Multi-campaign ship and aircraft observations of marine cloud condensation nuclei and droplet concentrations

In-situ marine cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNCs), cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), and CCN proxies, based on particle sizes and optical properties, are accumulated from seven field campaigns: ACTIVATE; NAAMES; CAMP2EX; ORACLES; SOCRATES; MARCUS; and CAPRICORN2. Each campaign involves aircraft measurements, ship-based measurements, or both. Measurements collected over the North and Central Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and Southern Oceans, represent a range of clean to polluted conditions in various climate regimes. With the extensive range of environmental conditions sampled, this data collection is ideal for testing satellite remote detection methods of CDNC and CCN in marine environments. Remote measurement methods are vital to expanding the available data in these difficult-to-reach regions of the Earth and improving our understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions. The data collection includes particle composition and continental tracers to identify potential contributing CCN sources. Several of these campaigns include High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) and polarimetric imaging measurements and retrievals that will be the basis for the next generation of space-based remote sensors and, thus, can be utilized as satellite surrogates.

Beyond the Ångström Exponent: Probing Additional Information in Spectral Curvature and Variability of In Situ Aerosol Hyperspectral (0.3-0.7 μm) Optical Properties

Ångström exponents (α) allow reconstruction of aerosol optical spectra over a broad range of wavelengths from measurements at two or more wavelengths. Hyperspectral measurements of atmospheric aerosols provide opportunities to probe measured spectra for information inaccessible from only a few wavelengths. Four sets of hyperspectral in situ aerosol optical coefficients (aerosol-phase total extinction, σ _ext, and absorption, σ _abs; liquid-phase soluble absorption from methanol, σ _MeOH-abs, and water, σ _DI-abs, extracts) were measured from biomass burning aerosols (BBAs). Hyperspectral single scattering albedo (ω), calculated from σ _ext and σ _abs, provide spectral resolution over a wide spectral range rare for this optical parameter. Observed spectral shifts between σ _abs and σ _MeOH-abs/σ _DI-abs argue in favor of measuring σ _abs rather than reconstructing it from liquid extracts. Logarithmically transformed spectra exhibited curvature better fit by second-order polynomials than linear α. Mapping second order fit coefficients (a ₁, a ₂) revealed samples from a given fire tended to cluster together, that is, aerosol spectra from a given fire were similar to each other and somewhat distinct from others. Separation in (a ₁, a ₂) space for spectra with the same α suggest additional information in second-order parameterization absent from the linear fit. Spectral features found in the fit residuals indicate more information in the measured spectra than captured by the fits. Above-detection σ _MeOH-abs at 0.7 μm suggests assuming all absorption at long visible wavelengths is BC to partition absorption between BC and brown carbon (BrC) overestimates BC and underestimates BrC across the spectral range. Hyperspectral measurements may eventually discriminate BBA among fires in different ecosystems under variable conditions.

The Korea-United States Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) field study

The Korea-United States Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) field study was conducted during May-June 2016. The effort was jointly sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Research of South Korea and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States. KORUS-AQ offered an unprecedented, multi-perspective view of air quality conditions in South Korea by employing observations from three aircraft, an extensive ground-based network, and three ships along with an array of air quality forecast models. Information gathered during the study is contributing to an improved understanding of the factors controlling air quality in South Korea. The study also provided a valuable test bed for future air quality-observing strategies involving geostationary satellite instruments being launched by both countries to examine air quality throughout the day over Asia and North America. This article presents details on the KORUS-AQ observational assets, study execution, data products, and air quality conditions observed during the study. High-level findings from companion papers in this special issue are also summarized and discussed in relation to the factors controlling fine particle and ozone pollution, current emissions and source apportionment, and expectations for the role of satellite observations in the future. Resulting policy recommendations and advice regarding plans going forward are summarized. These results provide an important update to early feedback previously provided in a Rapid Science Synthesis Report produced for South Korean policy makers in 2017 and form the basis for the Final Science Synthesis Report delivered in 2020.

Coupling an online ion conductivity measurement with the particle-into-liquid sampler: Evaluation and modeling using laboratory and field aerosol data

A particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS) was coupled to a flow-through conductivity cell to provide a continuous, nondestructive, online measurement in support of offline ion chromatography analysis. The conductivity measurement provides a rapid assessment of the total ion concentration augmenting slower batch-sample data from offline analysis and is developed primarily to assist airborne measurements, where fast time-response is essential. A conductivity model was developed for measured ions and excellent closure was derived for laboratory-generated aerosols (97% conductivity explained, R² > 0.99). The PILS-conductivity measurement was extensively tested throughout the NASA Cloud, Aerosol and Monsoon Processes: Philippines Experiment (CAMP²Ex) during nineteen research flights. A diverse range of ambient aerosol was sampled from biomass burning, fresh and aged urban pollution, and marine sources. Ambient aerosol did not exhibit the same degree of closure as the laboratory aerosol, with measured ions only accountable for 43% of the conductivity. The remaining fraction of the conductivity was examined in combination with ion charge balance and found to provide additional supporting information for diagnosing and modeling particle acidity. An urban plume case study was used to demonstrate the utility of the measurement for supplementing compositional data and augmenting the temporal capability of the PILS.

