Modeling the contribution of secondary aerosols on aerosol scattering ensemble: a comparative analysis of the scattering abilities of different aerosol species

Atmospheric transport processes and conditions can cause primary aerosols to interact, giving rise to secondary aerosols with unique chemical and physical properties. These new species of aerosols can potentially influence the light-scattering properties of the aerosol ensemble and thus the climate system in ways that are not yet fully understood. In this study, the effects of different aerosol types on the scattering of incident solar radiation are modeled and the contribution of secondary aerosols to the aerosol scattering ensemble is highlighted. Using the discrete dipole approximation method, the scattering properties of freshwater droplets, sea salts (liquid, dry, and wet solids), ice crystals, clay minerals, clay particles coated with a thin film of water and sea salt droplets, black carbon (BC), and a complex particle of clay, sea salt, and BC with sulphate coating are calculated and compared. The calculations assume a spherical particle shape model for marine aerosols, a distorted cube for wet salts and ice, and a distorted ellipse with an induced surface roughness length for terrestrial aerosols at a size parameter of x=5 and a wavelength range of 400 to 750 nm. The results show that tiny ice crystals trapped in freshwater droplets are the most efficient atmospheric scatterers, followed by sea salt droplets, while BC absorbs the most compared to other aerosols studied. On average, the atmospheric interaction between marine and terrestrial aerosols is able to enhance atmospheric light scattering and polarisation by aerosols compared to terrestrial aerosols. This study suggests that the scenario in which there are many freshwater aerosols in the atmosphere can be very healthy for the Earth's system compared to other aerosols. Therefore, we suggest that when formulating the radiative properties of aerosols in climate models, the scenarios of dominant freshwater aerosols and the contribution of secondary aerosols should not be ignored. The results presented here may be useful in the fields of Geoengineering and Aerosol-cloud microphysics.

Influence of the morphological change in natural Asian dust during transport: A modeling study for a typical dust event over northern China

The effect of the nonsphericity of mineral dust aerosols on its deposition and transport was investigated based on model simulation for a typical dust event over northern China from April 6 to 12, 2018. The settling velocity related to morphological change in dust size was considered in Nested Air Quality Prediction Modeling System (NAQPMS) to simulate the dust spatial distribution. Comparison of these results with observations showed that the model reproduced the temporal variability in the mass concentration of particles along the dust plume pathway. The most frequently reported aspect ratio (λ) was 1.7 ± 0.2 for Asian dust aerosols. Changing the nonsphericity of the particle from typical prolate ellipsoids (λ = 1.7) to spherical ellipsoids (λ = 1) caused an ~3% decrease in the surface dust concentration on average. For particles with diameters >5 μm, nonsphericity caused a change in the surface dust concentration up to 10%, especially at the periphery of the dust source region. The overall effects on the fine dust (<2.5 μm) were not significant. A sensitivity study using a more extreme nonspherical shape (λ = 2) showed that the differences in PM₁₀ concentration were evident, and the surface dust concentration increased by 15 ± 5% as a result of an ~10% decrease in settling velocity. These results confirmed that the effect of the variability in the nonsphericity of Asian dust particles on their regional transport highly depended on synoptical and pollution conditions, and the adoption of a deposition value that changes over time due to this morphological variability could improve the performance of dust modeling and the assessment of climate effects on a global scale, especially for transboundary processes.

Development of a Process for Color Improvement of Low-Grade Dark Maple Syrup by Adsorption on Activated Carbon

Low-grade dark maple syrup was successfully discolored on activated carbon. Several experimental parameters were tested, namely, the mixing time (20, 40, and 60 min), concentration of the activated carbon (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 g/100 mL), type of activated carbon (I, II, and III), activated carbon particle size (25, 50, and 75 μm), stirring speed (200, 400, and 600 rpm), and temperature (40, 60, and 80 °C). The obtained results showed that the discoloration is optimal by applying the following parameters: a mixing time of 40 min with a type III activated carbon at a concentration of 0.3 g/100 mL. These parameters yielded a light transmittance at 560 nm of 83.70 ± 0.21%, which ranks the syrup in the extra clear class according to the Canadian classification. The results showed that among the tested carbons, the adsorption on the type III carbon followed the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Langmuir-Freundlich adsorption isotherms. Regarding the effect of the particle size, the obtained results showed that a mean size of 25 μm combined with a stirring speed of 200 rpm and working temperature of 80 °C was the most effective one. The optimized conditions showed a good adequacy with the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The discoloration process by using the type III activated carbon followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics.

