Articles | Volume 25, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2423-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-25-2423-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
25 Feb 2025
Research article |
| 25 Feb 2025
| 25 Feb 2025
Characterization of atmospheric water-soluble brown carbon in the Athabasca oil sands region, Canada
School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8, Canada
Mark Gordon
Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada
Duc Huy Dang
School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8, Canada
Department of Chemistry, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8, Canada
Paul Andrew Makar
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Julian Aherne
School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8, Canada
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Debora Griffin, Chris A. McLinden, Enrico Dammers, Cristen Adams, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Carsten Warneke, Ilann Bourgeois, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Kyle J. Zarzana, Jake P. Rowe, Rainer Volkamer, Christoph Knote, Natalie Kille, Theodore K. Koenig, Christopher F. Lee, Drew Rollins, Pamela S. Rickly, Jack Chen, Lukas Fehr, Adam Bourassa, Doug Degenstein, Katherine Hayden, Cristian Mihele, Sumi N. Wren, John Liggio, Ayodeji Akingunola, and Paul Makar
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Satellite-derived NOx emissions from biomass burning are estimated with TROPOMI observations. Two common emission estimation methods are applied, and sensitivity tests with model output were performed to determine the accuracy of these methods. The effect of smoke aerosols on TROPOMI NO2 columns is estimated and compared to aircraft observations from four different aircraft campaigns measuring biomass burning plumes in 2018 and 2019 in North America.
Stefano Galmarini, Paul Makar, Olivia E. Clifton, Christian Hogrefe, Jesse O. Bash, Roberto Bellasio, Roberto Bianconi, Johannes Bieser, Tim Butler, Jason Ducker, Johannes Flemming, Alma Hodzic, Christopher D. Holmes, Ioannis Kioutsioukis, Richard Kranenburg, Aurelia Lupascu, Juan Luis Perez-Camanyo, Jonathan Pleim, Young-Hee Ryu, Roberto San Jose, Donna Schwede, Sam Silva, and Ralf Wolke
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15663–15697, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15663-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15663-2021, 2021
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This technical note presents the research protocols for phase 4 of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII4). This initiative has three goals: (i) to define the state of wet and dry deposition in regional models, (ii) to evaluate how dry deposition influences air concentration and flux predictions, and (iii) to identify the causes for prediction differences. The evaluation compares LULC-specific dry deposition and effective conductances and fluxes.
Sepehr Fathi, Mark Gordon, Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Andrea Darlington, John Liggio, Katherine Hayden, and Shao-Meng Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15461–15491, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15461-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15461-2021, 2021
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Xinxin Ye, Pargoal Arab, Ravan Ahmadov, Eric James, Georg A. Grell, Bradley Pierce, Aditya Kumar, Paul Makar, Jack Chen, Didier Davignon, Greg R. Carmichael, Gonzalo Ferrada, Jeff McQueen, Jianping Huang, Rajesh Kumar, Louisa Emmons, Farren L. Herron-Thorpe, Mark Parrington, Richard Engelen, Vincent-Henri Peuch, Arlindo da Silva, Amber Soja, Emily Gargulinski, Elizabeth Wiggins, Johnathan W. Hair, Marta Fenn, Taylor Shingler, Shobha Kondragunta, Alexei Lyapustin, Yujie Wang, Brent Holben, David M. Giles, and Pablo E. Saide
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14427–14469, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14427-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14427-2021, 2021
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Paul A. Makar, Craig Stroud, Ayodeji Akingunola, Junhua Zhang, Shuzhan Ren, Philip Cheung, and Qiong Zheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 12291–12316, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12291-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12291-2021, 2021
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Vehicle pollutant emissions occur in an environment where upward transport can be enhanced due to the turbulence created by the vehicles as they move through the atmosphere. An approach for including these turbulence effects in regional air pollution forecast models has been derived from theoretical, observation, and higher-resolution modeling. The enhanced mixing, which occurs in the immediate vicinity of roadways, changes pollutant concentrations on the regional to continental scale.
Zhiyong Wu, Leiming Zhang, John T. Walker, Paul A. Makar, Judith A. Perlinger, and Xuemei Wang
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 5093–5105, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5093-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5093-2021, 2021
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Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Jack Chen, Balbir Pabla, Wanmin Gong, Craig Stroud, Christopher Sioris, Kerry Anderson, Philip Cheung, Junhua Zhang, and Jason Milbrandt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10557–10587, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10557-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10557-2021, 2021
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We have examined the effects of airborne particles on absorption and scattering of incoming sunlight by the particles themselves via cloud formation. We used an advanced, combined high-resolution weather forecast and chemical transport computer model, for western North America, and simulations with and without the connections between particles and weather enabled. Feedbacks improved weather and air pollution forecasts and changed cloud behaviour and forest-fire pollutant amount and height.
Katherine Hayden, Shao-Meng Li, Paul Makar, John Liggio, Samar G. Moussa, Ayodeji Akingunola, Robert McLaren, Ralf M. Staebler, Andrea Darlington, Jason O'Brien, Junhua Zhang, Mengistu Wolde, and Leiming Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8377–8392, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8377-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8377-2021, 2021
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We developed a method using aircraft measurements to determine lifetimes with respect to dry deposition for oxidized sulfur and nitrogen compounds over the boreal forest in Alberta, Canada. Atmospheric lifetimes were significantly shorter than derived from chemical transport models with differences related to modelled dry deposition velocities. The shorter lifetimes suggest models need to reassess dry deposition treatment and predictions of sulfur and nitrogen in the atmosphere and ecosystems.
Debora Griffin, Christopher Sioris, Jack Chen, Nolan Dickson, Andrew Kovachik, Martin de Graaf, Swadhin Nanda, Pepijn Veefkind, Enrico Dammers, Chris A. McLinden, Paul Makar, and Ayodeji Akingunola
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 1427–1445, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-1427-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-1427-2020, 2020
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This study looks into validating the aerosol layer height product from the recently launched TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) for forest fire plume through comparisons with two other satellite products, and interpreting differences due to the individual measurement techniques. These satellite observations are compared to predicted plume heights from Environment and Climate Change's air quality forecast model.
Cynthia H. Whaley, Elisabeth Galarneau, Paul A. Makar, Michael D. Moran, and Junhua Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 2911–2925, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2911-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-2911-2020, 2020
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Benzene and polycyclic aromatic compounds are toxic air pollutants and ubiquitous in the environment. Using a chemical transport model, we have determined the net impact of vehicle emissions on ambient concentrations of these species. Traffic emissions were found to be a significant fraction of ambient pollution in the densely populated modelled region of North America. Our simulations demonstrate the air quality benefits that would result from transitioning to a zero-emission vehicle fleet.
Matthew Russell, Amir Hakami, Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Junhua Zhang, Michael D. Moran, and Qiong Zheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 4393–4417, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4393-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-4393-2019, 2019
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High-resolution air-quality forecast modeling results are compared for two different grid spacings for the Environment and Climate Change Canada GEM-MACH model. While the higher-resolution simulations have worse formal error scores, we show that the higher-resolution model nevertheless has the ability to better resolve plume maxima and has better performance when the evaluation occurs using new scoring metrics which operate on an equal-representative-area basis.