Investigation of factors controlling PM2.5 variability across the South Korean Peninsula during KORUS-AQ

The Korea - United States Air Quality Study (May - June 2016) deployed instrumented aircraft and ground-based measurements to elucidate causes of poor air quality related to high ozone and aerosol concentrations in South Korea. This work synthesizes data pertaining to aerosols (specifically, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters <2.5 micrometers, PM2.5) and conditions leading to violations of South Korean air quality standards (24-hr mean PM2.5 < 35 μg m-3). PM2.5 variability from AirKorea monitors across South Korea is evaluated. Detailed data from the Seoul vicinity are used to interpret factors that contribute to elevated PM2.5. The interplay between meteorology and surface aerosols, contrasting synoptic-scale behavior vs. local influences, is presented. Transboundary transport from upwind sources, vertical mixing and containment of aerosols, and local production of secondary aerosols are discussed. Two meteorological periods are probed for drivers of elevated PM2.5. Clear, dry conditions, with limited transport (Stagnant period), promoted photochemical production of secondary organic aerosol from locally emitted precursors. Cloudy humid conditions fostered rapid heterogeneous secondary inorganic aerosol production from local and transported emissions (Transport/Haze period), likely driven by a positive feedback mechanism where water uptake by aerosols increased gas-to-particle partitioning that increased water uptake. Further, clouds reduced solar insolation, suppressing mixing, exacerbating PM2.5 accumulation in a shallow boundary layer. The combination of factors contributing to enhanced PM2.5 is challenging to model, complicating quantification of contributions to PM2.5 from local versus upwind precursors and production. We recommend co-locating additional continuous measurements at a few AirKorea sites across South Korea to help resolve this and other outstanding questions: carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide (transboundary transport tracer), boundary layer height (surface PM2.5 mixing depth), and aerosol composition with aerosol liquid water (meteorologically-dependent secondary production). These data would aid future research to refine emissions targets to further improve South Korean PM2.5 air quality.

Comparison of Near-surface NO2 Pollution with Pandora Total Column NO2 during the Korea-United States Ocean Color (KORUS OC) Campaign

Near-surface air quality (AQ) observations over coastal waters are scarce, a situation that limits our capacity to monitor pollution events at land-water interfaces. Satellite measurements of total column (TC) nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) observations are a useful proxy for combustion sources but the once daily snapshots available from most sensors are insufficient for tracking the diurnal evolution and transport of pollution. Ground-based remote sensors like the Pandora Spectrometer Instrument (PSI) that have been developed to verify space-based total column NO₂ and other trace gases are being tested for routine use as certified AQ monitors. The KORUS-OC (Korea-United States Ocean Color) cruise aboard the R/V Onnuri in May-June 2016 represented an opportunity to study AQ near the South Korean coast, a region affected by both local/regional and long-distance pollution sources. Using PSI data in direct-sun mode and in situ sensors for shipboard ozone, CO and NO₂, we explore, for the first time, relationships between TC NO₂ and surface AQ in this coastal region. Three case studies illustrate the value of the PSI as well as complexities in the surface-column NO₂ relationship caused by varying meteorological conditions. Case Study 1 (25-26 May 2016) exhibited a high correlation of surface NO₂ to TC NO₂ measured by both PSI and Aura's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) but two other cases displayed poor relationships between in situ and TC NO₂ due to decoupling of pollution layers from the surface. With suitable interpretation the PSI TC NO₂ measurement demonstrates good potential for working with upcoming geostationary satellites to advance diurnal tracking of pollution.

Monitoring of carbon monoxide in residences with bulk wood pellet storage in the Northeast United States

The interest in biomass fuel is continuing to expand globally and in the northeastern United States as wood pellets are becoming a primary source of fuel for residential and small commercial systems. Wood pellets for boilers are often stored in basement storage rooms or large bag-type containers. Due to the enclosed nature of these storage areas, the atmosphere may exhibit increased levels of carbon monoxide. Serious accidents in Europe have been reported over the last decade in which high concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) have been found in or near bulk pellet storage containers. The aim of this study was to characterize the CO concentrations in areas with indoor storage of bulk wood pellets. Data was obtained over approximately 7 months (December 2013 to June 2014) at 25 sites in New Hampshire and Massachusetts: 16 homes using wood pellet boilers with indoor pellet storage containers greater than or equal to 3 ton capacity; 4 homes with wood pellet heating systems with outdoor pellet storage; 4 homes using other heating fuels; and a university laboratory site. CO monitors were set up in homes to collect concentrations of CO in the immediate vicinity of wood pellet storage containers, and data were then compared to those of homes using fossil fuel systems. The homes monitored in this study provided a diverse set of housing stock spanning two and a half centuries of construction, with homes built from 1774 to 2013, representing a range of air exchange rates. The CO concentration data from each home was averaged hourly and then compared to a threshold of 9 ppm. While concentrations of CO were generally low for the homes studied, the need to properly design storage locations for pellets is and will remain a necessary component of wood pellet heating systems to minimize the risk of CO exposure.