Assessment of leaching protocols to determine the solubility of trace metals in aerosols

Atmospheric deposition of aerosols to the ocean provides an important pathway for the supply of vital micronutrients, including trace metals. These trace metals are essential for phytoplankton growth, and therefore their delivery to marine ecosystems can strongly influence the ocean carbon cycle. The solubility of trace metals in aerosols is a key parameter to better constrain their potential impact on phytoplankton growth. To date, a wide range of experimental approaches and nomenclature have been used to define aerosol trace metal solubility, making data comparison between studies difficult. Here we investigate and discuss several laboratory leaching protocols to determine the solubility of key trace metals in aerosol samples, namely iron, cobalt, manganese, copper, lead, vanadium, titanium and aluminium. Commonly used techniques and tools are also considered such as enrichment factor calculations and air mass back-trajectory projections and recommendations are given for aerosol field sampling, laboratory processing (including leaching and digestion) and analytical measurements. Finally, a simple 3-step leaching protocol combining commonly used protocols is proposed to operationally define trace metal solubility in aerosols. The need for standard guidelines and protocols to study the biogeochemical impact of atmospheric trace metal deposition to the ocean has been increasingly emphasised by both the atmospheric and oceanographic communities. This lack of standardisation currently limits our understanding and ability to predict ocean and climate interactions under changing environmental conditions.

Sensitivity study on the contribution of scattering by randomly oriented nonspherical hydrosols to linear polarization in clear to semi-turbid shallow waters

The influence of hydrosol nonsphericity on the polarization characteristics of light under water is investigated by combining accurate single-scattering models for randomly oriented spheroidal scatterers with a radiative transfer model that employs Stokes formalism and considers refraction of direct unpolarized solar radiation and 100% linearly polarized radiation at the air-water interface followed by single scattering. Variations in what we call the "linear polarization phase function" (the degree of linear polarization as a function of scattering angle and the angle of linear polarization as a function of scattering angle) are examined for a wide range of spheroid aspect ratios and complex refractive indices of hydrosols. Implications for polarization-sensitive marine organisms and for remote sensing of the marine environment are discussed.

African biomass burning is a substantial source of phosphorus deposition to the Amazon, Tropical Atlantic Ocean, and Southern Ocean

The deposition of phosphorus (P) from African dust is believed to play an important role in bolstering primary productivity in the Amazon Basin and Tropical Atlantic Ocean (TAO), leading to sequestration of carbon dioxide. However, there are few measurements of African dust in South America that can robustly test this hypothesis and even fewer measurements of soluble P, which is readily available for stimulating primary production in the ocean. To test this hypothesis, we measured total and soluble P in long-range transported aerosols collected in Cayenne, French Guiana, a TAO coastal site located at the northeastern edge of the Amazon. Our measurements confirm that in boreal spring when African dust transport is greatest, dust supplies the majority of P, of which 5% is soluble. In boreal fall, when dust transport is at an annual minimum, we measured unexpectedly high concentrations of soluble P, which we show is associated with the transport of biomass burning (BB) from southern Africa. Integrating our results into a chemical transport model, we show that African BB supplies up to half of the P deposited annually to the Amazon from transported African aerosol. This observational study links P-rich BB aerosols from Africa to enhanced P deposition in the Amazon. Contrary to current thought, we also show that African BB is a more important source of soluble P than dust to the TAO and oceans in the Southern Hemisphere and may be more important for marine productivity, particularly in boreal summer and fall.

Immersion and Contact Efflorescence Induced by Mineral Dust Particles

The phase state of inorganic salt aerosols impacts their properties, including the ability to undergo hygroscopic growth, catalyze heterogeneous reactions, and act as cloud condensation nuclei. Here, we report the first observation of contact efflorescence by mineral dust aerosol. The efflorescence of aqueous ammonium sulfate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) and sodium chloride (NaCl) droplets by contact with three types of mineral dust particles (illite, montmorillonite, and NX illite), were examined using an optical levitation chamber. Immersion mode efflorescence was also studied for comparison. We find that in the presence of mineral dust particles, crystallization occurred at a higher relative humidity (RH) when compared to the homogeneous phase transition. Additionally, crystallization by contact mode efflorescence occurred at a higher RH than the corresponding immersion mode. Crystallization efficiencies in the contact mode exhibited an ion-specific trend consistent with the Hoffmeister series. Estimates for lifetimes of a salt droplet to collide with dust particles suggests that collisions between the two aerosol types are likely to occur before the salt aerosol is removed by other atmospheric processes. Such collisions could then lead to the crystallization of salt droplets that would otherwise have remained liquid, changing the overall impact that salt aerosols have on atmospheric chemistry and climate.

Integrative analysis of desert dust size and abundance suggests less dust climate cooling

Desert dust aerosols affect Earth's global energy balance through interactions with radiation^1,2, clouds^3,4, and ecosystems⁵. But the magnitudes of these effects are so uncertain that it remains unclear whether atmospheric dust has a net warming or cooling effect on global climate^1,4,6. Consequently, it is still uncertain whether large changes in atmospheric dust loading over the past century have slowed or accelerated anthropogenic climate change^4,7-9, and the climate impact of possible future alterations in dust loading is similarly disputed^9,10. Here we use an integrative analysis of dust aerosol sizes and abundance to constrain the climatic impact of dust through direct interactions with radiation. Using a combination of observational, experimental, and model data, we find that atmospheric dust is substantially coarser than represented in current climate models. Since coarse dust warms global climate, the dust direct radiative effect (DRE) is likely less cooling than the ~0.4 W/m² estimated by models in a current ensemble^2,11-13. We constrain the dust DRE to - 0.20 (-0.48 to +0.20) W/m², which suggests that the dust DRE produces only about half the cooling that current models estimate, and raises the possibility that dust DRE is actually net warming the planet.

Mediterranean aerosol typing by integrating three-wavelength lidar and sun photometer measurements

Backscatter lidar measurements at 355, 532, and 1064 nm combined with aerosol optical thicknesses (AOTs) from sun photometer measurements collocated in space and time were used to retrieve the vertical profiles of intensive and extensive aerosol parameters. Then, the vertical profiles of the Ångström coefficients for different wavelength pairs (Å(λ1, λ2, z)), the color ratio (CR(z)), the fine mode fraction (η(z)) at 532 nm, and the fine modal radius (R f (z)), which represent aerosol characteristic properties independent from the aerosol load, were used for typing the aerosol over the Central Mediterranean. The ability of the Ångström coefficients to identify the main aerosol types affecting the Central Mediterranean with the support of the backward trajectory analysis was first demonstrated. Three main aerosol types, which were designed as continental-polluted (CP), marine-polluted (MP), and desert-polluted (DP), were identified. We found that both the variability range and the vertical profile structure of the tested aerosol intensive parameters varied with the aerosol type. The variability range and the altitude dependence of the aerosol extinction coefficients at 355, 532, and 1064 nm, respectively, also varied with the identified aerosol types even if they are extensive aerosol parameters. DP, MP, and CP aerosols were characterized by the Å(532, 1064 nm) mean values ± 1 standard deviation equal to 0.5 ± 0.2, 1.1 ± 0.2, 1.6 ± 0.2, respectively. η(%) mean values ± 1SD were equal to 50 ± 10, 73 ± 7, and 86 ± 6 for DP, MP, and CP aerosols, respectively. The R f and CR mean values ± 1SD were equal to 0.16 ± 0.05 μm and 1.3 ± 0.3, respectively, for DP aerosols; to 0.12 ± 0.03 μm and 1.8 ± 0.4, respectively, for MP aerosols; and to 0.11 ± 0.02 μm and 1.7 ± 0.4, respectively, for CP aerosols. CP and DP aerosols were on average responsible for greater AOT and LR values, but the LR and AOT dependence on wavelength was stronger for CP than for DP aerosols. The plots of the lidar ratio values at 355 nm versus the mean columnar values of the 532-1064 nm Ångström coefficient (Å c), the fine mode radius, the fine mode fraction at 532 nm (η c), and the color ratio, respectively, furthermore revealed the greater ability of the Å c and η c values to characterize different aerosol types.

Inhalable desert dust, urban emissions, and potentially biotoxic metals in urban Saharan-Sahelian air

Saharan dust incursions and particulates emitted from human activities degrade air quality throughout West Africa, especially in the rapidly expanding urban centers in the region. Particulate matter (PM) that can be inhaled is strongly associated with increased incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer. Air samples collected in the capital of a Saharan-Sahelian country (Bamako, Mali) between September 2012 and July 2013 were found to contain inhalable PM concentrations that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) PM2.5 and PM10 24-h limits 58 - 98% of days and European Union (EU) PM10 24-h limit 98% of days. Mean concentrations were 1.2-to-4.5 fold greater than existing limits. Inhalable PM was enriched in transition metals, known to produce reactive oxygen species and initiate the inflammatory response, and other potentially bioactive and biotoxic metals/metalloids. Eroded mineral dust composed the bulk of inhalable PM, whereas most enriched metals/metalloids were likely emitted from oil combustion, biomass burning, refuse incineration, vehicle traffic, and mining activities. Human exposure to inhalable PM and associated metals/metalloids over 24-h was estimated. The findings indicate that inhalable PM in the Sahara-Sahel region may present a threat to human health, especially in urban areas with greater inhalable PM and transition metal exposure.

The physics of wind-blown sand and dust

The transport of sand and dust by wind is a potent erosional force, creates sand dunes and ripples, and loads the atmosphere with suspended dust aerosols. This paper presents an extensive review of the physics of wind-blown sand and dust on Earth and Mars. Specifically, we review the physics of aeolian saltation, the formation and development of sand dunes and ripples, the physics of dust aerosol emission, the weather phenomena that trigger dust storms, and the lifting of dust by dust devils and other small-scale vortices. We also discuss the physics of wind-blown sand and dune formation on Venus and Titan.