Brown carbon and internal mixing in biomass burning particles

Insights into characteristics of light absorbing carbonaceous aerosols over an urban location in Southeast Asia

Light absorbing carbonaceous aerosols (LACA) consisting of black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) have received considerable attention because of their climate and health implications, but their sources, characteristics and fates remain unclear in Southeast Asia (SEA). In this study, we investigated spatio-temporal characteristics of LACA, their radiative properties and potential sources in Singapore under different weather conditions. Hourly BC concentrations, measured from May 2017 to March 2018, ranged from 0.31 μg/m³ to 14.37 μg/m³ with the mean value being 2.44 ± 1.51 μg/m³. High mass concentrations of BC were observed during the south-west monsoon (SWM, 2.60 ± 1.56 μg/m³) while relatively low mass concentrations were recorded during the north-east monsoon (NEM, 1.68 ± 0.96 μg/m³). There was a shift in the Absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) from 1.1 to 1.4 when the origin of LACA changed from fossil fuel (FF) to biomass burning (BB) combustion. This shift is attributed to the presence of secondary BrC in LACA, derived from transboundary BB emissions during the SWM. Lower AAE values were observed when local traffic emissions were dominant during the NEM. This explanation is supported by measurements of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in LACA and the corresponding AAE values determined at 365 nm using a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The AAE values, indicative of the presence of brown carbon (BrC), showed that photochemically aged LACA contribute to an enhancement in the light absorption of aerosols. In addition, spatio-temporal characteristics of BC in the intra-urban environment of Singapore were investigated across diverse outdoor and indoor microenvironments. High variability of BC was evident across these microenvironments. Several air pollution hotspots with elevated BC concentrations were identified. Overall, the results stress a need to control anthropogenic emissions of BC and BrC in order to mitigate near-term climate change impacts and provide health benefits.

Enhancement in Particulate Organic Nitrogen and Light Absorption of Humic-Like Substances over Tibetan Plateau Due to Long-Range Transported Biomass Burning Emissions

To elucidate the influence of long-range transported biomass burning organic aerosols (BBOA) on the Tibetan Plateau, the molecular compositions and light absorption of HUmic-Like Substances (HULIS), major fractions of brown carbon, were characterized during the premonsoon season. Under the significant influence of biomass burning, HULIS concentrations increased to as high as 26 times of the background levels, accounting for 54% of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and 50% of organic carbon (OC). The light absorption of HULIS also enhanced up to 42 times of the background levels, contributing 61% of the WSOC absorption and 50% of OC absorption. Meanwhile, elevated nitrogen-containing compounds (NOCs) among HULIS were observed. The NOCs from fresh and aged BBOA were unambiguously identified on the molecular level, through comparing with the molecular compositions of NOCs from lab-controlled and field burning experiments. N-Heterocyclic bases represent major fractions in the reduced nitrogen compounds from fresh BBOA, and nitroaromatic compounds are important groups among the oxidized nitrogen compounds from aged BBOA. The nitrogen-containing compounds, including nitroaromatics and N-heterocyclic compounds, were also important chromophores, which contributed to the enhanced light absorption of extracted HULIS during biomass burning-influenced periods.

Modelling the absorption properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and derivatives over three European cities by TD-DFT calculations

While brown carbon is a strongly-light-absorbing type of organic aerosol that is capable of significant regional radiative forcing, it has been neglected from climate models, which results in differences between model predictions and measured data. This also results from uncertainty regarding the relationship between the chemical composition of brown carbon and its optical properties. Herein, here was utilized a time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approach to model the "real-world" absorption of thirty polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and twenty-five derivatives (ten nitro-PAHs and fifteen oxygenated-PAHs) present in the atmosphere over three Southern European cities (Porto, Florence and Athens). These data were corrected both for "real-world" experimental concentration of these molecules over these cities, and for their theoretical fluorescence yield. These results indicate that the absorption of the molecules more relevant for climate forcing are at ~330, ~360 and ~440 nm. Furthermore, the absorption is explained mainly by PAH and oxygenated-PAH molecules, while nitro-PAHs provide only negligible contributions. Porto should be the city to be most affected by radiative forcing induced by these molecules, while Florence and Athens appear to be similarly affected. Finally, these models also demonstrate that absorption at ~330 nm is explained by both PAH and oxygenated-PAH molecules, while absorption at ~360 and ~440 nm is only attributed to oxygenated-PAHs. More specifically, from the fifty-five studied molecules, only coronene (a PAH), 1,8-naphthalic anhydride, 6-H-benzo[cd]pyrene-6-one and 7H-benz[de]anthracence-7-one (three oxygenated-PAHs) provide relevant contributions to radiative forcing.

Wintertime Optical Properties of Primary and Secondary Brown Carbon at a Regional Site in the North China Plain

The light-absorbing properties of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) are poorly understood due to its complex chemical composition. Here, a black-carbon-tracer method was coupled with source apportionments of organic aerosol (OA) to explore the light-absorbing properties of primary and secondary BrC from the North China Plain (NCP). Primary emissions of BrC contributed more to OA light absorption than secondary processes, and biomass burning OA accounted for 60% of primary BrC absorption at λ = 370 nm, followed by coal combustion OA (35%) and hydrocarbon-like OA (5%). Secondary BrC absorption was high in the early morning and later decreased due to the bleaching of chromophores. Nighttime aqueous-phase chemistry promoted the formation of secondary light-absorbing compounds and the production of strongly absorbing particles. Source analysis showed that the NCP region was the most important source for primary and secondary BrC subtypes at the study site. The mean direct radiative forcing for BrC was 0.15 W m^-2 (0.11 W m^-2 and 0.04 W m^-2 for the primary and secondary fractions, respectively). This study provides new information on the optical properties of primary and secondary BrC and highlights the importance of atmospheric oxidation on BrC absorption.

Brown carbon in the continental outflow to the North Indian Ocean

In this paper, we synthesize the size distribution and optical properties of the atmospheric water-soluble fraction of light-absorbing organic carbon (brown carbon; BrC) in the continental outflow from the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) in South Asia to the North Indian Ocean. A comparison of the mass absorption coefficient of water-soluble BrC (babs-WSBrC-365nm) in PM2.5 with that in PM10 sampled over the Bay of Bengal reveals the dominance of BrC in fine mode. Furthermore, the babs-BrC-365nm shows a significant linear relationship with mass concentrations of airborne particulate matter, water-soluble organic carbon and non-sea-salt-K+ in the continental outflow from the IGP. This observation emphasizes the ubiquitous nature and significant contribution of water-soluble BrC from biomass burning emissions (BBEs). Comparing the absorption properties from this study with global datasets, it is discernible that BBEs dominate BrC absorption. Furthermore, the imaginary refractive index of water-soluble BrC (kWSBrC-365nm) in marine aerosols sampled over the North Indian Ocean during November is significantly higher than during December to January. Thus, significant temporal variability is associated with crop-residue burning emissions in the IGP on the composition of BrC over the North Indian Ocean. Our estimates show that the babs-WSBrC-365nm and kWSBrC-365nm from post-harvest crop-residue burning emissions in the IGP are much higher than the BBEs from the southeastern United States and Amazonian forest fires. Another major finding of this study is the lack of significant relationship between kWSBrC-365nm and the mass ratio of elemental carbon to particulate organic matter, as previously suggested by chamber experiments to model varying BrC absorption properties in ambient aerosols. Therefore, considerable spatio-temporal variability prevails among emission sources (wood burning vs. crop-residue burning), which needs to be considered when assessing the regional radiative forcing of BrC relative to major absorbing elemental carbon.