IMPLICATIONS

This paper is an assessment of carbon monoxide (CO) exposure from bulk wood pellet storage in homes in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Understanding the CO concentrations in homes allows for better designs for storage bins and ventilation for storage areas. Hence, uniform policies for stored wood pellets in homes, schools, and businesses can be framed to ensure occupant safety. Currently in New York State rebates for the installation of wood pellet boilers are only provided if the bulk pellet storage is outside of the home, yet states such as New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine currently do not have these restrictions.

Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging Measurements of Electrostatic Biopolymer Adsorption onto Chemically Modified Gold Surfaces

A combination of in situ and ex situ surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging experiments is used to characterize the differential electrostatic adsorption of proteins and synthetic polypeptides onto photopatterned monolayers at gold surfaces. The nonspecific electrostatic adsorption of proteins onto negatively charged self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) is found to depend on the protein pI, solution ionic strength, and solution pH. The pH dependence of the electrostatic adsorption of the protein avidin onto a MUA SAM indicates that a full monolayer adsorbs at a solution pH greater than 5.0, and an "effective pK(a)" of 3.6 is determined for the avidin adsorption. This effective pK(a) is a combination of the pK(a) of the MUA monolayer and the ion pairing adsorption coefficient for the avidin. Additional SPR imaging experiments show that the electrostatic adsorption of the synthetic polypeptide poly-l-lysine (PL) onto a MUA SAM varies with molecular weight, forming a full PL monolayer for polypeptides with more than 67 lysine residues.

Accounting for a not-for-profit organization's fund-raising costs

The AICPA's Statement of Position (SOP) 98-2 provides guidance on how a not-for-profit entity should account for costs associated with activities that involve a fund-raising component in combination with one or more mission-related components. Costs may be allocated among the various components of such an activity as long as the activity meets certain criteria specified by SOP 98-2. These criteria are related to the activity's purpose, audience, and content. If the activity does not meet the criteria, then all costs of the activity must be shown as fund-raising costs.

Guidelines for handling domestic violence cases in community mental health centers. Kentucky Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services

Community mental health centers are becoming increasingly involved in the delivery of services to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. To help centers plan a domestic violence program and address the risk of liability in treating clients who may be dangerous, the authors suggest principles to guide clinical decisions, standards for service delivery, and standards for staff development. Domestic violence is clearly defined as criminal behavior. In treatment, cessation of violence takes priority over family reunification and resolution of issues between victim and perpetrator. Decisions about accepting a perpetrator in treatment should be made by the treatment provider, even if treatment is mandated by the court. Suggestions for reducing the burden of domestic violence cases on individual clinicians include using treatment teams, establishing guidelines for maximum caseloads, and encouraging mixed caseloads. CMHCs have an important role in a comprehensive approach to domestic violence that includes a wide array of services and careful coordination among agencies that provide them.

Case history: asking the right questions

The importance of asking the right question is highlighted in this case study. The patient was a 76-yr-old man with hearing loss that initially appeared to be a classic case of presbycusis. Without asking the right question this patient might have been managed in a manner inappropriate to his true hearing sensitivity.

Polycarpaly and other abnormalities of the wrist in chondroectodermal dysplasia: the Ellis-van Creveld syndrome

Radiographs of 45 wrists of 23 patients who had chondroectodermal dysplasia (CED) showed variable wrist malformations, which we grouped into eight categories. In each patient, the wrists tended to be similar but seldom identical; in six patients they were sufficiently dissimilar that we classified the malformations in their two wrists into separate categories. A ninth carpal bone was present in the wrists of all patients who were five years old or older (42 of 45 wrists). It was located in the distal row, medial to the hamate bone and proximal to the fifth and sixth metacarpals. A tenth carpal bone was found in six wrists. Unlike the ninth carpal bone, it varied in location. All of the carpal bones were deformed, and two or three separate ossification centers of the hamate were found in some individuals. Fusions between the capitate, the hamate, and the ninth carpal bone were present by the last available examination in 71% of the 45 hands: these included fusions between the capitate and hamate in 7%, between the hamate and the ninth carpal bone in 47%, and between all three bones in 18%.

Comparison of ventricular enlargement and radiopharmaceutical retention: a cisternographic-pneumoencephalographic comparison

The cisternograms and pneumoencephalograms of 58 patients with suspected "normal pressure" hydrocephalus were correlated and the relationship of ventricular radiopharmaceutical entry and stasis to ventricular size was analyzed. It was found that radiopharmaceutical entry relates directly to ventricular size, stasis occurring only in markedly enlarged ventricles. Cerebrospinal fluid imaging alone is a highly reliable diagnostic study only if patients exhibit the characteristic cisternographic patterns of normal pressure hydrocephalus. In those who do not, pneumoencephalography and cisternography are valuable complementary studies which can also be used to identify primary cortical atrophy.