Cristen Adams, Chris A. McLinden, Mark W. Shephard, Nolan Dickson, Enrico Dammers, Jack Chen, Paul Makar, Karen E. Cady-Pereira, Naomi Tam, Shailesh K. Kharol, Lok N. Lamsal, and Nickolay A. Krotkov
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 2577–2599, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2577-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-2577-2019, 2019
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We estimated how much carbon monoxide, ammonia, and nitrogen oxides were emitted in the smoke from the Fort McMurray Horse River wildfire using satellite data and air quality models. The fire emitted amounts of carbon monoxide that were similar to anthropogenic (human-caused) emissions for all of Alberta over a full year. We also estimated large amounts of ammonia and nitrogen oxides emitted from the fire. These results can be used to evaluate the performance of air quality forecasting models.
Mark Gordon, Paul A. Makar, Ralf M. Staebler, Junhua Zhang, Ayodeji Akingunola, Wanmin Gong, and Shao-Meng Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 14695–14714, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-14695-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-14695-2018, 2018
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This work uses aircraft-based measurements of smokestack plumes carried out in northern Alberta in 2013. These measurements are used to test equations used to predict how high in the air smokestack plumes rise. It is important to predict plume rise height accurately as it tells us how far downwind pollutants are carried and what air quality can be expected at the surface. We found that the equations that are typically used significantly underestimate the plume rise at this location.
Craig A. Stroud, Paul A. Makar, Junhua Zhang, Michael D. Moran, Ayodeji Akingunola, Shao-Meng Li, Amy Leithead, Katherine Hayden, and May Siu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 13531–13545, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13531-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13531-2018, 2018
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It is shown that using measurement-derived volatile organic compound (VOC) and organic aerosol (OA) emissions in the GEM-MACH air quality model provides better overall predictions compared to using bottom-up emission inventories. This work was done to better constrain the fugitive organic emissions from the Athabasca oil sands region, which are a challenge to estimate with bottom-up emission approaches. We use observations from the 2013 Joint Oil Sands Monitoring study.
Junhua Zhang, Michael D. Moran, Qiong Zheng, Paul A. Makar, Pegah Baratzadeh, George Marson, Peter Liu, and Shao-Meng Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 10459–10481, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-10459-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-10459-2018, 2018
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This paper discusses the development of new synthesized emissions inventories and the generation of air quality model-ready emissions files for the Athabasca Oil Sands Region of Alberta, Canada, using multiple emissions inventories, continuous emissions monitoring data, and inferred emission rates based on aircraft measurements. Novel facility-specific gridded spatial surrogate fields were generated to allocate emissions spatially within each huge mining facility.
Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Julian Aherne, Amanda S. Cole, Yayne-abeba Aklilu, Junhua Zhang, Isaac Wong, Katherine Hayden, Shao-Meng Li, Jane Kirk, Ken Scott, Michael D. Moran, Alain Robichaud, Hazel Cathcart, Pegah Baratzedah, Balbir Pabla, Philip Cheung, Qiong Zheng, and Dean S. Jeffries
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 9897–9927, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9897-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-9897-2018, 2018
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Complex computer model output was compared to and fused with observation data, to estimate potential damage due to acidifying precipitation for ecosystems in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Estimated deposition was compared to the maximum no-damage ecosystem capacity for sulfur and/or nitrogen uptake; these critical loads were exceeded, for areas between 10 000 and 330 000 square kilometres, depending on ecosystem type: ecosystem damage will occur at 2013 emission levels.
Cynthia H. Whaley, Elisabeth Galarneau, Paul A. Makar, Ayodeji Akingunola, Wanmin Gong, Sylvie Gravel, Michael D. Moran, Craig Stroud, Junhua Zhang, and Qiong Zheng
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 2609–2632, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2609-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-2609-2018, 2018
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We present a new, high-resolution, North American model of PAHs and benzene, which are toxic air pollutants that cause a variety of negative health impacts. Our simulation in a densely populated region of Canada and the U.S. shows that the model is improved over a previous model. The new model is particularly refined regarding the gas–particle partitioning of these pollutants, which has impacts on deposition and inhalation. The simulation was sensitive to the selection of vehicle emissions.
Ayodeji Akingunola, Paul A. Makar, Junhua Zhang, Andrea Darlington, Shao-Meng Li, Mark Gordon, Michael D. Moran, and Qiong Zheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 8667–8688, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8667-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8667-2018, 2018
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We examine the manner in which air-quality models simulate lofting of buoyant plumes of emissions from stacks (plume rise) and the impact of the level of detail in algorithms simulating particles' variation in size (particle size distribution). The most commonly used plume rise algorithm underestimates the height of plumes compared to observations, while a revised algorithm has much better performance. A 12-bin size distribution reduced the forecast 2-bin size distribution bias error by 32 %.
Sabour Baray, Andrea Darlington, Mark Gordon, Katherine L. Hayden, Amy Leithead, Shao-Meng Li, Peter S. K. Liu, Richard L. Mittermeier, Samar G. Moussa, Jason O'Brien, Ralph Staebler, Mengistu Wolde, Doug Worthy, and Robert McLaren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 7361–7378, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7361-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7361-2018, 2018
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Methane emissions from major oil sands facilities in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) of Alberta were measured in the summer of 2013 using two related aircraft mass-balance approaches. Tailings ponds and fugitive emissions of methane from open pit mines were found to be the major sources of methane in the region. Total methane emissions in the AOSR were measured to be ~ 20 tonnes of CH4 per hour, which is 48 % higher than the Canadian Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Emissions Inventory.
Joana Soares, Paul Andrew Makar, Yayne Aklilu, and Ayodeji Akingunola
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6543–6566, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6543-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6543-2018, 2018
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Grouping data on the basis of (dis)similarity can be used to assess the efficacy of monitoring networks. The data are cross-compared in terms of temporal variation and magnitude of concentrations, and sites are ranked according to their level of potential redundancy. The methodology can be applied to measurement data, helping to identify sites with different measuring technologies or data flaws, and to model output, generating maps of areas of spatial representativeness of a monitoring site.
Cynthia H. Whaley, Paul A. Makar, Mark W. Shephard, Leiming Zhang, Junhua Zhang, Qiong Zheng, Ayodeji Akingunola, Gregory R. Wentworth, Jennifer G. Murphy, Shailesh K. Kharol, and Karen E. Cady-Pereira
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 2011–2034, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-2011-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-2011-2018, 2018
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Using a modified air quality forecasting model, we have found that a significant fraction (> 50 %) of ambient ammonia comes from re-emission from plants and soils in the broader Athabasca Oil Sands region and much of Alberta and Saskatchewan. We also found that about 20 % of ambient ammonia in Alberta and Saskatchewan came from forest fires in the summer of 2013. The addition of these two processes improved modelled ammonia, which was a motivating factor in undertaking this research.