Optical properties investigation of the reactions between methylglyoxal and glycine/ammonium sulfate

In recent years, "brown carbon" (BrC), as an important contributor to light absorption and climate forcing as aerosols, has been one of the forefronts in the field of atmospheric research. Aqueous BrC aerosols can be formed through aqueous reactions of methylglyoxal (MG) with nitrogen compounds, such as glycine (Gly) and ammonium sulfate (AS). When exposed to nitrogen compounds for several days, aqueous carbonyl compound MG became absorbent and fluorescent in the ultraviolet and near visible regions, according to UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopies. Experiment results showed that optical absorption of two aqueous BrC solutions in the spectral range of 250-480 nm significantly increased with increasing reaction time. After the reactions of MG with Gly and AS, the product absorbance followed the order of MG-Gly>MG-AS. For H₂O₂ oxidation photolysis, the atmospheric aqueous BrC showed the dynamic nature. Reaction kinetic, effective quantum yields and size distribution studies were conducted in the paper. Fluorescence lifetime values of the two BrC solutions were calculated. LC/MS analysis results clearly indicated that complicated organic compounds were formed in the reactions of MG with Gly and AS.

A Review of the Representation of Aerosol Mixing State in Atmospheric Models

Aerosol mixing state significantly affects concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), wet removal rates, thermodynamic properties, heterogeneous chemistry, and aerosol optical properties, with implications for human health and climate. Over the last two decades, significant research effort has gone into finding computationally-efficient methods for representing the most important aspects of aerosol mixing state in air pollution, weather prediction, and climate models. In this review, we summarize the interactions between mixing-state and aerosol hygroscopicity, optical properties, equilibrium thermodynamics and heterogeneous chemistry. We focus on the effects of simplified assumptions of aerosol mixing state on CCN concentrations, wet deposition, and aerosol absorption. We also summarize previous approaches for representing aerosol mixing state in atmospheric models, and we make recommendations regarding the representation of aerosol mixing state in future modelling studies.

On the Use of Brown Carbon Spectra as a Tool to Understand Their Broader Composition and Characteristics: A Case Study from Crop-residue Burning Samples

This study proposes a novel approach to the use of brown carbon (BrC) absorption spectra as a tool to understand their broader composition and characteristics. The ratios of absorption coefficient (b _abs) spectra over a wavelength range (310-600 nm) for water-soluble and methanol-soluble BrC were used to quantify the relative contribution of water-soluble and water-insoluble chromophores to total BrC. The same ratios for the samples collected during the day versus night were used to assess the diurnal variability in BrC composition and concentrations. Ratios of b _abs at different wavelengths with respect to that at 365 nm were used to understand whether BrC is predominantly composed of one type of chromophore, that is, humic-like substances, or different chromophores (e.g., nitroaromatic compounds) with the understanding that different chromophores absorb predominantly at different wavelengths. As a case study, day/night pairs of PM_2.5 samples collected from Patiala (30.33°N, 76.4°E) during paddy residue burning were used, and results are discussed. A majority of BrC from paddy residue burning were found to be water-insoluble, and the fraction of water-soluble BrC to total BrC showed a decreasing trend with increasing wavelength. During the burning period, night-time water-soluble nitrogenous organic species were found to be more absorbing than daytime water-soluble nitrogenous species. The proposed method will be very useful for BrC studies over the globe.

Formation and Optical Properties of Brown Carbon from Small α-Dicarbonyls and Amines

Brown Carbon (BrC) aerosols scatter and absorb solar radiation, directly affecting the Earth's radiative budget. However, considerable uncertainty exists concerning the chemical mechanism leading to BrC formation and their optical properties. In this work, BrC particles were prepared from mixtures of small α-dicarbonyls (glyoxal and methylglyoxal) and amines (methylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine). The absorption and scattering of BrC particles were measured using a photoacoustic extinctometer (405 and 532 nm), and the chemical composition of the α-dicarbonyl-amine mixtures was analyzed using orbitrap-mass spectrometry and thermal desorption-ion drift-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. The single scattering albedo for methylglyoxal-amine mixtures is smaller than that of glyoxal-amine mixtures and increases with the methyl substitution of amines. The mass absorption cross-section for methylglyoxal-amine mixtures is two times higher at 405 nm wavelength than that at 532 nm wavelength. The derived refractive indexes at the 405 nm wavelength are 1.40-1.64 for the real part and 0.002-0.195 for the imaginary part. Composition analysis in the α-dicarbonyl-amine mixtures reveals N-heterocycles as the dominant products, which are formed via multiple steps involving nucleophilic attack, steric hindrance, and dipole-dipole interaction between α-dicarbonyls and amines. BrC aerosols, if formed from the particle-phase reaction of methylglyoxal with methylamine, likely contribute to atmospheric warming.

Simultaneous transmission and absorption photometry of carbon-black absorption from drop-cast particle-laden filters

Simultaneous transmissivity and absorptivity measurements were carried out in the visible at a laser wavelength of 532 nm on drop-cast, carbon-black-laden filters under ambient (laboratory) conditions. The focus of this investigation was to establish the feasibility of this approach to estimate the mass absorption coefficient of the isolated particles and compare results to earlier work with the same carbon-black source. Transmissivity measurements were carried out with a laser probe beam positioned normal to the particle-laden filter surface. Absorptivity measurements were carried out using a laser-heating approach to record in time the sample temperature rise to steady-state and decay back to the ambient temperature. The sample temperature was recorded using a fine-wire thermocouple that was integrated into the transmission arrangement by placing the thermocouple flush with the filter back surface. The advantage of this approach is that the sample absorptivity can be determined directly (using laser heating) instead of resolving the difference between reflectivity (filter surface scattering) and transmissivity. The current approach also provides the filter optical characteristics, as well as an estimate of filter effects on the absorption coefficient due to particle absorption enhancement or shadowing. The approach may also be incorporated into other filter-based techniques, like the particle/soot absorption photometer, with the simple addition of a thermocouple to the commercial instrument. For this investigation, measurements were carried out with several blank uncoated quartz filters. A range of solution concentrations was prepared with a well-characterized carbon black in deionized water (i.e., a water-soluble carbonaceous material referred to as a surrogate black carbon or 'carbon black'). The solution was then drop cast using a calibrated syringe onto blank filters to vary particle loading. After evaporation of the water, the measurements were repeated with the coated filters. The measurement repeatability (95% confidence level) was better than 0.3 K for temperature and 3 × 10^-5 mW for laser power. From the measurements with both the blank and coated filters, the absorption coefficient was determined for the isolated particles. The results were then compared with an earlier investigation by You et al. and Zangmeister and Radney, who used the same carbon-black material. The measurements were also compared with Lorenz-Mie computations for a polydispersion of spherical particles dispersed throughout a volume representative of the actual particles. The mass absorption coefficient for the polydispersion of carbon-black particles was estimated to be about 7.7 ± 1.4m² g^-1, which was consistent with the results expected for these carbon black particles.

Scaling Laws for Light Absorption Enhancement Due to Nonrefractory Coating of Atmospheric Black Carbon Aerosol

Black carbon (BC) aerosol, the strongest absorber of visible solar radiation in the atmosphere, contributes to a large uncertainty in direct radiative forcing estimates. A primary reason for this uncertainty is inaccurate parametrizations of the BC mass absorption cross section (MAC_{BC}) and its enhancement factor (E_{MAC_{BC}})-resulting from internal mixing with nonrefractory and nonlight absorbing materials-in climate models. Here, applying scaling theory to numerically exact electromagnetic calculations of simulated BC particles and observational data on BC light absorption, we show that MAC_{BC} and E_{MAC_{BC}} evolve with increasing internal mixing ratios in simple power-law exponents of 1/3. Remarkably, MAC_{BC} remains inversely proportional to the wavelength of light at any mixing ratio. When mixing states are represented using mass-equivalent core-shell spheres, as is done in current climate models, it results in significant underprediction of MAC_{BC}. We elucidate the responsible mechanism based on shielding of photons by a sphere's skin depth and establish a correction factor that scales with a ¾ power-law exponent.

Characterisation of emission from open-field burning of crop residue during harvesting period in north-west India

Open-field crop residue burning is one of the important sources of atmospheric pollution in north-west India during the harvesting period. In this work, we studied NO₂ and SO₂ concentrations and physical and chemical properties of aerosols from open-field combustion of rice and wheat residue. NO₂ and SO₂ were analysed using UV-spectrophotometer and ion chromatography (IC) respectively. The aerosol particles were analysed by scan electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) for their physical dimension (size distribution) and elemental composition, and by IC for their ionic content. The measured concentrations of gases during burning showed rice straw burning spews more NO₂ and SO₂ than wheat straw burning. The calculated size of the particles ranged from 0.26 to 151.09 μm with high standard deviation. The median diameter of 1.64 μm (± 6.9) represented the central tendency of the particles emitted due to this combustion process. Comparative content analysis revealed that rice-borne particles are richer in Na, K, Al, Si and Zn, whereas, wheat-borne particles are more abundant in C, Mg, Fe, P and Cl. The results from IC and SEM-EDX evidenced the presence of fluoride, sulphate, carbonate, chloride, oxides and silicate compounds in particles. The emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosols with this particle chemistry increases the atmospheric opacity through the absorption and scattering of incoming radiation at a significant amount in the UV-IR range causing high aerosol optical depth (AOD).

Review of brown carbon aerosols: Recent progress and perspectives

Brown carbon (BrC), a carbonaceous aerosol which absorbs solar radiation over a broad range of wavelengths, is beginning to be seen as an important contributor to global warming. BrC absorbs both inorganic and organic pollutants, leading to serious effects on human health. We review the fundamental features of BrC, including its sources, chemical composition, optical properties and radiative forcing effects. We detail the importance of including photochemical processes related to BrC in the GEOS-Chem transport model for the estimation of aerosol radiative forcing. Calculation methods for BrC emission factors are examined, including the problems and limitations of current measurement methods. We provide some insight into existing publications and recommend areas for future research, such as further investigations into the reaction mechanisms of the aging of secondary BrC, calculations of the emission factors for BrC from different sources, the absorption of large and long-lived BrC molecules and the construction of an enhanced model for the simulation of radiative forcing. This review will improve our understanding of the climatic and environmental effects of BrC.

Heating-Induced Transformations of Atmospheric Particles: Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy Study

Environmental transmission electron microscopy was employed to probe transformations in the size, morphology, and composition of individual atmospheric particles as a function of temperature. Two different heating devices were used and calibrated in this work: a furnace heater and a Micro Electro Mechanical System heater. The temperature calibration used sublimation temperatures of NaCl, glucose, and ammonium sulfate particles, and the melting temperature of tin. Volatilization of Suwanee River Fulvic Acid was further used to validate the calibration up to 800 °C. The calibrated furnace holder was used to examine both laboratory-generated secondary organic aerosol particles and field-collected atmospheric particles. Chemical analysis by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and near-edge fine-structure spectroscopy of the organic particles at different heating steps showed that above 300 °C particle volatilization was accompanied by charring. These methods were then applied to ambient particles collected in the central Amazon region. Distinct categories of particles differed in their volatilization response to heating. Spherical, more-viscous particles lost less volume during heating than particles that spread on the imaging substrate during impaction, due to either being liquid upon impaction or lower viscosity. This methodology illustrates a new analytical approach to accurately measure the volume fraction remaining for individually tracked atmospheric particles at elevated temperatures.

Filter-based measurement of light absorption by brown carbon in PM2.5 in a megacity in South China

Carbonaceous aerosols represent an important nexus between air pollution and climate change. Here we collected filter-based PM_2.5 samples during summer and autumn in 2015 at one urban and two rural sites in Guangzhou, a megacity in southern China, and got the light absorption by black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) resolved with a DRI Model 2015 multi-wavelength thermal/optical carbon analyzer apart from determining the organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) contents. On average BrC contributed 12-15% of the measured absorption at 405nm (LA₄₀₅) during summer and 15-19% during autumn with significant increase in the LA₄₀₅ by BrC at the rural sites. Carbonaceous aerosols, identified as total carbon (TC), yielded average mass absorption efficiency at 405nm (MAE₄₀₅) that were approximately 45% higher in autumn than in summer, an 83% increase was noted in the average MAE₄₀₅ for OC, compared with an increase of only 14% in the average MAE₄₀₅ for EC. The LA₄₀₅ by BrC showed a good correlation (p<0.001) with the ratios of secondary OC to PM_2.5 in summer. However, this correlation was poor (p>0.1) in autumn, implying greater secondary formation of BrC in summer. The correlations between levoglucosan (a marker of biomass burning) and the LA₄₀₅ by BrC were significant during autumn but insignificant during summer, suggesting that the observed increase in the LA₄₀₅ by BrC during autumn in rural areas was largely related to biomass burning. The measurements of light absorption at 550nm presented in this study indicated that the use of the IMPROVE algorithm with an MAE value of 10m²/g for EC to approximate light absorption may be appropriate in areas not strongly affected by fossil fuel combustion; however, this practice would underestimate the absorption of light by PM_2.5 in areas heavily affected by vehicle exhausts and coal burning.

Brown Carbon Aerosol in Urban Xi'an, Northwest China: The Composition and Light Absorption Properties

Light-absorbing organic carbon (i.e., brown carbon or BrC) in the atmospheric aerosol has significant contribution to light absorption and radiative forcing. However, the link between BrC optical properties and chemical composition remains poorly constrained. In this study, we combine spectrophotometric measurements and chemical analyses of BrC samples collected from July 2008 to June 2009 in urban Xi'an, Northwest China. Elevated BrC was observed in winter (5 times higher than in summer), largely due to increased emissions from wintertime domestic biomass burning. The light absorption coefficient of methanol-soluble BrC at 365 nm (on average approximately twice that of water-soluble BrC) was found to correlate strongly with both parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (parent-PAHs, 27 species) and their carbonyl oxygenated derivatives (carbonyl-OPAHs, 15 species) in all seasons ( r² > 0.61). These measured parent-PAHs and carbonyl-OPAHs account for on average ∼1.7% of the overall absorption of methanol-soluble BrC, about 5 times higher than their mass fraction in total organic carbon (OC, ∼0.35%). The fractional solar absorption by BrC relative to element carbon (EC) in the ultraviolet range (300-400 nm) is significant during winter (42 ± 18% for water-soluble BrC and 76 ± 29% for methanol-soluble BrC), which may greatly affect the radiative balance and tropospheric photochemistry and therefore the climate and air quality.

Reactive Uptake of Glyoxal by Ammonium-Containing Salt Particles as a Function of Relative Humidity

Reactions between dissolved ammonia and carbonyls, which form light-absorbing species in atmospheric particles, can be accelerated by actively removing water from the reaction system. Here, we examine the effects of relative humidity (RH) on the reactive uptake of glyoxal (Gly) by aqueous particles of ammonium sulfate (AS), ammonium bisulfate, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, ammonium nitrate (AN), and sodium nitrate. In situ Raman analysis was used to quantify particle-phase Gly and a colored product, 2,2'-biimidazole (BI), as a function of uptake time. Overall, the Gly uptake rate increases with decreasing RH, reflecting the "salting-in" effect. The BI formation rate increases significantly with decreasing RH or aerosol liquid water (ALW). Compared to that at 75% RH, the BI formation rate is enhanced by factors of 29 at 60% RH and 330 at 45% RH for AS particles and 65 at 60% RH, 210 at 45% RH, and 460 at 30% RH for AN particles. These enhancement factors are much larger than those estimated from increased reactant concentrations due to decreases in RH and ALW alone. We postulate that the reduction in ALW at low RH increases the Gly uptake rate via the "salting-in" effect and the BI formation rate by facilitating dehydration reactions.

Optical source profiles of brown carbon in size-resolved particulate matter from typical domestic biofuel burning over Guanzhong Plain, China

In this study, both PM_2.5 and size-resolved source samples were collected from a "heated kang" and an advanced stove to investigate the optical properties of brown carbon (BrC). The light-absorption coefficient (b_abs), the absorption Ångström exponent (AAE), and the mass absorption cross-section (MAC) of both water and methanol-extracted BrC were investigated. The methanol-extracted BrC (BrC_methanol) had higher light absorption than water-extracted BrC (BrC_water). The value of PM_2.5 b_abs of BrC_methanol at 365nm (b_{abs365,methanol}) dramatically decreased from 64,669.8Mm^-1 for straw burning in the "heated kang" to 1169.2Mm^-1 for maize straw briquettes burning in the advanced stove at the same burning rate. The value of PM_2.5 MAC for BrC_methanol at 365nm (MAC_365,methanol) decreased from 1.8m²g^-1 in the "heated kang" to 1.3m²g^-1 in the advanced stove. For smoldering burning in the "heated kang", b_{abs365,methanol}, MAC_365,methanol, and K⁺ showed a unimodal distribution that peaked at sizes <0.4μm. However, the b_{abs365,methanol} and MAC_365,methanol size distributions of the briquette burning in the advanced stove showed a bimodal pattern, with a large peak at sizes <0.4μm and a minor peak in the size range of 4.7-5.8μm. The b_{abs365,methanol} value for sizes <0.4μm (277.4Mm^-1) was only 12.3% compared to those obtained from the "heated kang". The burning rate did not influence the size distribution pattern of either the "heated kang" or the advanced stove. Results from a radiative model show that biomass burning is an important factor for light absorptivity, and the use of an advanced stove can reduce the simple forcing efficiency value by nearly 20% in UV bands compared to the "heated kang". Our results indicate that changing the combustion style from maize straw smoldering to briquette burning in an advanced stove can effectively reduce BrC emissions during heating seasons in rural areas of Guanzhong Plain.

Anthropogenic combustion iron as a complex climate forcer

Atmospheric iron affects the global carbon cycle by modulating ocean biogeochemistry through the deposition of soluble iron to the ocean. Iron emitted by anthropogenic (fossil fuel) combustion is a source of soluble iron that is currently considered less important than other soluble iron sources, such as mineral dust and biomass burning. Here we show that the atmospheric burden of anthropogenic combustion iron is 8 times greater than previous estimates by incorporating recent measurements of anthropogenic magnetite into a global aerosol model. This new estimation increases the total deposition flux of soluble iron to southern oceans (30-90 °S) by 52%, with a larger contribution of anthropogenic combustion iron than dust and biomass burning sources. The direct radiative forcing of anthropogenic magnetite is estimated to be 0.021 W m^-2 globally and 0.22 W m^-2 over East Asia. Our results demonstrate that anthropogenic combustion iron is a larger and more complex climate forcer than previously thought, and therefore plays a key role in the Earth system.

Anthropogenic combustion iron as a complex climate forcer

Atmospheric iron affects the global carbon cycle by modulating ocean biogeochemistry through the deposition of soluble iron to the ocean. Iron emitted by anthropogenic (fossil fuel) combustion is a source of soluble iron that is currently considered less important than other soluble iron sources, such as mineral dust and biomass burning. Here we show that the atmospheric burden of anthropogenic combustion iron is 8 times greater than previous estimates by incorporating recent measurements of anthropogenic magnetite into a global aerosol model. This new estimation increases the total deposition flux of soluble iron to southern oceans (30–90 °S) by 52%, with a larger contribution of anthropogenic combustion iron than dust and biomass burning sources. The direct radiative forcing of anthropogenic magnetite is estimated to be 0.021 W m⁻² globally and 0.22 W m⁻² over East Asia. Our results demonstrate that anthropogenic combustion iron is a larger and more complex climate forcer than previously thought, and therefore plays a key role in the Earth system.

As a source of soluble iron, anthropogenic combustion iron is considered less important than natural sources. Here, the authors combine new measurements with a global aerosol model and show the atmospheric burden of anthropogenic combustion iron to be 8 times greater than previous estimates.

Aerosol Absorption: Progress Towards Global and Regional Constraints

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Some aerosols absorb solar radiation, altering cloud properties, atmospheric stability and circulation dynamics, and the water cycle. Here we review recent progress towards global and regional constraints on aerosol absorption from observations and modeling, considering physical properties and combined approaches crucial for understanding the total (natural and anthropogenic) influences of aerosols on the climate.

RECENT FINDINGS

We emphasize developments in black carbon absorption alteration due to coating and ageing, brown carbon characterization, dust composition, absorbing aerosol above cloud, source modeling and size distributions, and validation of high-resolution modeling against a range of observations.

SUMMARY

Both observations and modeling of total aerosol absorption, absorbing aerosol optical depths and single scattering albedo, as well as the vertical distribution of atmospheric absorption, still suffer from uncertainties and unknowns significant for climate applications. We offer a roadmap of developments needed to bring the field substantially forward.

Highly Viscous States Affect the Browning of Atmospheric Organic Particulate Matter

Initially transparent organic particulate matter (PM) can become shades of light-absorbing brown via atmospheric particle-phase chemical reactions. The production of nitrogen-containing compounds is one important pathway for browning. Semisolid or solid physical states of organic PM might, however, have sufficiently slow diffusion of reactant molecules to inhibit browning reactions. Herein, organic PM of secondary organic material (SOM) derived from toluene, a common SOM precursor in anthropogenically affected environments, was exposed to ammonia at different values of relative humidity (RH). The production of light-absorbing organonitrogen imines from ammonia exposure, detected by mass spectrometry and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, was kinetically inhibited for RH < 20% for exposure times of 6 min to 24 h. By comparison, from 20% to 60% RH organonitrogen production took place, implying ammonia uptake and reaction. Correspondingly, the absorption index k across 280 to 320 nm increased from 0.012 to 0.02, indicative of PM browning. The k value across 380 to 420 nm increased from 0.001 to 0.004. The observed RH-dependent behavior of ammonia uptake and browning was well captured by a model that considered the diffusivities of both the large organic molecules that made up the PM and the small reactant molecules taken up from the gas phase into the PM. Within the model, large-molecule diffusivity was calculated based on observed SOM viscosity and evaporation. Small-molecule diffusivity was represented by the water diffusivity measured by a quartz-crystal microbalance. The model showed that the browning reaction rates at RH < 60% could be controlled by the low diffusivity of the large organic molecules from the interior region of the particle to the reactive surface region. The results of this study have implications for accurate modeling of atmospheric brown carbon production and associated influences on energy balance.

Formation and photochemical properties of aqueous brown carbon through glyoxal reactions with glycine

In recent years, brown carbon aerosols, as important contributors to light absorption and climate forcing by aerosols, have been forefront in the field of atmospheric research. Aqueous brown carbon can be formed through the aqueous reaction of glyoxal (GX) with glycine (Gly). GX–Gly mixtures exhibit changes in their optical properties in the ultraviolet and near visible regions, which can be monitored with ultraviolet/visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. In this study, we quantified the absorption and excitation–emission matrix spectra during the formation of aqueous brown carbon, which was generated from GX–Gly mixtures. The formation of brown carbon was further evidenced using several optical parameters, including absorption coefficient, absorption Angstrom exponents, mass absorption coefficient, effective quantum yields and fluorescence lifetime values. The results of hydrogen peroxide oxidation photolysis revealed the probable removal processes of the atmospheric aqueous brown carbon. The fluorescence lifetime values of the brown carbon samples were less than 10 ns. Liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry analysis was used to investigate the probable chemical composition of the brown carbon samples from GX–Gly mixtures.

In recent years, brown carbon aerosols, as important contributors to light absorption and climate forcing by aerosols, have been forefront in the field of atmospheric research.

Brown and black carbon in Beijing aerosol: Implications for the effects of brown coating on light absorption by black carbon

Brown carbon (BrC) is increasingly included in climate models as an emerging category of particulate organic compounds that can absorb solar radiation efficiently at specific wavelengths. Water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) has been commonly used as a surrogate for BrC; however, it only represents a limited fraction of total organic carbon (OC) mass, which could be as low as about 20% in urban atmosphere. Using methanol as the extraction solvent, up to approximately 90% of the OC in Beijing aerosol was isolated and measured for absorption spectra over the ultraviolet-to-visible wavelength range. Compared to methanol-soluble OC (MSOC), WSOC underestimated BrC absorption by about 50% at 365nm. The mass absorption efficiencies measured for BrC in Beijing aerosol were converted to the imaginary refractive indices of BrC and subsequently used to compute BrC coating-induced enhancement of light absorption (E_abs) by black carbon. E_abs attributed to lensing was reduced in the case of BrC coating relative to that caused by purely-scattering coating. However, this reduction was overwhelmed by the effect of BrC shell absorption, indicating that the overall effect of BrC coating was an increase in E_abs. Methanol extraction significantly reduced charring of OC during thermal-optical analysis, leading to a large increase in the measured elemental carbon (EC) mass and an apparent improvement in the consistency of EC measurements by different thermal-optical methods.

Molecular Chemistry of Atmospheric Brown Carbon Inferred from a Nationwide Biomass Burning Event

Lag Ba'Omer, a nationwide bonfire festival in Israel, was chosen as a case study to investigate the influence of a major biomass burning event on the light absorption properties of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC). The chemical composition and optical properties of BrC chromophores were investigated using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) platform coupled to photo diode array (PDA) and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) detectors. Substantial increase of BrC light absorption coefficient was observed during the night-long biomass burning event. Most chromophores observed during the event were attributed to nitroaromatic compounds (NAC), comprising 28 elemental formulas of at least 63 structural isomers. The NAC, in combination, accounted for 50-80% of the total visible light absorption (>400 nm) by solvent extractable BrC. The results highlight that NAC, in particular nitrophenols, are important light absorption contributors of biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA), suggesting that night time chemistry of •NO₃ and N₂O₅ with particles may play a significant role in atmospheric transformations of BrC. Nitrophenols and related compounds were especially important chromophores of BBOA. The absorption spectra of the BrC chromophores are influenced by the extraction solvent and solution pH, implying that the aerosol acidity is an important factor controlling the light absorption properties of BrC.

Criegee Intermediates React with Levoglucosan on Water

Levoglucosan (Levo), a C₆-anhydrosaccharide produced in the combustion of cellulosic materials, is the major component of aerosols produced from biomass burning over vast regions worldwide. Levo has long been considered chemically inert and thus has been used as a tracer of biomass burning sources. However, we now show that sugars including Levo, glucose, arabitol, and mannitol react rapidly with Criegee intermediates (CIs) generated during the ozonolysis of sesquiterpenes on the surface of water:acetonitrile microjets. Hydrophilic Levo reacts faster with CIs than with water or surface-active 1-octanol at air-aqueous interfaces. This unexpected phenomenon is likely associated with the relatively low water density at air-aqueous interfaces coupled with a higher gas-phase acidity of the saccharide hydroxyl groups (i.e., -OH) versus n-alkanols. Results presented herein show that aerosol saccharides are in fact reactive toward CIs. Given the abundance of saccharides in the atmosphere, they may be important contributors to the growth and mass loading of secondary organic aerosols.

Light-absorbing organic carbon from prescribed and laboratory biomass burning and gasoline vehicle emissions

Light-absorbing organic carbon (OC), also termed brown carbon (BrC), from laboratory-based biomass burning (BB) has been studied intensively to understand the contribution of BB to radiative forcing. However, relatively few measurements have been conducted on field-based BB and even fewer measurements have examined BrC from anthropogenic combustion sources like motor vehicle emissions. In this work, the light absorption of methanol-extractable OC from prescribed and laboratory BB and gasoline vehicle emissions was examined using spectrophotometry. The light absorption of methanol extracts showed a strong wavelength dependence for both BB and gasoline vehicle emissions. The mass absorption coefficients at 365 nm (MAC₃₆₅, m² g^-1C) - used as a measurement proxy for BrC - were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) to the elemental carbon (EC)/OC ratios when examined by each BB fuel type. No significant correlation was observed when pooling fuels, indicating that both burn conditions and fuel types may impact BB BrC characteristics. The average MAC₃₆₅ of gasoline vehicle emission samples is 0.62 ± 0.76 m² g^-1C, which is similar in magnitude to the BB samples (1.27 ± 0.76 m² g^-1C). These results suggest that in addition to BB, gasoline vehicle emissions may also be an important BrC source in urban areas.

Changes in Light Absorptivity of Molecular Weight Separated Brown Carbon Due to Photolytic Aging

Brown carbon (BrC) consists of those organic compounds in atmospheric aerosols that absorb solar radiation and may play an important role in planetary radiative forcing and climate. However, little is known about the production and loss mechanisms of BrC in the atmosphere. Here, we study how the light absorptivity of BrC from wood smoke and secondary BrC generated from the reaction of ammonium sulfate with methylglyoxal changes under photolytic aging by UVA radiation in the aqueous phase. Owing to its chemical complexity, BrC is separated by molecular weight using size exclusion chromatography, and the response of each molecular weight fraction to aging is studied. Photolytic aging induced significant changes in the light absorptivity of BrC for all molecular weight fractions; secondary BrC was rapidly photoblenched, whereas for wood smoke BrC, both photoenhancement and photobleaching were observed. Initially, large biomass burning BrC molecules were rapidly photoenhanced, followed by slow photolysis. As a result, large BrC molecules dominated the total light absorption of aged biomass burning BrC. These experimental results further support earlier observations that large molecular weight BrC compounds from biomass burning can be relatively long-lived components in atmospheric aerosols, thus more likely to have larger impacts on aerosol radiative forcing and could serve as biomass burning tracers.

Light Absorption by Brown Carbon in the Southeastern United States is pH-dependent

Light-absorbing organic material, or "brown carbon" (BrC), can significantly influence the effect that aerosols have on climate. Here, we investigate how changing pH affects the absorption spectra of water-soluble BrC from ambient particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm collected in Athens, Georgia, in the spring and fall of 2016, including samples from nearby wildfires. We find that absorption increases 10% per pH unit from pH 2 to pH 12 with a broad, featureless tail at visible wavelengths, where the largest fractional increase is also observed. The resulting change in the spectral shape causes the absorption Ångström exponent to decrease by 0.18 per unit increase in pH. Similar behavior with humic substances suggests that they and BrC share a common link between pH and absorption, which we propose could be a consequence of conformational changes in supramolecular assemblies thought to exist in humic substances. Specifically, we hypothesize that a wider variety and larger number of absorbing charge transfer complexes are formed as functional groups in these molecules, such as carboxylic acid and phenol moieties, become deprotonated. These findings suggest that (1) the pH of ambient particulate matter samples should be measured or controlled and (2) radiative forcing by BrC aerosols could be overestimated if their pH-dependent BrC absorption is not accounted for in models.

Light-Absorbing Brown Carbon Aerosol Constituents from Combustion of Indonesian Peat and Biomass

Light-absorbing brown carbon (BrC) constituents of organic aerosol (OA) have been shown to significantly absorb ultraviolet (UV) and visible light and thus impact radiative forcing. However, molecular identification of the BrC constituents is still limited. In this study, we characterize BrC constituents at the molecular level in (i) aerosols emitted by combustion of peat, fern/leaf, and charcoal from Indonesia and (ii) ambient aerosols collected in Singapore during the 2015 haze episode. Aerosols were analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography instrument interfaced to a diode array detector and electrospray ionization high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer operated in the negative ion mode. In the laboratory-generated aerosols, we identified 41 compounds that can potentially absorb near-UV and visible wavelengths, such as oxygenated-conjugated compounds, nitroaromatics, and S-containing compounds. The sum of BrC constituents in peat, fern/leaf, and charcoal burning aerosols are 16%, 35%, and 28% of the OA mass, respectively, giving an average contribution of 24%. On average, the BrC constituents account for 0.4% of the ambient OA mass; however, large uncertainties in mass closure remain because of the lack of authentic standards. This study highlights the potential of light-absorbing BrC OA constituents from peat, fern/leaf, and charcoal burning and their importance in the atmosphere.

Molecular-Size-Separated Brown Carbon Absorption for Biomass-Burning Aerosol at Multiple Field Sites

Biomass burning is a known source of brown carbon aerosol in the atmosphere. We collected filter samples of biomass-burning emissions at three locations in Canada and the United States with transport times of 10 h to >3 days. We analyzed the samples with size-exclusion chromatography coupled to molecular absorbance spectroscopy to determine absorbance as a function of molecular size. The majority of absorption was due to molecules >500 Da, and these contributed an increasing fraction of absorption as the biomass-burning aerosol aged. This suggests that the smallest molecular weight fraction is more susceptible to processes that lead to reduced light absorption, while larger-molecular-weight species may represent recalcitrant brown carbon. We calculate that these large-molecular-weight species are composed of more than 20 carbons with as few as two oxygens and would be classified as extremely low volatility organic compounds (ELVOCs).

Important fossil source contribution to brown carbon in Beijing during winter

Organic aerosol (OA) constitutes a substantial fraction of fine particles and affects both human health and climate. It is becoming clear that OA absorbs light substantially (hence termed Brown Carbon, BrC), adding uncertainties to global aerosol radiative forcing estimations. The few current radiative-transfer and chemical-transport models that include BrC primarily consider sources from biogenic and biomass combustion. However, radiocarbon fingerprinting here clearly indicates that light-absorbing organic carbon in winter Beijing, the capital of China, is mainly due to fossil sources, which contribute the largest part to organic carbon (OC, 67 ± 3%) and its sub-constituents (water-soluble OC, WSOC: 54 ± 4%, and water-insoluble OC, WIOC: 73 ± 3%). The dual-isotope (Δ¹⁴C/δ¹³C) signatures, organic molecular tracers and Beijing-tailored emission inventory identify that this fossil source is primarily from coal combustion activities in winter, especially from the residential sector. Source testing on Chinese residential coal combustion provides direct evidence that intensive coal combustion could contribute to increased light-absorptivity of ambient BrC in Beijing winter. Coal combustion is an important source to BrC in regions such as northern China, especially during the winter season. Future modeling of OA radiative forcing should consider the importance of both biomass and fossil sources.

Important fossil source contribution to brown carbon in Beijing during winter

Organic aerosol (OA) constitutes a substantial fraction of fine particles and affects both human health and climate. It is becoming clear that OA absorbs light substantially (hence termed Brown Carbon, BrC), adding uncertainties to global aerosol radiative forcing estimations. The few current radiative-transfer and chemical-transport models that include BrC primarily consider sources from biogenic and biomass combustion. However, radiocarbon fingerprinting here clearly indicates that light-absorbing organic carbon in winter Beijing, the capital of China, is mainly due to fossil sources, which contribute the largest part to organic carbon (OC, 67 ± 3%) and its sub-constituents (water-soluble OC, WSOC: 54 ± 4%, and water-insoluble OC, WIOC: 73 ± 3%). The dual-isotope (Δ14C/δ13C) signatures, organic molecular tracers and Beijing-tailored emission inventory identify that this fossil source is primarily from coal combustion activities in winter, especially from the residential sector. Source testing on Chinese residential coal combustion provides direct evidence that intensive coal combustion could contribute to increased light-absorptivity of ambient BrC in Beijing winter. Coal combustion is an important source to BrC in regions such as northern China, especially during the winter season. Future modeling of OA radiative forcing should consider the importance of both biomass and fossil sources.

Light absorption enhancement of black carbon from urban haze in Northern China winter

Atmospheric black carbon (BC) is an important pollutant for both air quality and Earth's energy balance. Estimates of BC climate forcing remain highly uncertain, e.g., due to the mixing with non-absorbing components. Non-absorbing aerosols create a coating on BC and may thereby act as a lens which may enhance the light absorption. However, this absorption enhancement is poorly constrained. To this end a two-step solvent dissolution protocol was employed to remove both organic and inorganic coatings, and then investigate their effects on BC light absorption. Samples were collected at a severely polluted urban area, Jinan, in the North China Plain (NCP) during February 2014. The BC mass absorption cross-section (MAC) was measured for the aerosol samples before and after the solvent-decoating treatment, and the enhancement of MAC (E_MAC) from the coating effect was defined as the ratio. A distinct diurnal pattern for the enhancement was observed, with E_MAC 1.3 ± 0.3 (1 S.D.) in the morning, increasing to 2.2 ± 1.0 in the afternoon, after that dropping to 1.5 ± 0.8 in the evening-night. The BC absorption enhancement primarily was associated with urban-scale photochemical production of nitrate and sulfate aerosols. In addition to that, regional-scale haze plume with increasing sulfate levels strengthened the absorption enhancement. These observations offer direct evidence for an increased absorption enhancement of BC due to severe air pollution in China.

A review of biomass burning: Emissions and impacts on air quality, health and climate in China

Biomass burning (BB) is a significant air pollution source, with global, regional and local impacts on air quality, public health and climate. Worldwide an extensive range of studies has been conducted on almost all the aspects of BB, including its specific types, on quantification of emissions and on assessing its various impacts. China is one of the countries where the significance of BB has been recognized, and a lot of research efforts devoted to investigate it, however, so far no systematic reviews were conducted to synthesize the information which has been emerging. Therefore the aim of this work was to comprehensively review most of the studies published on this topic in China, including literature concerning field measurements, laboratory studies and the impacts of BB indoors and outdoors in China. In addition, this review provides insights into the role of wildfire and anthropogenic BB on air quality and health globally. Further, we attempted to provide a basis for formulation of policies and regulations by policy makers in China.

Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds: oxidation, mechanisms, and organic aerosol

Oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) by the nitrate radical (NO₃) represents one of the important interactions between anthropogenic emissions related to combustion and natural emissions from the biosphere. This interaction has been recognized for more than 3 decades, during which time a large body of research has emerged from laboratory, field, and modeling studies. NO₃-BVOC reactions influence air quality, climate and visibility through regional and global budgets for reactive nitrogen (particularly organic nitrates), ozone, and organic aerosol. Despite its long history of research and the significance of this topic in atmospheric chemistry, a number of important uncertainties remain. These include an incomplete understanding of the rates, mechanisms, and organic aerosol yields for NO₃-BVOC reactions, lack of constraints on the role of heterogeneous oxidative processes associated with the NO₃ radical, the difficulty of characterizing the spatial distributions of BVOC and NO₃ within the poorly mixed nocturnal atmosphere, and the challenge of constructing appropriate boundary layer schemes and non-photochemical mechanisms for use in state-of-the-art chemical transport and chemistry-climate models. This review is the result of a workshop of the same title held at the Georgia Institute of Technology in June 2015. The first half of the review summarizes the current literature on NO₃-BVOC chemistry, with a particular focus on recent advances in instrumentation and models, and in organic nitrate and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation chemistry. Building on this current understanding, the second half of the review outlines impacts of NO₃-BVOC chemistry on air quality and climate, and suggests critical research needs to better constrain this interaction to improve the predictive capabilities of atmospheric models.

Refractive Index and Absorption Attribution of Highly Absorbing Brown Carbon Aerosols from an Urban Indian City-Kanpur

Atmospheric aerosols influence Earth's radiative balance, having both warming and cooling effects. Though many aerosols reflect radiation, carbonaceous aerosols such as black carbon and certain organic carbon species known as brown carbon have the potential to warm the atmosphere by absorbing light. Black carbon absorbs light over the entire solar spectrum whereas brown carbon absorbs near-UV wavelengths and, to a lesser extent, visible light. In developing countries, such as India, where combustion sources are prolific, the influence of brown carbon on absorption may be significant. In order to better characterize brown carbon, we present experimental and modeled absorption properties of submicron aerosols measured in an urban Indian city (Kanpur). Brown carbon here is found to be fivefold more absorbing at 365 nm wavelength compared to previous studies. Results suggest ~30% of total absorption in Kanpur is attributed to brown carbon, with primary organic aerosols contributing more than secondary organics. We report the spectral brown carbon refractive indices along with an experimentally constrained estimate of the influence of aerosol mixing state on absorption. We conclude that brown carbon in Kanpur is highly absorbing in nature and that the mixing state plays an important role in light absorption from volatile species.

Impacts of brown carbon from biomass burning on surface UV and ozone photochemistry in the Amazon Basin

The spectral dependence of light absorption by atmospheric particulate matter has major implications for air quality and climate forcing, but remains uncertain especially in tropical areas with extensive biomass burning. In the September-October 2007 biomass-burning season in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, we studied light absorbing (chromophoric) organic or "brown" carbon (BrC) with surface and space-based remote sensing. We found that BrC has negligible absorption at visible wavelengths, but significant absorption and strong spectral dependence at UV wavelengths. Using the ground-based inversion of column effective imaginary refractive index in the range 305-368 nm, we quantified a strong spectral dependence of absorption by BrC in the UV and diminished ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation reaching the surface. Reduced UV-B means less erythema, plant damage, and slower photolysis rates. We use a photochemical box model to show that relative to black carbon (BC) alone, the combined optical properties of BrC and BC slow the net rate of production of ozone by up to 18% and lead to reduced concentrations of radicals OH, HO2, and RO2 by up to 17%, 15%, and 14%, respectively. The optical properties of BrC aerosol change in subtle ways the generally adverse effects of smoke from biomass burning.

Molecular Characterization of Brown Carbon in Biomass Burning Aerosol Particles

Emissions from biomass burning are a significant source of brown carbon (BrC) in the atmosphere. In this study, we investigate the molecular composition of freshly emitted biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA) samples collected during test burns of sawgrass, peat, ponderosa pine, and black spruce. We demonstrate that both the BrC absorption and the chemical composition of light-absorbing compounds depend significantly on the type of biomass fuels. Common BrC chromophores in the selected BBOA samples include nitro-aromatics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives, and polyphenols spanning a wide range of molecular weights, structures, and light absorption properties. A number of biofuel-specific BrC chromophores are observed, indicating that some of them may be used as source-specific markers of BrC. On average, ∼50% of the light absorption in the solvent-extractable fraction of BBOA can be attributed to a limited number of strong BrC chromophores. The absorption coefficients of BBOA are affected by solar photolysis. Specifically, under typical atmospheric conditions, the 300 nm absorbance decays with a half-life of ∼16 h. A "molecular corridor" analysis of the BBOA volatility distribution suggests that many BrC compounds in the fresh BBOA have low saturation mass concentration (<1 μg m^-3) and will be retained in the particle phase under atmospherically relevant conditions.

Significant cooling effect on the surface due to soot particles over Brahmaputra River Valley region, India: An impact on regional climate

Black carbon (BC) is an important atmospheric aerosol constituent that affects the climate by absorbing (directly) the sunlight and modifying cloud characteristics (indirectly). Here, we present first time yearlong measurements of BC and carbon monoxide (CO) from an urban location of Guwahati located in the Brahmaputra River valley (BRV) in the northeast region of India from 1st July 2013 to 30th June 2014. Daily BC concentrations varied within the range of 2.86 to 11.56μgm(-3) with an annual average of 7.17±1.89μgm(-3), while, CO varied from 0.19 to 1.20ppm with a mean value of 0.51±0.19ppm during the study period. The concentrations of BC (8.37μgm(-3)) and CO (0.67ppm) were ~39% and ~55% higher during the dry months (October to March) than the wet months (April to September) suggesting that seasonal changes in meteorology and emission sources play an important role in controlling these species. The seasonal ΔBC/ΔCO ratios were highest (lowest) in the pre-monsoon (winter) 18.1±1.4μgm(-3)ppmv(-1) (12.6±2.2μgm(-3)ppmv(-1)) which indicate the combustion of biofuel/biomass as well as direct emissions from fossil fuel during the pre-monsoon season. The annual BC emission was estimated to be 2.72Gg in and around Guwahati which is about 44% lower than the mega city 'Delhi' (4.86Gg). During the study period, the annual mean radiative forcing (RF) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) for clear skies of BC was +9.5Wm(-2), however, the RF value at the surface (SFC) was -21.1Wm(-2) which indicates the net warming and cooling effects, respectively. The highest RF at SFC was in the month of April (-30Wm(-2)) which is coincident with the highest BC mass level. The BC atmospheric radiative forcing (ARF) was +30.16 (annual mean) Wm(-2) varying from +23.1 to +43.8Wm(-2). The annual mean atmospheric heating rate (AHR) due to the BC aerosols was 0.86Kday(-1) indicates the enhancement in radiation effect over the study region. The Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) captured the seasonal cycle of observed BC fairly well but underestimated the observed BC during the month of May-August. Model results show that BC at Guwahati is controlled mainly by anthropogenic emissions except during the pre-monsoon season when open biomass burning also makes a similar contribution.

Optical and Physicochemical Properties of Brown Carbon Aerosol: Light Scattering, FTIR Extinction Spectroscopy, and Hygroscopic Growth

A great deal of attention has been paid to brown carbon aerosol in the troposphere because it can both scatter and absorb solar radiation, thus affecting the Earth's climate. However, knowledge of the optical and chemical properties of brown carbon aerosol is still limited. In this study, we have investigated different aspects of the optical properties of brown carbon aerosol that have not been previously explored. These properties include extinction spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region and light scattering at two different visible wavelengths, 532 and 402 nm. A proxy for atmospheric brown carbon aerosol was formed from the aqueous reaction of ammonium sulfate with methylglyoxal. The different optical properties were measured as a function of reaction time for a period of up to 19 days. UV/vis absorption experiments of bulk solutions showed that the optical absorption of aqueous brown carbon solution significantly increases as a function of reaction time in the spectral range from 200 to 700 nm. The analysis of the light scattering data, however, showed no significant differences between ammonium sulfate and brown carbon aerosol particles in the measured scattering phase functions, linear polarization profiles, or the derived real parts of the refractive indices at either 532 or 402 nm, even for the longest reaction times with greatest visible extinction. The light scattering experiments are relatively insensitive to the imaginary part of the refractive index, and it was only possible to place an upper limit of k ≤ 0.01 on the imaginary index values. These results suggest that after the reaction with methylglyoxal the single scattering albedo of ammonium sulfate aerosol is significantly reduced but that the light scattering properties including the scattering asymmetry parameter, which is a measure of the relative amount of forward-to-backward scattering, remain essentially unchanged from that of unprocessed ammonium sulfate. The optical extinction properties in the mid-IR range (800 to 7000 cm(-1)) also showed no significant changes in either the real or the imaginary parts of the refractive indices for brown carbon aerosol particles when compared to ammonium sulfate. Therefore, changes in the optical properties of ammonium sulfate in the mid-IR spectral range due to reaction with methylglyoxal appear to be insignificant. In addition to these measurements, we have characterized additional physicochemical properties of the brown carbon aerosol particles including hygroscopic growth using a tandem-differential mobility analyzer. Compared to ammonium sulfate, brown carbon aerosol particles are found to have lower deliquescence relative humidity (DRH), efflorescence relative humidity (ERH), and hygroscopic growth at the same relative humidities. Overall, our study provides new details of the optical and physicochemical properties of a class of secondary organic aerosol which may have important implications for atmospheric chemistry and climate.

Solar Absorption by Aerosol-Bound Nitrophenols Compared to Aqueous and Gaseous Nitrophenols

Nitrophenols are well-known absorbers of near-UV/blue radiation and are considered to be a component of solar-absorbing organic aerosol material commonly labeled brown carbon. Nitrophenols have been identified in a variety of phases in earth's atmosphere, including the gaseous, aqueous, and aerosol bound, and these different environments alter their UV-vis absorption spectra, most dramatically when deprotonated forming nitrophenolates. We quantify the impact of these different absorption profiles by calculating the solar power absorbed per molecule for several nitrophenols. For instance, aqueous 2,4-dinitrophenol absorption varies dramatically over the pH range of cloud droplets with pH = 5.5 solutions absorbing three times the solar power compared to pH = 3.5 solutions. We also measured the UV-vis spectra of 2-nitrophenol adsorbed on several aerosol substrates representative of mineral dust, inorganic salts, and organic aerosol and compare these spectra to gaseous and aqueous 2-nitrophenol. 2-Nitrophenol adsorbed on mineral and chloride aerosol substrates exhibits a red-shifted absorption band (∼450-650 nm) consistent with 2-nitrophenolate and absorbs twice the solar power per molecule compared to gaseous, aqueous, and organic aerosol-bound 2-nitrophenol. We also discuss how different nitrophenol absorption profiles alter important atmospheric photolysis rate constants [e.g., J(NO2) and J(O3)] by attenuating solar flux.

Radiative absorption enhancement from coatings on black carbon aerosols

The radiative absorption enhancement of ambient black carbon (BC), by light-refractive coatings of atmospheric aerosols, constitutes a large uncertainty in estimates of climate forcing. The direct measurements of radiative absorption enhancement require the experimentally-removing the coating materials in ambient BC-containing aerosols, which remains a challenge. Here, the absorption enhancement of the BC core by non-absorbing aerosol coatings was quantified using a two-step removal of both inorganic and organic matter coatings of ambient aerosols. The mass absorption cross-section (MAC) of decoated/pure atmospheric BC aerosols of 4.4±0.8m(2)g(-1) was enhanced to 9.6±1.8m(2)g(-1) at 678-nm wavelength for ambiently-coated BC aerosols at a rural Northern China site. The enhancement of MAC (EMAC) rises from 1.4±0.3 in fresh combustion emissions to ~3 for aged ambient China aerosols. The three-week high-intensity campaign observed an average EMAC of 2.25±0.55, and sulfates were primary drivers of the enhanced BC absorption.

Optical Properties of Wintertime Aerosols from Residential Wood Burning in Fresno, CA: Results from DISCOVER-AQ 2013

The optical properties, composition and sources of the wintertime aerosols in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) were characterized through measurements made in Fresno, CA during the 2013 DISCOVER-AQ campaign. PM2.5 extinction and absorption coefficients were measured at 405, 532, and 870 nm along with refractory black carbon (rBC) size distributions and concentrations. BC absorption enhancements (Eabs) were measured using two methods, a thermodenuder and mass absorption coefficient method, which agreed well. Relatively large diurnal variations in the Eabs at 405 nm were observed, likely reflecting substantial nighttime emissions of wood burning organic aerosols (OA) from local residential heating. Comparably small diurnal variations and absolute nighttime values of Eabs were observed at the other wavelengths, suggesting limited mixing-driven enhancement. Positive matrix factorization analysis of OA mass spectra from an aerosol mass spectrometer resolved two types of biomass burning OA, which appeared to have different chemical composition and absorptivity. Brown carbon (BrC) absorption was estimated to contribute up to 30% to the total absorption at 405 nm at night but was negligible (<10%) during the day. Quantitative understanding of retrieved BrC optical properties could be improved with more explicit knowledge of the BC mixing state and the distribution of coating thicknesses.

Impacts of Combustion Conditions and Photochemical Processing on the Light Absorption of Biomass Combustion Aerosol

The aim was to identify relationships between combustion conditions, particle characteristics, and optical properties of fresh and photochemically processed emissions from biomass combustion. The combustion conditions included nominal and high burn rate operation and individual combustion phases from a conventional wood stove. Low temperature pyrolysis upon fuel addition resulted in "tar-ball" type particles dominated by organic aerosol with an absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) of 2.5-2.7 and estimated Brown Carbon contributions of 50-70% to absorption at the climate relevant aethalometer-wavelength (520 nm). High temperature combustion during the intermediate (flaming) phase was dominated by soot agglomerates with AAE 1.0-1.2 and 85-100% of absorption at 520 nm attributed to Black Carbon. Intense photochemical processing of high burn rate flaming combustion emissions in an oxidation flow reactor led to strong formation of Secondary Organic Aerosol, with no or weak absorption. PM1 mass emission factors (mg/kg) of fresh emissions were about an order of magnitude higher for low temperature pyrolysis compared to high temperature combustion. However, emission factors describing the absorption cross section emitted per kg of fuel consumed (m(2)/kg) were of similar magnitude at 520 nm for the diverse combustion conditions investigated in this study. These results provide a link between biomass combustion conditions, emitted particle types, and their optical properties in fresh and processed plumes which can be of value for source apportionment and balanced mitigation of biomass combustion emissions from a climate and health perspective.

Enhanced light absorption by mixed source black and brown carbon particles in UK winter

Black carbon (BC) and light-absorbing organic carbon (brown carbon, BrC) play key roles in warming the atmosphere, but the magnitude of their effects remains highly uncertain. Theoretical modelling and laboratory experiments demonstrate that coatings on BC can enhance BC's light absorption, therefore many climate models simply assume enhanced BC absorption by a factor of ∼1.5. However, recent field observations show negligible absorption enhancement, implying models may overestimate BC's warming. Here we report direct evidence of substantial field-measured BC absorption enhancement, with the magnitude strongly depending on BC coating amount. Increases in BC coating result from a combination of changing sources and photochemical aging processes. When the influence of BrC is accounted for, observationally constrained model calculations of the BC absorption enhancement can be reconciled with the observations. We conclude that the influence of coatings on BC absorption should be treated as a source and regionally specific parameter in climate models.

Contribution of Brown Carbon to Direct Radiative Forcing over the Indo-Gangetic Plain

The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a region of known high aerosol loading with substantial amounts of carbonaceous aerosols from a variety of sources, often dominated by biomass burning. Although black carbon has been shown to play an important role in the absorption of solar energy and hence direct radiative forcing (DRF), little is known regarding the influence of light absorbing brown carbon (BrC) on the radiative balance in the region. With this in mind, a study was conducted for a one month period during the winter-spring season of 2013 in Kanpur, India that measured aerosol chemical and physical properties that were used to estimate the sources of carbonaceous aerosols, as well as parameters necessary to estimate direct forcing by aerosols and the contribution of BrC absorption to the atmospheric energy balance. Positive matrix factorization analyses, based on aerosol mass spectrometer measurements, resolved organic carbon into four factors including low-volatile oxygenated organic aerosols, semivolatile oxygenated organic aerosols, biomass burning, and hydrocarbon like organic aerosols. Three-wavelength absorption and scattering coefficient measurements from a Photo Acoustic Soot Spectrometer were used to estimate aerosol optical properties and estimate the relative contribution of BrC to atmospheric absorption. Mean ± standard deviation values of short-wave cloud free clear sky DRF exerted by total aerosols at the top of atmosphere, surface and within the atmospheric column are -6.1 ± 3.2, -31.6 ± 11, and 25.5 ± 10.2 W/m(2), respectively. During days dominated by biomass burning the absorption of solar energy by aerosols within the atmosphere increased by ∼35%, accompanied by a 25% increase in negative surface DRF. DRF at the top of atmosphere during biomass burning days decreased in negative magnitude by several W/m(2) due to enhanced atmospheric absorption by biomass aerosols, including BrC. The contribution of BrC to atmospheric absorption is estimated to range from on average 2.6 W/m(2) for typical ambient conditions to 3.6 W/m(2) during biomass burning days. This suggests that BrC accounts for 10-15% of the total aerosol absorption in the atmosphere, indicating that BrC likely plays an important role in surface and boundary temperature as well as climate.