Abstract. The Absorption Ångström Exponent (AAE) is an important aerosol optical parameter used for aerosol characterization and apportionment studies. The AAE of black carbon (BC) is widely accepted to be 1.0, although observational estimates give a quite wide range of 0.6~1.1. With considerable uncertainties related to observations, a numerical study is a powerful method, if not the only one, to provide a better and more accurate understanding on BC AAE. This study calculates BC AAE using realistic particle geometries based on fractal aggregate and an accurate numerical optical model (namely the Multiple-Sphere T-Matrix method). At odds with the expectations, BC AAE is not 1.0, even when BC is assumed to have small sizes and a wavelength independent refractive index. With a wavelength independent refractive index, the AAE of fresh BC is approximately 1.05, and is quite insensitive to particle size distribution. BC AAE goes lower when BC particles are aged (compact structures or coated by other scattering materials). For coated BC, we prescribed the coating thickness distribution based on a published experimental study, where smaller BC cores were shown to develop thicker coating than bigger BC cores. Both Compact and Coated BC the AAE ranges, at realistic particle sizes. For both Compact and Coated BC, the AAE is highly sensitive to particle size distribution, ranging from approximately 0.8 to 1.0 for relatively large BC with wavelength-independent refractive index. When the refractive index is allowed to vary with wavelength, a feature with observational backing, the BC AAE shows a much wider range. We propose that the presented results herein serve as a comprehensive guide for the response of BC AAE to BC size, refractive index, and geometry.
An experimental and numerical study of particle size distribution effects on the sintering of porous ceramics