M. W. Shephard, C. A. McLinden, K. E. Cady-Pereira, M. Luo, S. G. Moussa, A. Leithead, J. Liggio, R. M. Staebler, A. Akingunola, P. Makar, P. Lehr, J. Zhang, D. K. Henze, D. B. Millet, J. O. Bash, L. Zhu, K. C. Wells, S. L. Capps, S. Chaliyakunnel, M. Gordon, K. Hayden, J. R. Brook, M. Wolde, and S.-M. Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 5189–5211, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-5189-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-5189-2015, 2015
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This study provides direct validations of Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) satellite retrieved profiles against coincident aircraft profiles of carbon monoxide, ammonia, methanol, and formic acid, all of which are of interest for air quality. The comparisons are performed over the Canadian oil sands region during an intensive field campaign in support of the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for the Oil Sands Monitoring (JOSM). Initial model evaluations are also provided.
M. Gordon, S.-M. Li, R. Staebler, A. Darlington, K. Hayden, J. O'Brien, and M. Wolde
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 3745–3765, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3745-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-3745-2015, 2015
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Aircraft-based measurements of air pollutants from sources in the Canadian oil sands were made during a summer intensive field campaign in 2013. This paper describes the top-down emission rate retrieval algorithm (TERRA) to determine facility emissions of pollutants, using SO2 and CH4 as examples. Uncertainty of the emission rates estimated with TERRA is estimated as less than 30%, which is primarily due to the unknown SO2 and CH4 mixing ratios near the surface below the lowest flight level.
M. Gordon, A. Vlasenko, R. M. Staebler, C. Stroud, P. A. Makar, J. Liggio, S.-M. Li, and S. Brown
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 9087–9097, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-9087-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-9087-2014, 2014
P. A. Makar, R. Nissen, A. Teakles, J. Zhang, Q. Zheng, M. D. Moran, H. Yau, and C. diCenzo
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 1001–1024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1001-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1001-2014, 2014
E. Galarneau, P. A. Makar, Q. Zheng, J. Narayan, J. Zhang, M. D. Moran, M. A. Bari, S. Pathela, A. Chen, and R. Chlumsky
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 4065–4077, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-4065-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-4065-2014, 2014
C. A. McLinden, V. Fioletov, K. F. Boersma, S. K. Kharol, N. Krotkov, L. Lamsal, P. A. Makar, R. V. Martin, J. P. Veefkind, and K. Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 3637–3656, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3637-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-3637-2014, 2014
J. R. Brook, P. A. Makar, D. M. L. Sills, K. L. Hayden, and R. McLaren
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 10461–10482, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10461-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-10461-2013, 2013
C. R. Lonsdale, R. G. Stevens, C. A. Brock, P. A. Makar, E. M. Knipping, and J. R. Pierce
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 11519–11531, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-11519-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-11519-2012, 2012
Related subject area
Subject: Aerosols | Research Activity: Field Measurements | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Chemistry (chemical composition and reactions)
Direct measurement of N2O5 heterogeneous uptake coefficients on atmospheric aerosols in southwestern China and evaluation of current parameterizations
Measurement report: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in particulate matter (PM10) from activated sludge aeration
African dust transported to Barbados in the wintertime lacks indicators of chemical aging
A 60-year atmospheric nitrate isotope record from a southeastern Greenland ice core with minimal postdepositional alteration
Measurement report: Characterization of aerosol hygroscopicity over Southeast Asia during the NASA CAMP2Ex campaign
Molecular characterization of organic aerosols in urban and forested areas of Paris using high-resolution mass spectrometry
Measurement report: Wintertime aerosol characterization at an urban traffic site in Helsinki, Finland
Source apportionment and ecotoxicity of PM2.5 pollution events in a major Southern Hemisphere megacity: influence of a biofuel-impacted fleet and biomass burning
Marine organic aerosol at Mace Head: effects from phytoplankton and source region variability
Fossil-Dominated SOA Formation in Coastal China: Size-Divergent Pathways of Aqueous Fenton Reactions versus Gas-phase VOC Autoxidation
Measurement report: Sources and meteorology influencing highly time-resolved PM2.5 trace elements at three urban sites in the extremely polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain in India
Formation of highly absorptive secondary brown carbon through nighttime multiphase chemistry of biomass burning emissions
Measurement report: Vertically resolved atmospheric properties observed over the Southern Great Plains with the ArcticShark uncrewed aerial system
Technical note: Towards a stronger observational support for haze pollution control by interpreting carbonaceous aerosol results derived from different measurement approaches
Non-biogenic sources are an important but overlooked contributor to aerosol isoprene-derived organosulfates during winter in northern China
Unveiling single-particle composition, size, shape, and mixing state of freshly emitted Icelandic dust via electron microscopy analysis
The critical role of aqueous-phase processes in aromatic-derived nitrogen-containing organic aerosol formation in cities with different energy consumption patterns
Sensitivity of aerosol and cloud properties to coupling strength of marine boundary layer clouds over the northwest Atlantic
Measurement Report: Molecular composition, sources, and evolution of atmospheric organic aerosols in a basin city in China
Burning conditions and transportation pathways determine biomass-burning aerosol properties in the Ascension Island marine boundary layer
Observations of high-time-resolution and size-resolved aerosol chemical composition and microphysics in the central Arctic: implications for climate-relevant particle properties
Measurement report: Brown carbon aerosol in rural Germany – sources, chemistry, and diurnal variations
Particle flux-gradient relationships in the high Arctic: Emission and deposition patterns across three surface types
Climatology of aerosol pH and its controlling factors at the Melpitz continental background site in central Europe
Measurement Report: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated (RPAHs), nitrated (NPAHs) and oxygenated (OPAHs) derivatives in the global marine atmosphere: occurrence, spatial variations, and source apportionment
Multiple eco-regions contribute to the seasonal cycle of Antarctic aerosol size distributions
Seasonal investigation of ultrafine-particle organic composition in an eastern Amazonian rainforest
Characterizing lead-rich particles in Beijing's atmosphere following coal-to-gas conversion: Insights from single particle aerosol mass spectrometry
Contrasting solubility and speciation of metal ions in total suspended particulate matter and fog from the coast of Namibia
Significant secondary formation of nitrogenous organic aerosols in an urban atmosphere revealed by bihourly measurements of bulk organic nitrogen and comprehensive molecular markers
High-resolution analyses of concentrations and sizes of refractory black carbon particles deposited in northwestern Greenland over the past 350 years – Part 2: Seasonal and temporal trends in refractory black carbon originated from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning
Significant role of biomass burning in heavy haze formation in Nanjing, a megacity in China: molecular-level insights from intensive PM2.5 sampling on winter hazy days
Widespread trace bromine and iodine in remote tropospheric non-sea-salt aerosols
Significant contributions of biomass burning to PM2.5-bound aromatic compounds: insights from field observations and quantum chemical calculations
Iron isotopes reveal significant aerosol dissolution over the Pacific Ocean
Formation and chemical evolution of secondary organic aerosol in two different environments: a dual-chamber study
Complementary aerosol mass spectrometry elucidates sources of wintertime sub-micron particle pollution in Fairbanks, Alaska, during ALPACA 2022
Enrichment of organic nitrogen in fog residuals observed in the Italian Po Valley
Technical note: Quantified organic aerosol subsaturated hygroscopicity by a simple optical scatter monitor system through field measurements
Measurement report: Oxidation potential of water-soluble aerosol components in the south and north of Beijing
Enhanced daytime secondary aerosol formation driven by gas–particle partitioning in downwind urban plumes
Technical note: Reconstructing surface missing aerosol elemental carbon data in long-term series with ensemble learning
Understanding the mechanism and importance of brown carbon bleaching across the visible spectrum in biomass burning plumes from the WE-CAN campaign
Influence of terrestrial and marine air mass on the constituents and intermixing of bioaerosols over a coastal atmosphere
A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
The annual cycle and sources of relevant aerosol precursor vapors in the central Arctic during the MOSAiC expedition
Enhanced emission of intermediate/semi-volatile organic matters in both gas and particle phases from ship exhausts with low-sulfur fuels
Advances in characterization of black carbon particles and their associated coatings using the soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer in Singapore, a complex city environment
Measurement report: Crustal materials play an increasing role in elevating particle pH: Insights from 12-year records in a typical inland city of China
Opinion: How will advances in aerosol science inform our understanding of the health impacts of outdoor particulate pollution?
Jiayin Li, Tianyu Zhai, Xiaorui Chen, Haichao Wang, Shuyang Xie, Shiyi Chen, Chunmeng Li, Yuanjun Gong, Huabin Dong, and Keding Lu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6395–6406, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6395-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6395-2025, 2025
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We directly measured the dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) uptake coefficient using an aerosol flow tube, which critically impacts the NOx fate and particulate nitrate formation in a typical highland city, Kunming, in China. We found that the performance of current γ (N2O5) parameterizations showed deviations with the varying aerosol liquid water content (ALWC). Such differences would lead to biased estimation of particulate nitrate production potential. We give suggestions for future research directions.
Jishnu Pandamkulangara Kizhakkethil, Zongbo Shi, Anna Bogush, and Ivan Kourtchev
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5947–5958, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5947-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5947-2025, 2025
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Pollution with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has received attention due to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation, but their sources remain poorly understood. PM10 (particulate matter) collected above a scaled-down activated sludge tank treating domestic sewage in the UK was analysed for a range of short-, medium-, and long-chain PFAS. Eight PFAS were detected in the PM10. Our results suggest that wastewater treatment processes, i.e. activated sludge aeration, could aerosolise PFAS into airborne PM.
Haley M. Royer, Michael T. Sheridan, Hope E. Elliott, Edmund Blades, Nurun Nahar Lata, Zezhen Cheng, Swarup China, Zihua Zhu, Andrew P. Ault, and Cassandra J. Gaston
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5743–5759, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5743-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5743-2025, 2025
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Saharan dust transported across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, South America, and North America is hypothesized to undergo chemical processing by acids that enhances cloud droplet formation and nutrient availability. In this study, chemical analysis performed on African dust deposited over Barbados shows that acid tracers are found mostly on sea salt and smoke particles, rather than dust, indicating that dust particles undergo minimal chemical processing.
Zhao Wei, Shohei Hattori, Asuka Tsuruta, Zhuang Jiang, Sakiko Ishino, Koji Fujita, Sumito Matoba, Lei Geng, Alexis Lamothe, Ryu Uemura, Naohiro Yoshida, Joel Savarino, and Yoshinori Iizuka
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5727–5742, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5727-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5727-2025, 2025
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Nitrate isotope records in ice cores reveal changes in NOₓ emissions and atmospheric oxidation chemistry driven by human activity. However, UV-driven postdepositional processes can alter nitrate in snow, making snow accumulation rates critical for preserving these records. This study examines nitrate isotopes in a southeastern Greenland ice core, where high snow accumulation minimizes these effects, providing a reliable archive of atmospheric nitrogen cycling.
Genevieve Rose Lorenzo, Luke D. Ziemba, Avelino F. Arellano, Mary C. Barth, Ewan C. Crosbie, Joshua P. DiGangi, Glenn S. Diskin, Richard Ferrare, Miguel Ricardo A. Hilario, Michael A. Shook, Simone Tilmes, Jian Wang, Qian Xiao, Jun Zhang, and Armin Sorooshian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5469–5495, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5469-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5469-2025, 2025
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Novel aerosol hygroscopicity analyses of CAMP2Ex (Cloud, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes Philippines Experiment) field campaign data show low aerosol hygroscopicity values in Southeast Asia. Organic carbon from smoke decreases hygroscopicity to levels more like those in continental than in polluted marine regions. Hygroscopicity changes at cloud level demonstrate how surface particles impact clouds in the region, affecting model representation of aerosol and cloud interactions in similar polluted marine regions with high organic carbon emissions.
Diana L. Pereira, Chiara Giorio, Aline Gratien, Alexander Zherebker, Gael Noyalet, Servanne Chevaillier, Stéphanie Alage, Elie Almarj, Antonin Bergé, Thomas Bertin, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Ludovico Di Antonio, Sergio Harb, Johannes Heuser, Cécile Gaimoz, Oscar Guillemant, Brigitte Language, Olivier Lauret, Camilo Macias, Franck Maisonneuve, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, Raquel Torres, Sylvain Triquet, Pascal Zapf, Lelia Hawkins, Drew Pronovost, Sydney Riley, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Emilie Perraudin, Pauline Pouyes, Eric Villenave, Alexandre Albinet, Olivier Favez, Robin Aujay-Plouzeau, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Manuela Cirtog, Claudia Di Biagio, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4885–4905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4885-2025, 2025
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In order to study aerosols in environments influenced by anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, we performed analyses of samples collected during the ACROSS (Atmospheric Chemistry Of the Suburban Forest) campaign in summer 2022 in the greater Paris area. After analysis of the chemical composition by means of total carbon determination and high-resolution mass spectrometry, this work highlights the influence of anthropogenic inputs on the chemical composition of both urban and forested areas.
Kimmo Teinilä, Sanna Saarikoski, Henna Lintusaari, Teemu Lepistö, Petteri Marjanen, Minna Aurela, Heidi Hellén, Toni Tykkä, Markus Lampimäki, Janne Lampilahti, Luis Barreira, Timo Mäkelä, Leena Kangas, Juha Hatakka, Sami Harni, Joel Kuula, Jarkko V. Niemi, Harri Portin, Jaakko Yli-Ojanperä, Ville Niemelä, Milja Jäppi, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Joonas Vanhanen, Liisa Pirjola, Hanna E. Manninen, Tuukka Petäjä, Topi Rönkkö, and Hilkka Timonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4907–4928, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4907-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4907-2025, 2025
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Physical and chemical properties of particulate matter and concentrations of trace gases were measured in a street canyon in Helsinki, Finland, and an urban background site in January–February 2022 to investigate the effect of wintertime conditions on pollutants. State-of-the-art instruments and a mobile laboratory were used, and the measurement data were analysed further with modelling tools like positive matrix factorization and the Pollution Detection Algorithm.
Guilherme Martins Pereira, Leonardo Yoshiaki Kamigauti, Rubens Fabio Pereira, Djacinto Monteiro dos Santos, Thayná da Silva Santos, José Vinicius Martins, Célia Alves, Cátia Gonçalves, Ismael Casotti Rienda, Nora Kováts, Thiago Nogueira, Luciana Rizzo, Paulo Artaxo, Regina Maura de Miranda, Marcia Akemi Yamasoe, Edmilson Dias de Freitas, Pérola de Castro Vasconcellos, and Maria de Fatima Andrade
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4587–4616, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4587-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4587-2025, 2025
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The chemical composition of fine particulate matter was studied in the megacity of São Paulo (Brazil) during a polluted period. Vehicular-related sources remain relevant; however, a high contribution of biomass burning was observed and correlated with sample ecotoxicity. Emerging biomass burning sources, such as forest fires and sugarcane-bagasse-based power plants, highlight the need for additional control measures alongside stricter rules concerning vehicular emissions.
Emmanuel Chevassus, Kirsten N. Fossum, Darius Ceburnis, Lu Lei, Chunshui Lin, Wei Xu, Colin O'Dowd, and Jurgita Ovadnevaite
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4107–4129, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4107-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4107-2025, 2025
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This study presents the first source apportionment of organic aerosol at Mace Head via high-resolution mass spectrometry. Introducing transfer entropy as a novel method reveals that aged organic aerosol originates from both open-ocean ozonolysis and local peat-burning oxidation. Methanesulfonic acid and organic sea spray both mirror phytoplankton activity, with the former closely tied to coccolithophore blooms and the latter linked to diatoms, chlorophytes, and cyanobacteria.
Jia-Yuan Wang, Meng-Xue Tang, Shan Lu, Ke-Jin Tang, Xing Peng, Ling-Yan He, and Xiao-Feng Huang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1034, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1034, 2025
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Our study explores how secondary organic aerosols (SOA), a major component of air pollution, form in different particle sizes in a coastal city in China. We found that SOA in fine particles is mainly produced through aqueous chemical reactions, especially those involving iron. In contrast, coarse particles form SOA through reactions with ozone and gases from both fossil fuels and natural sources. These findings highlight the need for size-specific air pollution models.
Ashutosh K. Shukla, Sachchida N. Tripathi, Shamitaksha Talukdar, Vishnu Murari, Sreenivas Gaddamidi, Manousos-Ioannis Manousakas, Vipul Lalchandani, Kuldeep Dixit, Vinayak M. Ruge, Peeyush Khare, Mayank Kumar, Vikram Singh, Neeraj Rastogi, Suresh Tiwari, Atul K. Srivastava, Dilip Ganguly, Kaspar Rudolf Daellenbach, and André S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3765–3784, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3765-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3765-2025, 2025
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Our study delves into the elemental composition of aerosols at three sites across the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), revealing distinct patterns during pollution episodes. We found significant increases in chlorine (Cl)-rich and solid fuel combustion (SFC) sources, indicating dynamic emission sources, agricultural burning impacts, and meteorological influences. Surges in Cl-rich particles during cold periods highlight their role in particle growth under high-relative-humidity conditions.
Ye Kuang, Biao Luo, Shan Huang, Junwen Liu, Weiwei Hu, Yuwen Peng, Duohong Chen, Dingli Yue, Wanyun Xu, Bin Yuan, and Min Shao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3737–3752, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3737-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3737-2025, 2025
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This research reveals the potential importance of nighttime NO3 radical chemistry and aerosol water in the rapid formation of secondary brown carbon from diluted biomass burning emissions. The findings enhance our understanding of nighttime biomass burning evolution and its implications for climate and regional air quality, especially regarding interactions with background aerosol water and water-rich fogs and clouds.
Fan Mei, Qi Zhang, Damao Zhang, Jerome D. Fast, Gourihar Kulkarni, Mikhail S. Pekour, Christopher R. Niedek, Susanne Glienke, Israel Silber, Beat Schmid, Jason M. Tomlinson, Hardeep S. Mehta, Xena Mansoura, Zezhen Cheng, Gregory W. Vandergrift, Nurun Nahar Lata, Swarup China, and Zihua Zhu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3425–3444, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3425-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3425-2025, 2025
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This study highlights the unique capability of the ArcticShark, an uncrewed aerial system, in measuring vertically resolved atmospheric properties. Data from 32 research flights in 2023 reveal seasonal patterns and correlations with conventional measurements. The consistency and complementarity of in situ and remote sensing methods are highlighted. The study demonstrates the ArcticShark’s versatility in bridging data gaps and improving the understanding of vertical atmospheric structures.
Yuan Cheng, Ying-jie Zhong, Zhi-qing Zhang, Xu-bing Cao, and Jiu-meng Liu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-537, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-537, 2025
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As an emerging hotspot of atmospheric sciences, Northeast China is distinct due to the frigid winter and the strong emissions from agricultural fires. Based on field campaigns conducted in Harbin, we successively identified the analytical method that could lead to proper results of organic and elemental carbon. Our results are believed to be a support for future efforts on exploration of the PM2.5 sources in Northeast China, which are essential for further improving the regional air quality.
Ting Yang, Yu Xu, Yu-Chen Wang, Yi-Jia Ma, Hong-Wei Xiao, Hao Xiao, and Hua-Yun Xiao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2967–2978, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2967-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2967-2025, 2025
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Previous measurement–model comparisons of atmospheric isoprene levels showed a significant unidentified source of isoprene in some northern Chinese cities during winter. Here, the first combination of large-scale observations and field combustion experiments provides novel insights into biomass burning emissions as a significant source of isoprene-derived organosulfates during winter in northern cities of China.
Agnesh Panta, Konrad Kandler, Kerstin Schepanski, Andres Alastuey, Pavla Dagsson Waldhauserova, Sylvain Dupont, Melanie Eknayan, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Martina Klose, Mara Montag, Xavier Querol, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-494, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-494, 2025
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Iceland is among the most active dust source areas in the world. Dust properties are influenced by particle size, mineralogy, shape, and mixing state. This work characterizes freshly emitted individual aerosol particles of Icelandic dust using electron microscopy. Our study provides insights into critical particle-specific information will contribute to better constraining climate models that consider mineralogical variations in their representation of the dust cycle.
Yi-Jia Ma, Yu Xu, Ting Yang, Lin Gui, Hong-Wei Xiao, Hao Xiao, and Hua-Yun Xiao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2763–2780, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2763-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2763-2025, 2025
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The abundance, potential precursors, and main formation mechanisms of nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs) in PM2.5 during winter were compared among cities with different energy consumption patterns. The aerosol NOC pollution during winter in China is closely associated with the intensity of precursor emissions and the aqueous-phase processes. Our results highlight the importance of emission reduction strategies in controlling aerosol NOCs pollution during winter in China.
Kira Zeider, Kayla McCauley, Sanja Dmitrovic, Leong Wai Siu, Yonghoon Choi, Ewan C. Crosbie, Joshua P. DiGangi, Glenn S. Diskin, Simon Kirschler, John B. Nowak, Michael A. Shook, Kenneth L. Thornhill, Christiane Voigt, Edward L. Winstead, Luke D. Ziemba, Paquita Zuidema, and Armin Sorooshian
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2407–2422, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2407-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2407-2025, 2025
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In situ aircraft data collected over the northwest Atlantic Ocean are utilized to compare aerosol conditions and turbulence between near-surface and below-cloud-base altitudes for different regimes of coupling strength between those two levels, along with how cloud microphysical properties vary across those regimes. Stronger coupling yields more homogenous aerosol structure vertically along with higher cloud drop concentrations and sea salt influence in clouds.
Junke Zhang, Xinyi Fu, Chunying Chen, Yunfei Su, Siyu Liu, Luyao Chen, Yubao Chen, Gehui Wang, and Andre S. H. Prevot
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-92, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-92, 2025
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The 125 organic aerosol (OA) compounds in PM2.5 in winter in Chengdu were measured at the molecular level. OA was dominated by fatty acids, phthalate esters, and anhydrosugars, and were deeply influenced by anthropogenic sources. As pollution worsens: secondary inorganic species and secondary organic carbon (OC) dominated the increase in PM2.5; fatty acids and anhydrosugars dominated the increase in OA; and the contribution of secondary formation and biomass burning to OC increased markedly.
Amie Dobracki, Ernie R. Lewis, Arthur J. Sedlacek III, Tyler Tatro, Maria A. Zawadowicz, and Paquita Zuidema
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2333–2363, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2333-2025, 2025
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Biomass-burning aerosol is commonly present in the marine boundary layer over the southeast Atlantic Ocean between June and October. Our research indicates that burning conditions, aerosol transport pathways, and prolonged oxidation processes (heterogeneous and aqueous phases) determine the chemical, microphysical, and optical properties of the boundary layer aerosol. Notably, we find that the aerosol optical properties can be estimated from the chemical properties alone.
Benjamin Heutte, Nora Bergner, Hélène Angot, Jakob B. Pernov, Lubna Dada, Jessica A. Mirrielees, Ivo Beck, Andrea Baccarini, Matthew Boyer, Jessie M. Creamean, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Imad El Haddad, Markus M. Frey, Silvia Henning, Tiia Laurila, Vaios Moschos, Tuukka Petäjä, Kerri A. Pratt, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Matthew D. Shupe, Paul Zieger, Tuija Jokinen, and Julia Schmale
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2207–2241, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2207-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2207-2025, 2025
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Limited aerosol measurements in the central Arctic hinder our understanding of aerosol–climate interactions in the region. Our year-long observations of aerosol physicochemical properties during the MOSAiC expedition reveal strong seasonal variations in aerosol chemical composition, where the short-term variability is heavily affected by storms in the Arctic. Local wind-generated particles are shown to be an important source of cloud seeds, especially in autumn.
Feng Jiang, Harald Saathoff, Uzoamaka Ezenobi, Junwei Song, Hengheng Zhang, Linyu Gao, and Thomas Leisner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1917–1930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1917-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1917-2025, 2025
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The chemical composition of brown carbon in the particle and gas phase was determined by mass spectrometry. BrC in the gas phase was mainly controlled by secondary formation and particle-to-gas partitioning. BrC in the particle phase was mainly from secondary formation. This work helps to get a better understanding of diurnal variations and the sources of brown carbon aerosol at a rural location in central Europe.
Theresa Mathes, Heather Guy, John Prytherch, Julia Kojoj, Ian Brooks, Sonja Murto, Paul Zieger, Birgit Wehner, Michael Tjernström, and Andreas Held
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-183, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-183, 2025
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The Arctic is warming faster than the global average and aerosol-cloud-sea-ice interactions are crucial for studying its climate system. During the ARTofMELT Expedition 2023, particle and sensible heat fluxes were measured over multiple surfaces. Wide lead surfaces acted as particle sources with the strongest sensible heat fluxes, while closed ice surfaces acted as a particle sink. This study improves methods to measure these interactions, enhancing our understanding of Arctic climate processes.
Vikram Pratap, Christopher J. Hennigan, Bastian Stieger, Andreas Tilgner, Laurent Poulain, Dominik van Pinxteren, Gerald Spindler, and Hartmut Herrmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-457, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-457, 2025
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In this work, we characterize trends in aerosol pH and its controlling factors over the period of 2010 – 2019 at the Melpitz research station in eastern Germany. We find strong trends in aerosol pH and major inorganic species in response to changing emissions. We conduct a detailed thermodynamic analysis of the aerosol system and discuss implications for controlling PM2.5 in the region.
Rui Li, Yubing Shen, Yumeng Shao, Yining Gao, Ziwei Yao, Qian Liu, Xing Liu, and Guitao Shi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3740, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3740, 2025
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It is the first time to reveal the global variations of PAHs derivatives in the marine air. We found that marine aerosols in East China Sea (ECS) and Western Pacific (WP) were significantly affected by coal and engine combustion, while those in Bismarck Sea (BS) and East Australian Sea (EAS) were mainly influenced by wildfire and coal combustion. Antarctic Ocean (AO) was dominated by biomass burning and local shipping emissions. This finding help elucidate the mechanism of global PAH cycle.
James Brean, David C. S. Beddows, Eija Asmi, Aki Virkkula, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Mikko Sipilä, Floortje Van Den Heuvel, Thomas Lachlan-Cope, Anna Jones, Markus Frey, Angelo Lupi, Jiyeon Park, Young Jun Yoon, Rolf Weller, Giselle L. Marincovich, Gabriela C. Mulena, Roy M. Harrison, and Manuel Dall'Osto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1145–1162, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1145-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1145-2025, 2025
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Our results emphasise how understanding the geographical variation in surface types across the Antarctic is key to understanding secondary aerosol sources.
Adam E. Thomas, Hayley S. Glicker, Alex B. Guenther, Roger Seco, Oscar Vega Bustillos, Julio Tota, Rodrigo A. F. Souza, and James N. Smith
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 959–977, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-959-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-959-2025, 2025
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We present measurements of the organic composition of ultrafine particles collected from the eastern Amazon, an understudied region that is subjected to increasing human influence. We find that while isoprene chemistry is likely significant for ultrafine-particle growth throughout the year, compounds related to other sources, such as biological-spore emissions and biomass burning, exhibit striking seasonal differences, implying extensive variation in regional ultrafine-particle sources.
Xiufeng Lian, Yongjiang Xu, Fengxian Liu, Long Peng, Xiaodong Hu, Guigang Tang, Xu Dao, Hui Guo, Liwei Wang, Bo Huang, Chunlei Cheng, Lei Li, Guohua Zhang, Xinhui Bi, Xiaofei Wang, Zhen Zhou, and Mei Li
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3469, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3469, 2025
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In this study, we analyzed the mixing state and atmospheric chemical processes of Pb-rich single particles in Beijing. Then, we focused on analyzing the differences in Pb-rich particles between the heating period and non-heating period, as well as the formation mechanism of lead nitrate after coal-to-gas conversion. Our results highlighted the improvement of coal-to-gas conversion on Pb in the particulate.
Chiara Giorio, Anne Monod, Valerio Di Marco, Pierre Herckes, Denise Napolitano, Amy Sullivan, Gautier Landrot, Daniel Warnes, Marika Nasti, Sara D'Aronco, Agathe Gérardin, Nicolas Brun, Karine Desboeufs, Sylvain Triquet, Servanne Chevaillier, Claudia Di Biagio, Francesco Battaglia, Frédéric Burnet, Stuart J. Piketh, Andreas Namwoonde, Jean-François Doussin, and Paola Formenti
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4140, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4140, 2025
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A comparison between the solubility of trace metals in pairs of total suspended particulate (TSP) and fog water samples collected in Henties Bay, Namibia, during the AEROCLO-sA field campaign is presented. We found enhanced solubility of metals in fog samples which we attributed to metal-ligand complexes formation in the early stages of particle activation into droplets which can then remain in a kinetically stable form in fog or lead to the formation of colloidal nanoparticles.
Xu Yu, Min Zhou, Shuhui Zhu, Liping Qiao, Jinjian Li, Yingge Ma, Zijing Zhang, Kezheng Liao, Hongli Wang, and Jian Zhen Yu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4103, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4103, 2025
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Online measurements of bulk aerosol organic nitrogen (ON), in conjunction with a comprehensive array of source markers, have revealed five emission sources and five potentially significant formation processes of nitrogenous organic aerosols. This study provides first quantitative source analysis of ON aerosol and valuable observational evidence on secondary ON aerosol formation through NH3 and NOx chemistries.
Kumiko Goto-Azuma, Yoshimi Ogawa-Tsukagawa, Kaori Fukuda, Koji Fujita, Motohiro Hirabayashi, Remi Dallmayr, Jun Ogata, Nobuhiro Moteki, Tatsuhiro Mori, Sho Ohata, Yutaka Kondo, Makoto Koike, Sumito Matoba, Moe Kadota, Akane Tsushima, Naoko Nagatsuka, and Teruo Aoki
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 657–683, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-657-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-657-2025, 2025
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Monthly ice core records spanning 350 years from Greenland show trends in refractory black carbon (rBC) concentrations and sizes. rBC levels have increased since the 1870s due to the inflow of anthropogenic rBC, with larger diameters than those from biomass burning (BB) rBC. High summer BB rBC peaks may reduce the ice sheet albedo, but BB rBC showed no increase until the early 2000s. These results are vital for validating aerosol and climate models.
Mingjie Kang, Mengying Bao, Wenhuai Song, Aduburexiati Abulimiti, Changliu Wu, Fang Cao, Sönke Szidat, and Yanlin Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 73–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-73-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-73-2025, 2025
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Reports on molecular-level knowledge of high-temporal-resolution particulate matter ≤2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) on hazy days are limited. We investigated various PM2.5 species and their sources. The results show biomass burning (BB) was the main source of organic carbon. Moreover, BB enhanced fungal spore emissions and secondary aerosol formation. The contribution of non-fossil sources increased with increasing haze pollution, suggesting BB may be an important driver of haze events in winter.
Gregory P. Schill, Karl D. Froyd, Daniel M. Murphy, Christina J. Williamson, Charles A. Brock, Tomás Sherwen, Mat J. Evans, Eric A. Ray, Eric C. Apel, Rebecca S. Hornbrook, Alan J. Hills, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Chelsea R. Thompson, Ilann Bourgeois, Donald R. Blake, Joshua P. DiGangi, and Glenn S. Diskin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 45–71, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-45-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-45-2025, 2025
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Using single-particle mass spectrometry, we show that trace concentrations of bromine and iodine are ubiquitous in remote tropospheric aerosol and suggest that aerosols are an important part of the global reactive iodine budget. Comparisons to a global climate model with detailed iodine chemistry are favorable in the background atmosphere; however, the model cannot replicate our measurements near the ocean surface, in biomass burning plumes, and in the stratosphere.
Yanqin Ren, Zhenhai Wu, Fang Bi, Hong Li, Haijie Zhang, Junling Li, Rui Gao, Fangyun Long, Zhengyang Liu, Yuanyuan Ji, and Gehui Wang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3678, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3678, 2025
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The daily concentrations of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs), and nitrated phenols (NPs) in PM2.5 were all increased during the heating season. Biomass burning was identified to be the primary source of these aromatic compounds, particularly for PAHs. Phenol and nitrobenzene are two main primary precursors for 4NP, with phenol showing lower reaction barriers. P-Cresol was identified as the primary precursor for the formation of 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol.
Capucine Camin, François Lacan, Catherine Pradoux, Marie Labatut, Anne Johansen, and James W. Murray
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3777, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3777, 2024
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This manuscript presents the chemical composition of aerosols (> 1µm) over the Equatorial and Tropical Pacific Ocean, presenting the first measurements of iron isotopes in aerosols from this region. Iron concentrations and isotopes were determined using a Neptune MC-ICPMS. Our data analysis reveals that a significant portion of the aerosols undergo dissolution and removal during atmospheric transport. These findings contribute to original conclusions about the chemistry and physics of aerosols.
Andreas Aktypis, Dontavious J. Sippial, Christina N. Vasilakopoulou, Angeliki Matrali, Christos Kaltsonoudis, Andrea Simonati, Marco Paglione, Matteo Rinaldi, Stefano Decesari, and Spyros N. Pandis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13769–13791, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13769-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13769-2024, 2024
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A dual-chamber system was deployed in two different environments (Po Valley, Italy, and Pertouli forest, Greece) to study the potential of ambient air directly injected into the chambers, to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In the Po Valley, the system reacts rapidly, forming large amounts of SOA, while in Pertouli the SOA formation chemistry appears to have been practically terminated before the beginning of most experiments, so there is little additional SOA formation potential left.
Amna Ijaz, Brice Temime-Roussel, Benjamin Chazeau, Sarah Albertin, Stephen R. Arnold, Brice Barrett, Slimane Bekki, Natalie Brett, Meeta Cesler-Maloney, Elsa Dieudonne, Kayane K. Dingilian, Javier G. Fochesatto, Jingqiu Mao, Allison Moon, Joel Savarino, William Simpson, Rodney J. Weber, Kathy S. Law, and Barbara D'Anna
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3789, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3789, 2024
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Fairbanks is among the most polluted cities with the highest particulate matter (PM) levels in the US during winters. Highly time-resolved measurements of the sub-micron PM elucidated residential heating with wood and oil and hydrocarbon-like organics from traffic, as well as sulphur-containing organic aerosol, to be the key pollution sources. Remarkable differences existed between complementary instruments, warranting the deployment of multiple tools at sites with wide-ranging influences.
Fredrik Mattsson, Almuth Neuberger, Liine Heikkinen, Yvette Gramlich, Marco Paglione, Matteo Rinaldi, Stefano Decesari, Paul Zieger, Ilona Riipinen, and Claudia Mohr
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3629, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3629, 2024
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This study investigated aerosol-cloud interactions, focusing on organic nitrogen (ON) formation in the aqueous phase. Measurements were conducted in wintertime Italian Po Valley, using aerosol mass spectrometry. The fog was enriched in more hygroscopic inorganic compounds and ON, containing e.g. imidazoles. The formation of imidazole by aerosol-fog interactions could be confirmed for the first time in atmospheric observations. Findings highlight the role of fog in nitrogen aerosol formation.
Jie Zhang, Tianyu Zhu, Alexandra Catena, Yaowei Li, Margaret J. Schwab, Pengfei Liu, Akua Asa-Awuku, and James Schwab
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13445–13456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13445-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13445-2024, 2024
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This study shows the derived organic aerosol hygroscopicity under high-humidity conditions based on a simple optical scatter monitor system, including two nephelometric monitors (pDR-1500), when the aerosol chemical composition is already known.
Wei Yuan, Ru-Jin Huang, Chao Luo, Lu Yang, Wenjuan Cao, Jie Guo, and Huinan Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13219–13230, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13219-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13219-2024, 2024
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We characterized water-soluble oxidative potential (OP) levels in wintertime PM2.5 in the south and north of Beijing. Our results show that the volume-normalized dithiothreitol (DTTv) in the north was comparable to that in the south, while the mass-normalized dithiothreitol (DTTm) in the north was almost twice that in the south. Traffic-related emissions and biomass burning were the main sources of DTTv in the south, and traffic-related emissions contributed the most to DTTv in the north.
Mingfu Cai, Chenshuo Ye, Bin Yuan, Shan Huang, E Zheng, Suxia Yang, Zelong Wang, Yi Lin, Tiange Li, Weiwei Hu, Wei Chen, Qicong Song, Wei Li, Yuwen Peng, Baoling Liang, Qibin Sun, Jun Zhao, Duohong Chen, Jiaren Sun, Zhiyong Yang, and Min Shao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13065–13079, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13065-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13065-2024, 2024
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This study investigated the daytime secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation in urban plumes. We observed a significant daytime SOA formation through gas–particle partitioning when the site was affected by urban plumes. A box model simulation indicated that urban pollutants (nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds) could enhance the oxidizing capacity, while the elevated volatile organic compounds were mainly responsible for promoting daytime SOA formation.
Qingxiao Meng, Yunjiang Zhang, Sheng Zhong, Jie Fang, Lili Tang, Yongcai Rao, Minfeng Zhou, Jian Qiu, Xiaofeng Xu, Jean-Eudes Petit, Olivier Favez, and Xinlei Ge
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2776, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2776, 2024
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We developed a new method to reconstruct missing elemental carbon (EC) data in four Chinese cities from 2013 to 2023. Using machine learning, we accurately filled data gaps and introduced a new approach to analyze EC trends. Our findings reveal a significant decline in EC due to stricter pollution controls, though this slowed after 2020. This study provides a versatile framework for addressing data gaps and supports strategies to reduce urban air pollution and its climate impacts.
Yingjie Shen, Rudra P. Pokhrel, Amy P. Sullivan, Ezra J. T. Levin, Lauren A. Garofalo, Delphine K. Farmer, Wade Permar, Lu Hu, Darin W. Toohey, Teresa Campos, Emily V. Fischer, and Shane M. Murphy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12881–12901, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12881-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12881-2024, 2024
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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.
Qun He, Zhaowen Wang, Houfeng Liu, Pengju Xu, Rongbao Duan, Caihong Xu, Jianmin Chen, and Min Wei
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12775–12792, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12775-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12775-2024, 2024
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Coastal environments provide an ideal setting for investigating the intermixing of terrestrial and marine aerosols. Terrestrial air mass constituted a larger number of microbes from anthropogenic and soil emissions, whereas saprophytic and gut microbes were predominant in marine samples. Mixed air masses indicated a fusion of marine and terrestrial aerosols, characterized by alterations in the ratio of pathogenic and saprophytic microbes when compared to either terrestrial or marine samples.
Rime El Asmar, Zongrun Li, David J. Tanner, Yongtao Hu, Susan O'Neill, L. Gregory Huey, M. Talat Odman, and Rodney J. Weber
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12749–12773, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12749-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12749-2024, 2024
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Prescribed burning is an important method for managing ecosystems and preventing wildfires. However, smoke from prescribed fires can have a significant impact on air quality. Here, using a network of fixed sites and sampling throughout an extended prescribed burning period in 2 different years, we characterize emissions and evolutions of up to 8 h of PM2.5 mass, black carbon (BC), and brown carbon (BrC) in smoke from burning of forested lands in the southeastern USA.
Matthew Boyer, Diego Aliaga, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Silvia Bucci, Hélène Angot, Lubna Dada, Benjamin Heutte, Lisa Beck, Marina Duetsch, Andreas Stohl, Ivo Beck, Tiia Laurila, Nina Sarnela, Roseline C. Thakur, Branka Miljevic, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Mikko Sipilä, Julia Schmale, and Tuija Jokinen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12595–12621, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12595-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12595-2024, 2024
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We analyze the seasonal cycle and sources of gases that are relevant for the formation of aerosol particles in the central Arctic. Since theses gases can form new particles, they can influence Arctic climate. We show that the sources of these gases are associated with changes in the Arctic environment during the year, especially with respect to sea ice. Therefore, the concentration of these gases will likely change in the future as the Arctic continues to warm.
Binyu Xiao, Fan Zhang, Zeyu Liu, Yan Zhang, Rui Li, Can Wu, Xinyi Wan, Yi Wang, Yubao Chen, Yong Han, Min Cui, Libo Zhang, Yingjun Chen, and Gehui Wang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3433, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3433, 2024
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Intermediate/semi-volatile organic compounds in both gas and particle phases from ship exhausts are enhanced due to the switch of fuels from low-sulfur to ultra-low-sulfur. The findings indicate that optimization is necessary for the forthcoming global implementation of an ultra-low-sulfur oil policy. Besides, we find that organic diagnostic markers of hopanes, in conjunction with the ratio of octadecanoic to tetradecanoic could be considered as potential tracers for HFO exhausts.
Mutian Ma, Laura-Hélèna Rivellini, Yichen Zong, Markus Kraft, Liya E. Yu, and Alex King Yin Lee
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3240, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3240, 2024
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This work advances our understanding of emission and atmospheric evolution of black carbon (BC) particles in Singapore, a complex urban environment impacted by multiple local and regional combustion sources, based on the improved source apportionment analysis of real-time aerosol mass spectrometry measurement.
Hongyu Zhang, Shenbo Wang, Zhangsen Dong, Xiao Li, and Ruiqin Zhang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2869, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2869, 2024
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To address this, 12-year observational data in Zhengzhou were investigated and revealed that the resuspension of surrounding soil dust determined the rebound of crustal material concentrations after 2019, further elevating the particle pH. Therefore, the future ammonia reduction policies in North China may not lead to a rapid increase in particle acidity buffering by the crustal materials, but it is necessary to consider synergistic control with dust sources.
Imad El Haddad, Danielle Vienneau, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Robin Modini, Jay G. Slowik, Abhishek Upadhyay, Petros N. Vasilakos, David Bell, Kees de Hoogh, and Andre S. H. Prevot
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11981–12011, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11981-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11981-2024, 2024
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This opinion paper explores how advances in aerosol science inform our understanding of the health impacts of outdoor particulate pollution. We advocate for a shift in the way we target PM pollution, focusing on the most harmful anthropogenic emissions. We highlight key observations, modelling developments, and emission measurements needed to achieve this shift.
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Short summary
This study offers the first known evaluation of water-soluble brown carbon aerosols in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR), Canada. Fluorescence spectroscopy analysis of aerosol samples from five regional sites (collected during the summer of 2021) identified oil sands operations as a measurable brown carbon source. Industrial aerosol emissions were unlikely to impact regional radiative forcing. These findings show that fluorescence spectroscopy can be used to monitor brown carbon in the AOSR.
This study offers the first known evaluation of water-soluble brown carbon aerosols in the...
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