scholarly journals Linking Meteorology, Turbulence, and Air Chemistry in the Amazon Rain Forest

2016 ◽  
Vol 97 (12) ◽  
pp. 2329-2342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose D. Fuentes ◽  
Marcelo Chamecki ◽  
Rosa Maria Nascimento dos Santos ◽  
Celso Von Randow ◽  
Paul C. Stoy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Surface Layer ◽  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Chemical Transformations ◽  
Condensation Nuclei ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

Abstract We describe the salient features of a field study whose goals are to quantify the vertical distribution of plant-emitted hydrocarbons and their contribution to aerosol and cloud condensation nuclei production above a central Amazonian rain forest. Using observing systems deployed on a 50-m meteorological tower, complemented with tethered balloon deployments, the vertical distribution of hydrocarbons and aerosols was determined under different boundary layer thermodynamic states. The rain forest emits sufficient reactive hydrocarbons, such as isoprene and monoterpenes, to provide precursors of secondary organic aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei. Mesoscale convective systems transport ozone from the middle troposphere, enriching the atmospheric boundary layer as well as the forest canopy and surface layer. Through multiple chemical transformations, the ozone-enriched atmospheric surface layer can oxidize rain forest–emitted hydrocarbons. One conclusion derived from the field studies is that the rain forest produces the necessary chemical species and in sufficient amounts to undergo oxidation and generate aerosols that subsequently activate into cloud condensation nuclei.

scholarly journals Summertime observations of ultrafine particles and cloud condensation nuclei from the boundary layer to the free troposphere in the Arctic

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Burkart ◽  
Megan D. Willis ◽  
Heiko Bozem ◽  
Jennie L. Thomas ◽  
Kathy Law ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Ultrafine Particles ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Open Ocean ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Low Level ◽  
20 Nm

Abstract. The Arctic is extremely sensitive to climate change. Shrinking sea ice extent increases the area covered by open ocean during Arctic summer, which impacts the surface albedo and aerosol and cloud properties among many things. In this context extensive aerosol measurements (aerosol composition, particle number and size, cloud condensation nuclei, and trace gases) were made during 11 flights of the NETCARE July, 2014 airborne campaign conducted from Resolute Bay, Nunavut (74N, 94W). Flights routinely included vertical profiles from about 60 to 3000 m a.g.l. as well as several low-level horizontal transects over open ocean, fast ice, melt ponds, and polynyas. Here we discuss the vertical distribution of ultrafine particles (UFP, particle diameter, dp: 5–20 nm), size distributions of larger particles (dp: 20 nm to 1 μm), and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN, supersaturation = 0.6 %) in relation to meteorological conditions and underlying surfaces. UFPs were observed predominantly within the boundary layer, where concentrations were often several hundreds to a few thousand particles per cubic centimeter. Occasionally, particle concentrations below 10 cm−3 were found. The highest UFP concentrations were observed above open ocean and at the top of low-level clouds, whereas numbers over ice-covered regions were substantially lower. Overall, UFP formation events were frequent in a clean boundary layer with a low condensation sink. In a few cases this ultrafine mode extended to sizes larger than 40 nm, suggesting that these UFP can grow into a size range where they can impact clouds and therefore climate.

scholarly journals Investigating three patterns of new particles growing to the size of cloud condensation nuclei in Beijing's urban atmosphere

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-200
Author(s):  
Liya Ma ◽  
Yujiao Zhu ◽  
Mei Zheng ◽  
Yele Sun ◽  
Lei Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Particle Growth ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Urban Atmosphere ◽  
Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
One Stage ◽  
New Particles

Abstract. The growth of newly formed particles with diameters from ∼ 10 nm to larger sizes was investigated in Beijing's urban atmosphere during 10–23 December 2011, 12–27 April 2012, and June–August 2014. In 11 out of 27 new particle formation (NPF) events during June–August, the maximum geometric median diameter (Dpgmax) of newly formed particles exceeded 75 nm, and the grown new particles may contribute to the population of cloud condensation nuclei. In contrast, no apparent growth in new particles with Dpgmax < 20 nm was observed in all of the events in December, in approximately half of the NPF events in April, and in only two events during June–August. New particles observed in the latter NPF events were too small to be activated as cloud condensation nuclei. Apparent new particle growth with Dpgmax ≤ 50 nm was observed in the remaining 18 NPF events. The 11 NPF events during June–August with Dpgmax exceeding 75 nm were analyzed in detail. The particle growth patterns can be clearly classified into three types: one-stage growth and two-stage growth-A and growth-B patterns. The one-stage growth pattern is characterized by a continuous increase in Dpg with Dpgmax ≥ 80 nm (4 out of 11 NPF events), and the two-stage growth-A and growth-B patterns are characterized by no apparent growth and shrinkage of particles, respectively, in the middle 2–4 h of the growth period (7 out of 11 NPF events). Combining the observations of gaseous pollutants and measured (or modeled) concentrations of particulate chemical species, the three growth patterns were discussed in terms of the spatial heterogeneity of NPF, formation of secondary aerosols, and evaporation of semivolatile particulates. Secondary organic species and NH4NO3 were argued to be two major contributors to the growth of new particles, but NH4NO3 likely contributed to growth only in the late afternoon and/or at nighttime.

Two Inversion Layers and Their Impacts on PM2.5 Concentration over the Yangtze River Delta, China

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (11) ◽  
pp. 2349-2362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiwen Xu ◽  
Bin Zhu ◽  
Shuangshuang Shi ◽  
Yong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Rural Area ◽  
Yangtze River ◽  
Layer Structure ◽  
Yangtze River Delta ◽  
Emission Sources ◽  
The Yangtze River ◽  
The Vertical Distribution ◽  
The Yangtze River Delta

AbstractAn integrated winter field campaign was conducted to investigate the atmospheric boundary layer structure and PM2.5 concentration at three sites over the Yangtze River delta (YRD) in China: Shouxian (a rural area), a site in a northern suburb of Nanjing, and Dongshan (a residential area). Two temperature inversion layers and air pollution events occurred simultaneously from 30 to 31 December 2016, local time, over the YRD. It was found that the two inversion layers were related to the presence of a high pressure system, resulting in divergence in the upper boundary layer and radiative cooling near the ground at night. Dominated by agricultural and residential biomass burning, the surface emission sources from the Shouxian rural area were moderately strong. After the formation of the two inversions, the vertical distribution of PM2.5 concentration below the upper inversion layer was uniform as a result of thorough boundary layer mixing in the earlier hours. During nighttime at the Nanjing site, air pollutant plumes from nearby elevated point sources could not easily diffuse downward/upward between the two inversion layers, which led to a distinct peak in the PM2.5 concentration. At the Dongshan site, the emission sources were weak and the nighttime PM2.5 concentration above 100 m was high. The surface PM2.5 concentration gradually increased from early morning to noon, which was attributed to emissions related to the local residents. The results indicated that the vertical distribution of pollutants was affected by a combination of local emissions, vertical boundary layer structure, and horizontal and vertical transports.

scholarly journals Characterization of the <sup>222</sup>Rn family turbulent transport in the convective atmospheric boundary layer

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 697-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-F. Vinuesa ◽  
S. Galmarini
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Steady State ◽  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Turbulent Transport ◽  
Radioactive Decay ◽  
Atmospheric Boundary Layers ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
The One ◽  
The Vertical Distribution ◽  
Unsteady Conditions

Abstract. The combined effect of turbulent transport and radioactive decay on the distribution of 222Rn and its progeny in convective atmospheric boundary layers (CBL) is investigated. Large eddy simulation is used to simulate their dispersion in steady state CBL and in unsteady conditions represented by the growth of a CBL within a pre-existing reservoir layer. The exact decomposition of the concentration and flux budget equations under steady state conditions allowed us to determine which processes are responsible for the vertical distribution of 222Rn and its progeny. Their mean concentrations are directly correlated with their half-life, e.g. 222Rn and 210Pb are the most abundant whereas 218Po show the lowest concentrations. 222Rn flux decreases linearly with height and its flux budget is similar to the one of inert emitted scalar, i.e., a balance between on the one hand the gradient and the buoyancy production terms, and on the other hand the pressure and dissipation at smaller scales which tends to destroy the fluxes. While 222Rn exhibits the typical bottom-up behavior, the maximum flux location of the daughters is moving upwards while their rank in the 222Rn progeny is increasing leading to a typical top-down behavior for 210Pb. We also found that the relevant radioactive decaying contributions of 222Rn short-lived daughters (218Po and 214Pb) act as flux sources leading to deviations from the linear flux shape. In addition, while analyzing the vertical distribution of the radioactive decay contributions to the concentrations, e.g. the decaying zone, we found a variation in height of 222Rn daughters' radioactive transformations. Under unsteady conditions, the same behaviors reported under steady state conditions are found: deviation of the fluxes from the linear shape for 218Po, enhanced discrepancy in height of the radioactive transformation contributions for all the daughters. In addition, 222Rn and its progeny concentrations decrease due to the rapid growth of the CBL. The analysis emphasizes the crucial role of turbulent transport in the behavior of 222Rn n morning concentrations, in particular the ventilation at the top of the boundary layer that leads to the dilution of 222Rn by mixing with radon low concentration air.

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