F., and Wiedensohler, A.: Hygroscopic properties of aerosol particles at high relative humidity and their diurnal variations in the North China Plain, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 3479–3494, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-3479-2011, 2011.
Malm, W. C. and Day, D. E.: Estimates of aerosol species scattering characteristics as a function of relative humidity, Atmos. Environ., 35, 2845–2860, https://doi.org/10.1016/s1352-2310(01)00077-2, 2001.
Malm, W. C., Day, D. E., Kreidenweis, S. M., Collett, J. L., and Lee, T.: Humidity-dependent optical properties of fine particles during the big bend regional aerosol and visibility observational study, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4279, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002jd002998, 2003.
Ma, N., Zhao, C. S., Nowak, A., Müller, T., Pfeifer, S., Cheng, Y. F., Deng, Z. Z., Liu, P. F., Xu, W. Y., Ran, L., Yan, P., Göbel, T., Hallbauer, E., Mildenberger, K., Henning, S., Yu, J., Chen, L. L., Zhou, X. J., Stratmann, F., and Wiedensohler, A.: Aerosol optical properties in the North China Plain during HaChi campaign: an in-situ optical closure study, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 5959–5973, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-5959-2011, 2011.
Massling, A., Stock, M., Wehner, B., Wu, Z. J., Hu, M., Brüggemann, E., Gnauk, T., Herrmann, H., and Wiedensohler, A.: Size segregated water uptake of the urban submicrometer aerosol in Beijing, Atmos. Environ., 43, 1578–1589, 2009.
McInnes, L., Bergin, M., Ogren, J., and Schwartz, S.: Apportionment of light scattering and hygroscopic growth to aerosol composition, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 513–516, https://doi.org/10.1029/98GL00127, 1998.
Meier, J., Wehner, B., Massling, A., Birmili, W., Nowak, A., Gnauk, T., Brüggemann, E., Herrmann, H., Min, H., and Wiedensohler, A.: Hygroscopic growth of urban aerosol particles in Beijing (China) during wintertime: a comparison of three experimental methods, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 6865–6880, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-6865-2009, 2009.
Mie, G.: Beiträge zur optic trüber Medien speziell kolloidaler Metallösungen, Ann. Phys., 25, 377–445, 1908.
Nessler, R., Weingartner, E., and Baltensperger, U.: Adaptation of dry nephelometer measurements to ambient conditions at the Jungfraujoch, Environ. Sci. Technol., 39, 2219–2228, 2005.
Pagels, J., Khalizov, A. F., McMurry, P. H., and Zhang, R. Y.: Processing of Soot by Controlled Sulphuric Acid and Water Condensation–-Mass and Mobility Relationship, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 43, 629–640, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820902810685, 2009.
Pan, X. L., Yan, P., Tang, J., Ma, J. Z., Wang, Z. F., Gbaguidi, A., and Sun, Y. L.: Observational study of influence of aerosol hygroscopic growth on scattering coefficient over rural area near Beijing mega-city, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 7519–7530, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-7519-2009, 2009.
Petters, M. D. and Kreidenweis, S. M.: A single parameter representation of hygroscopic growth and cloud condensation nucleus activity, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 1961–1971, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-1961-2007, 2007.
Pilat, M. J. and Charlson, R. J.: Theoretical and optical studies of humidity effects on the size distribution of hygroscopic aerosol, J. Rech. Atmos., 1, 165–170, 1966.
Randriamiarisoa, H., Chazette, P., Couvert, P., Sanak, J., and Mégie, G.: Relative humidity impact on aerosol parameters in a Paris suburban area, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 1389–1407, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-1389-2006, 2006.
Ran, L., Zhao, C. S., Xu, W. Y., Lu, X. Q., Han, M., Lin, W. L., Yan, P., Xu, X. B., Deng, Z. Z., Ma, N., Liu, P. F., Yu, J., Liang, W. D., and Chen, L. L.: VOC reactivity and its effect on ozone production during the HaChi summer campaign, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 4657–4667, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-4657-2011, 2011.
Roberts, G. C. and Nenes, A.: A continuous-flow streamwise thermal-gradient CCN chamber for atmospheric measurements, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 39, 206–221, 2005.
Schwartz, S.: The Whitehouse Effect–Shortwave radiative forcing of climate by anthropogenic aerosols: An overview, J. Aerosol Sci., 27, 359–382, 1996.
Seinfeld, J. H. and Pandis, S. N.: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1998.
Sheridan, P., Delene, D., and Ogren, J.: Four years of continuous surface aerosol measurements from the Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation measurement Program Southern Great Plains Cloud and Radiation Testbed site, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 20735–20747, 2001.
Wang, W., Rood, M., Carrico, C., Covert, D., Quinn, P., and Bates, T.: Aerosol optical properties along the northeast coast of North America during the New England Air Quality Study – Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation 2004 campaign and the influence of aerosol composition, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D10S23, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007579, 2007.
Xu, W. Y., Zhao, C. S., Ran, L., Deng, Z. Z., Liu, P. F., Ma, N., Lin, W. L., Xu, X. B., Yan, P., He, X., Yu, J., Liang, W. D., and Chen, L. L.: Characteristics of pollutants and their correlation to meteorological conditions at a suburban site in the North China Plain, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 4353–4369, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-4353-2011, 2011.
Yan, P., Pan, X., Tang, J., Zhou, X., Zhang, R., and Zeng, L.: Hygroscopic growth of aerosol scattering coefficient: A comparative analysis between urban and suburban sites at winter in Beijing, Particuology, 7, 52–60, 2009.
Yang, F., Tan, J., Zhao, Q., Du, Z., He, K., Ma, Y., Duan, F., Chen, G., and Zhao, Q.: Characteristics of PM2.5 speciation in representative megacities and across China, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 5207–5219, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-5207-2011, 2011.
Yuan, C.-S., Lee, C.-G., Liu, S.-H., Chang, J.-C., Yuan, C., and Yang, H.-Y.: Correlation of atmospheric visibility with chemical composition of Kaohsiung aerosols, Atmos. Res., 82, 663–679, 2006.
Zieger, P., Fierz-Schmidhauser, R., Gysel, M., Ström, J., Henne, S., Yttri, K. E., Baltensperger, U., and Weingartner, E.: Effects of relative humidity on aerosol light scattering in the Arctic, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 3875–3890, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-3875-2010, 2010.
Zieger, P., Weingartner, E., Henzing, J., Moerman, M., de Leeuw, G., Mikkilä, J., Ehn, M., Petäjä, T., Clémer, K., van Roozendael, M., Yilmaz, S., Frieß, U., Irie, H., Wagner, T., Shaiganfar, R., Beirle, S., Apituley, A., Wilson, K., and Baltensperger, U.: Comparison of ambient aerosol extinction coefficients obtained from in-situ, MAX-DOAS and LIDAR measurements at Cabauw, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 2603–2624, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-2603-2011, 2011.
Zieger, P., Kienast-Sjögren, E., Starace, M., von Bismarck, J., Bukowiecki, N., Baltensperger, U., Wienhold, F. G., Peter, T., Ruhtz, T., Collaud Coen, M., Vuilleumier, L., Maier, O., Emili, E., Popp, C., and Weingartner, E.: Spatial variation of aerosol optical properties around the high-alpine site Jungfraujoch (3580 m a.s.l.), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 7231–7249, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-7231-2012, 2012.
Zieger, P., Fierz-Schmidhauser, R., Weingartner, E., and Baltensperger, U.: Effects of relative humidity on aerosol light scattering: results from different European sites, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 10609–10631, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10609-2013, 2013.
Special issue
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint