scholarly journals Water-soluble SOA from Alkene ozonolysis: composition and droplet activation kinetics inferences from analysis of CCN activity

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1585-1597 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
S. Gao ◽  
R. C. Flagan ◽  
J. H. Seinfeld
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Molar Volume ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Cloud Formation ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Activation Kinetics ◽  
Kohler Theory ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. Cloud formation characteristics of the water-soluble organic fraction (WSOC) of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed from the ozonolysis of alkene hydrocarbons (terpinolene, 1-methlycycloheptene and cycloheptene) are studied. Based on size-resolved measurements of CCN activity (of the pure and salted WSOC samples) we estimate the average molar volume and surface tension depression associated with the WSOC using Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA). Consistent with known speciation, the results suggest that the WSOC are composed of low molecular weight species, with an effective molar mass below 200 g mol−1. The water-soluble carbon is also surface-active, depressing surface tension 10–15% from that of pure water (at CCN-relevant concentrations). The inherent hygroscopicity parameter, κ, of the WSOC ranges between 0.17 and 0.25; if surface tension depression and molar volume effects are considered in κ, a remarkably constant "apparent" hygroscopicity ~0.3 emerges for all samples considered. This implies that the volume fraction of soluble material in the parent aerosol is the key composition parameter required for prediction of the SOA hygroscopicity, as shifts in molar volume across samples are compensated by changes in surface tension. Finally, using "threshold droplet growth analysis", the water-soluble organics in all samples considered do not affect CCN activation kinetics.

scholarly journals Alkene ozonolysis SOA: inferences of composition and droplet growth kinetics from Köhler theory analysis

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 8983-9011 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
S. Gao ◽  
R. C. Flagan ◽  
J. H. Seinfeld
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Theory Analysis ◽  
Kohler Theory ◽  
Surface Active ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. The CCN properties, surfactant characteristics, and droplet growth kinetics of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed from the ozonolysis of three parent alkene hydrocarbons (terpinolene, 1-methlycycloheptene and cycloheptene) are explored. Based on measurements of CCN activity, total carbon and inorganic ion concentrations, we estimate the average molar volume of the water-soluble organic component using Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA). The results suggest that the water-soluble organics in the SOA are composed of relatively low molecular weight species, with an effective molar mass less than 200 g mol−1. This finding is consistent with the speciated fraction for some of the SOA, and suggests that KTA can be applied to complex organic aerosol, such as that found in the atmosphere. From measurements of CCN activity and Köhler Theory, we apply a novel method to infer the surface tension at the point of activation; this is used to infer the presence of surface-active organics. It is found that the water-soluble carbon can be surface-active, depressing surface tension 10–15% from that of pure water at concentrations relevant for CCN activation. Although important, this level of surface tension depression is lower than expected for HULIS, which suggest that they are not likely in the SOA examined. In all cases, the CCN exhibit droplet growth kinetics similar to (NH4)2SO4.

scholarly journals CCN activity and droplet growth kinetics of fresh and aged monoterpene secondary organic aerosol

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Engelhart ◽  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
S. N. Pandis
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Molar Mass ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Kohler Theory ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. The ability of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from the ozonolysis of α-pinene and monoterpene mixtures (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene and 3-carene) to become cloud droplets was investigated. Monoterpene SOA is quite active and would likely be a good source of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in the atmosphere. A static CCN counter and a Scanning Mobility CCN Analyser (a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer coupled with a Continuous Flow counter) were used for the CCN measurements. A decrease in CCN activation diameter for α-pinene SOA of approximately 3 nm h−1 was observed as the aerosol continued to react with oxidants. Hydroxyl radicals further oxidize the SOA particles thereby enhancing the particle CCN activity with time. The initial concentrations of ozone and monoterpene precursor (for concentrations lower than 40 ppb) do not appear to affect the activity of the resulting SOA. Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA) is used to infer the molar mass of the SOA sampled online and offline from atomized filter samples. KTA suggests that the aged aerosol (both from α-pinene and the mixed monoterpene oxidation) is primarily water-soluble (around 70–80%), with an estimated average molar mass of 180±55 g mol−1 (consistent with existing SOA speciation studies). CCN activity measurements of the SOA mixed with (NH4)2SO4 suggest that the organic can depress surface tension by as much as 10 nM m−1 (with respect to pure water). The droplet growth kinetics of SOA samples are similar to (NH4)2SO4, except at low supersaturation, where SOA tends to grow more slowly. The CCN activity of α-pinene and mixed monoterpene SOA can be modelled by a very simple implementation of Köhler theory, assuming complete dissolution of the particles, no dissociation into ions, molecular weight of 180 g mol−1, density of 1.5 g cm−3, and surface tension to within 10–15% of water.

scholarly journals CCN activity and droplet growth kinetics of fresh and aged monoterpene secondary organic aerosol

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (14) ◽  
pp. 3937-3949 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Engelhart ◽  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
S. N. Pandis
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Molar Mass ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Kohler Theory ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. The ability of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from the ozonolysis of α-pinene and monoterpene mixtures (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene and 3-carene) to become cloud droplets was investigated. A static CCN counter and a Scanning Mobility CCN Analyser (a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer coupled with a Continuous Flow counter) were used for the CCN measurements. Consistent with previous studies monoterpene SOA is quite active and would likely be a good source of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in the atmosphere. A decrease in CCN activation diameter for α-pinene SOA of approximately 3 nm hr−1 was observed as the aerosol continued to react with oxidants. Hydroxyl radicals further oxidize the SOA particles thereby enhancing the particle CCN activity with time. The initial concentrations of ozone and monoterpene precursor (for concentrations lower than 40 ppb) do not appear to affect the activity of the resulting SOA. Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA) is used to infer the molar mass of the SOA sampled online and offline from atomized filter samples. The estimated average molar mass of online SOA was determined to be 180±55 g mol−1 (consistent with existing SOA speciation studies) assuming complete solubility. KTA suggests that the aged aerosol (both from α-pinene and the mixed monoterpene oxidation) is primarily water-soluble (around 65%). CCN activity measurements of the SOA mixed with (NH4)2SO4 suggest that the organic can depress surface tension by as much as 10 N m−1 (with respect to pure water). The droplet growth kinetics of SOA samples are similar to (NH4)2SO4, except at low supersaturation, where SOA tends to grow more slowly. The CCN activation diameter of α-pinene and mixed monoterpene SOA can be modelled to within 10–15% of experiments by a simple implementation of Köhler theory, assuming complete dissolution of the particles, no dissociation into ions, a molecular weight of 180 g mol−1, a density of 1.5 g cm−3, and the surface tension of water.

scholarly journals Mixing state and compositional effects on CCN activity and droplet growth kinetics of size-resolved CCN in an urban environment

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 10239-10255 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. T. Padró ◽  
R. H. Moore ◽  
X. Zhang ◽  
N. Rastogi ◽  
R. J. Weber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Activation Kinetics ◽  
Aerosol Mixing State ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. Aerosol composition and mixing state near anthropogenic sources can be highly variable and can challenge predictions of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The impacts of chemical composition on CCN activation kinetics is also an important, but largely unknown, aspect of cloud droplet formation. Towards this, we present in-situ size-resolved CCN measurements carried out during the 2008 summertime August Mini Intensive Gas and Aerosol Study (AMIGAS) campaign in Atlanta, GA. Aerosol chemical composition was measured by two particle-into-liquid samplers measuring water-soluble inorganic ions and total water-soluble organic carbon. Size-resolved CCN data were collected using the Scanning Mobility CCN Analysis (SMCA) method and were used to obtain characteristic aerosol hygroscopicity distributions, whose breadth reflects the aerosol compositional variability and mixing state. Knowledge of aerosol mixing state is important for accurate predictions of CCN concentrations and that the influence of an externally-mixed, CCN-active aerosol fraction varies with size from 31% for particle diameters less than 40 nm to 93% for accumulation mode aerosol during the day. Assuming size-dependent aerosol mixing state and size-invariant chemical composition decreases the average CCN concentration overprediction (for all but one mixing state and chemical composition scenario considered) from over 190–240% to less than 20%. CCN activity is parameterized using a single hygroscopicity parameter, κ, which averages to 0.16 ± 0.07 for 80 nm particles and exhibits considerable variability (from 0.03 to 0.48) throughout the study period. Particles in the 60–100 nm range exhibited similar hygroscopicity, with a κ range for 60 nm between 0.06–0.076 (mean of 0.18 ± 0.09). Smaller particles (40 nm) had on average greater κ, with a range of 0.20–0.92 (mean of 0.3 ± 0.12). Analysis of the droplet activation kinetics of the aerosol sampled suggests that most of the CCN activate as rapidly as calibration aerosol, suggesting that aerosol composition exhibits a minor (if any) impact on CCN activation kinetics.

scholarly journals Investigation of molar volume and surfactant characteristics of water-soluble organic compounds in biomass burning aerosol

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 3589-3627 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
A. P. Sullivan ◽  
C. J. Hennigan ◽  
R. J. Weber
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Molar Volume ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Relative Proportion ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Original Sample ◽  
Biomass Burning Aerosol ◽  
Hydrophobic Fraction ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. In this study, we characterize the CCN activity of the water-soluble organics in biomass burning aerosol. The aerosol after collection upon filters is dissolved in water using sonication. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are fractionated from a portion of the original sample using solid phase extraction, and subsequently desalted. The surface tension and CCN activity of these different samples are measured with a KSV CAM 200 goniometer and a DMT Streamwise Thermal Gradient CCN Counter, respectively. The measurements show that the strongest surfactants are isolated in the hydrophobic fraction, while the hydrophilics exhibit negligible surface tension depression. The presence of salts (primarily (NH4)2SO4) in the hydrophobic fraction substantially enhances surface tension depression; their synergistic effects considerably enhance CCN activity, exceeding that of pure (NH4)2SO4. For our analysis, average thermodynamic properties (i.e., molar volume) are determined for samples using our newly developed Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA) method. We have found that, the molar mass of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic aerosol components is estimated to be 87±26 g mol−1 and 780±231 g mol−1, respectively. KTA also suggests that the relative proportion (in moles) of hydrophobic to hydrophilic compounds in the original sample to be 1:3. For the first time, KTA is applied to an aerosol with this level of complexity and displays its potential for providing physically-based constraints for GCM parameterizations of the aerosol indirect effect.

scholarly journals CCN activation experiments with adipic acid: effect of particle phase and adipic acid coatings on soluble and insoluble particles

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (14) ◽  
pp. 3735-3748 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Hings ◽  
W. C. Wrobel ◽  
E. S. Cross ◽  
D. R. Worsnop ◽  
P. Davidovits ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adipic Acid ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Cloud Formation ◽  
Particle Phase ◽  
Total Size ◽  
Insoluble Particles ◽  
Kohler Theory ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. Slightly soluble atmospherically relevant organic compounds may influence particle CCN activity and therefore cloud formation. Adipic acid is a frequently employed surrogate for such slightly soluble organic materials. The 11 published experimental studies on the CCN activity of adipic acid particles are not consistent with each other nor do they, in most cases, agree with the Köhler theory. The CCN activity of adipic acid aerosol particles was studied over a significantly wider range of conditions than in any previous single study. The work spans the conditions of the previous studies and also provides alternate methods for producing "wet" (deliquesced solution droplets) and dry adipic acid particles without the need to produce them by atomization of aqueous solutions. The experiments suggest that the scatter in the previously published CCN measurements is most likely due to the difficulty of producing uncontaminated adipic acid particles by atomization of solutions and possibly also due to uncertainties in the calibration of the instruments. The CCN activation of the small (dm<150 nm) initially dry particles is subject to a deliquescence barrier, while for the larger particles the activation follows the Köhler curve. Wet adipic acid particles follow the Köhler curve over the full range of particle diameters studied. In addition, the effect of adipic acid coatings on the CCN activity of both soluble and insoluble particles has also been studied. When a water-soluble core is coated by adipic acid, the CCN-hindering effect of particle phase is eliminated. An adipic acid coating on hydrophobic soot yields a CCN active particle. If the soot particle is relatively small (dcore≤102 nm), the CCN activity of the coated particles approaches the deliquescence line of adipic acid, suggesting that the total size of the particle determines CCN activation and the soot core acts as a scaffold.

scholarly journals Surfactants in cloud droplet activation: mixed organic-inorganic particles

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 24669-24715 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. L. Prisle ◽  
T. Raatikainen ◽  
A. Laaksonen ◽  
M. Bilde
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Inorganic Particles ◽  
Surfactant Properties ◽  
Surface Partitioning ◽  
Kohler Theory ◽  
Droplet Activation

Abstract. Organic compounds with surfactant properties are commonly found in atmospheric aerosol particles. Surface activity can significantly influence the cloud droplet forming ability of these particles. We have studied the cloud droplet formation by two-component particles comprising one of the organic surfactants sodium octanoate, sodium decanoate, sodium dodecanoate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate, mixed with sodium chloride. Critical supersaturations were measured with a static diffusion cloud condensation nucleus counter (Wyoming CCNC-100B). Results were modeled from Köhler theory applying three different representations of surfactant properties: (1) using concentration-dependent surface tension reduction during droplet growth and explicitly accounting for surfactant surface partitioning in both solute suppression (Raoult effect) and curvature enhancement (Kelvin effect) contributions to the droplet equilibrium water vapor supersaturation, (2) disregarding surfactant partitioning and using a concentration-dependent surface tension for the droplets corresponding to a macroscopic (bulk) aqueous solution of the same overall composition, and (3) disregarding surfactant properties and assuming the constant surface tension of pure water throughout droplet activation. We confirm previous results for single-component organic surfactant particles, that experimental critical supersaturations are greatly underpredicted, if reduced surface tension is applied in Köhler theory while ignoring the effects of surface partitioning in droplets. We further show that assuming the constant surface tension of pure water can also lead to significant underpredictions of experimental critical supersaturations. The full account for surfactant partitioning in activating droplets generally predicts experimental critical supersaturations well. In addition, for mixed particles comprising less than 50% by mass of surfactant, ignoring surfactant properties and simply using the constant surface tension of pure water also provides a good first-order approximation of the observed activation.

scholarly journals Investigation of molar volume and surfactant characteristics of water-soluble organic compounds in biomass burning aerosol

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 799-812 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
A. P. Sullivan ◽  
C. J. Hennigan ◽  
R. J. Weber ◽  
A. Nenes
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Molar Volume ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Relative Proportion ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Original Sample ◽  
Biomass Burning Aerosol ◽  
Hydrophobic Fraction ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. In this study, we characterize the CCN activity of the water-soluble organics in biomass burning aerosol. The aerosol after collection upon filters is dissolved in water using sonication. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic components are fractionated from a portion of the original sample using solid phase extraction, and subsequently desalted. The surface tension and CCN activity of these different samples are measured with a KSV CAM 200 goniometer and a DMT Streamwise Thermal Gradient CCN Counter, respectively. The measurements show that the strongest surfactants are isolated in the hydrophobic fraction, while the hydrophilics exhibit negligible surface tension depression. The presence of salts (primarily (NH4)2SO4) in the hydrophobic fraction substantially enhances surface tension depression; their synergistic effects considerably enhance CCN activity, exceeding that of pure (NH4)2SO4. From our analysis, average thermodynamic properties (i.e, molar volume) are determined for samples using our newly developed Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA) method. The molar mass of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic aerosol components is estimated to be 87±26 g mol−1 and 780±231 g mol−1, respectively. KTA also suggests that the relative proportion (in moles) of hydrophobic to hydrophilic compounds in the original sample to be 1:3. For the first time, KTA is applied to an aerosol with this level of complexity and displays its potential for providing physically-based constraints for GCM parameterizations of the aerosol indirect effect.

scholarly journals Molar mass, surface tension, and droplet growth kinetics of marine organics from measurements of CCN activity

2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Moore ◽  
E. D. Ingall ◽  
A. Sorooshian ◽  
A. Nenes
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Molar Mass ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

scholarly journals Hygroscopic properties of Amazonian biomass burning and European background HULIS and investigation of their effects on surface tension with two models linking H-TDMA to CCNC data

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 5625-5639 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. O. Fors ◽  
J. Rissler ◽  
A. Massling ◽  
B. Svenningsson ◽  
M. O. Andreae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Inorganic Compounds ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Condensation Nucleus ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nucleus ◽  
Rural Site ◽  
Hygroscopic Properties

Abstract. HUmic-LIke Substances (HULIS) have been identified as major contributors to the organic carbon in atmospheric aerosol. The term "HULIS" is used to describe the organic material found in aerosol particles that resembles the humic organic material in rivers and sea water and in soils. In this study, two sets of filter samples from atmospheric aerosols were collected at different sites. One set of samples was collected at the K-puszta rural site in Hungary, about 80 km SE of Budapest, and a second was collected at a site in Rondônia, Amazonia, Brazil, during the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia – Smoke Aerosols, Clouds, Rainfall and Climate (LBA-SMOCC) biomass burning season experiment. HULIS were extracted from the samples and their hygroscopic properties were studied using a Hygroscopicity Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (H-TDMA) at relative humidity (RH) <100%, and a cloud condensation nucleus counter (CCNC) at RH >100%. The H-TDMA measurements were carried out at a dry diameter of 100 nm and for RH ranging from 30 to 98%. At 90% RH the HULIS samples showed diameter growth factors between 1.04 and 1.07, reaching values of 1.4 at 98% RH. The cloud nucleating properties of the two sets of aerosol samples were analysed using two types of thermal static cloud condensation nucleus counters. Two different parameterization models were applied to investigate the potential effect of HULIS surface activity, both yielding similar results. For the K-puszta winter HULIS sample, the surface tension at the point of activation was estimated to be lowered by between 34% (47.7 mN/m) and 31% (50.3 mN/m) for dry sizes between 50 and 120 nm in comparison to pure water. A moderate lowering was also observed for the entire water soluble aerosol sample, including both organic and inorganic compounds, where the surface tension was decreased by between 2% (71.2 mN/m) and 13% (63.3 mN/m).

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