Articles | Volume 24, issue 22 
            
                
                    
            
            
            https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12881-2024
                    © Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under 
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
                the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12881-2024
                    © Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under 
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
                the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Understanding the mechanism and importance of brown carbon bleaching across the visible spectrum in biomass burning plumes from the WE-CAN campaign
Yingjie Shen
                                            Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
                                        
                                    Rudra P. Pokhrel
                                            Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
                                        
                                    
                                            now at: Air Pollution Control Division, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, CO 80246, USA
                                        
                                    Amy P. Sullivan
                                            Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
                                        
                                    Ezra J. T. Levin
                                            Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
                                        
                                    
                                            now at: METEC Research Group, Colorado State University Energy Institute, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA
                                        
                                    Lauren A. Garofalo
                                            Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
                                        
                                    Delphine K. Farmer
                                            Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
                                        
                                    Wade Permar
                                            Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
                                        
                                    
                                            Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
                                        
                                    Darin W. Toohey
                                            Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
                                        
                                    Teresa Campos
                                            National Center for Atmospheric Research, Atmospheric Chemistry Division, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
                                        
                                    Emily V. Fischer
                                            Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
                                        
                                    Shane M. Murphy
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
                                            
                                    
                                            Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
                                        
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                            Cited
7 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Rapid Nighttime Darkening of Biomass Burning Brown Carbon by Nitrate Radicals Is Suppressed by Prior Daytime Photochemical Aging C. Liu-Kang et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.5c00003
- Enrichment of organic nitrogen in fog residuals observed in the Italian Po Valley F. Mattsson et al. 10.5194/acp-25-7973-2025
- The impact of particle size and volatile organics on the light absorption of wildfire-like brown carbon emissions from wood combustion C. Moularas et al. 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109626
- Seasonal and wildfire biomass burning impact on gas-fuel heated northern European megacity: brown carbon apportionment O. Popovicheva et al. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121325
- Atmospheric Evolution of Brown Carbon from Wildfires in North America J. Chen et al. 10.1021/acs.est.5c09020
- Chemical Characterization of Primary Water-Soluble Organic Gas Emissions from African Biomass Burning C. Christensen et al. 10.1021/acsestair.5c00229
- Recent Advances in Wildland Fire Smoke Dynamics Research in the United States Y. Liu et al. 10.3390/atmos16111221
7 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Rapid Nighttime Darkening of Biomass Burning Brown Carbon by Nitrate Radicals Is Suppressed by Prior Daytime Photochemical Aging C. Liu-Kang et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.5c00003
- Enrichment of organic nitrogen in fog residuals observed in the Italian Po Valley F. Mattsson et al. 10.5194/acp-25-7973-2025
- The impact of particle size and volatile organics on the light absorption of wildfire-like brown carbon emissions from wood combustion C. Moularas et al. 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109626
- Seasonal and wildfire biomass burning impact on gas-fuel heated northern European megacity: brown carbon apportionment O. Popovicheva et al. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121325
- Atmospheric Evolution of Brown Carbon from Wildfires in North America J. Chen et al. 10.1021/acs.est.5c09020
- Chemical Characterization of Primary Water-Soluble Organic Gas Emissions from African Biomass Burning C. Christensen et al. 10.1021/acsestair.5c00229
- Recent Advances in Wildland Fire Smoke Dynamics Research in the United States Y. Liu et al. 10.3390/atmos16111221
Latest update: 30 Oct 2025
Short summary
                    The magnitude and evolution of brown carbon (BrC) absorption remain unclear, with uncertainty in climate models. Data from the WE-CAN airborne experiment show that model parameterizations overestimate the mass absorption cross section (MAC) of BrC. Observed decreases in BrC absorption with chemical markers are due to decreasing organic aerosol (OA) mass rather than a decreasing BrC MAC, which is currently implemented in models. Water-soluble BrC contributes 23 % of total absorption at 660 nm.
                    The magnitude and evolution of brown carbon (BrC) absorption remain unclear, with uncertainty in...
                    
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