scholarly journals Evaluation of the size segregation of elemental carbon (EC) emission in Europe: influence on the simulation of EC long-range transportation

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 1823-1835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Chen ◽  
Ya-Fang Cheng ◽  
Stephan Nordmann ◽  
Wolfram Birmili ◽  
Hugo A. C. Denier van der Gon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Emission Inventory ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Size Segregation ◽  
Wind Pattern ◽  
Coarse Mode ◽  
Nearby Point ◽  
Fine Mode

Abstract. Elemental Carbon (EC) has a significant impact on human health and climate change. In order to evaluate the size segregation of EC emission in the EUCAARI inventory and investigate its influence on the simulation of EC long-range transportation in Europe, we used the fully coupled online Weather Research and Forecasting/Chemistry model (WRF-Chem) at a resolution of 2 km focusing on a region in Germany, in conjunction with a high-resolution EC emission inventory. The ground meteorology conditions, vertical structure and wind pattern were well reproduced by the model. The simulations of particle number and/or mass size distributions were evaluated with observations at the central European background site Melpitz. The fine mode particle concentration was reasonably well simulated, but the coarse mode was substantially overestimated by the model mainly due to the plume with high EC concentration in coarse mode emitted by a nearby point source. The comparisons between simulated EC and Multi-angle Absorption Photometers (MAAP) measurements at Melpitz, Leipzig-TROPOS and Bösel indicated that the coarse mode EC (ECc) emitted from the nearby point sources might be overestimated by a factor of 2–10. The fraction of ECc was overestimated in the emission inventory by about 10–30 % for Russia and 5–10 % for Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland and Belarus). This incorrect size-dependent EC emission results in a shorter atmospheric life time of EC particles and inhibits the long-range transport of EC. A case study showed that this effect caused an underestimation of 20–40 % in the EC mass concentration in Germany under eastern wind pattern.

scholarly journals Evaluation of size segregation of elemental carbon emission in Europe: influence on atmospheric long-range transportation

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (21) ◽  
pp. 31053-31087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Chen ◽  
Y. F. Cheng ◽  
S. Nordmann ◽  
W. Birmili ◽  
H. A. C. Denier van der Gon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Size Segregation ◽  
Wind Pattern ◽  
Coarse Mode ◽  
Nearby Point ◽  
Emission Fraction

Abstract. Elemental Carbon (EC) has significant impact on human health and climate change. In order to evaluate the size segregation of EC emission and investigation of its influence on atmospheric transport processes in Europe, we used the fully coupled online Weather Research and Forecasting/Chemistry model (WRF-Chem) at a resolution of 2 km focusing on a region in Germany, in conjunction with a high-resolution EC emission inventory. The ground meteorology conditions, vertical structure and wind pattern were well reproduced by the model. The simulations of particle number/mass size distributions were evaluated by observations taken at the central European background site Melpitz. The fine mode aerosol was reasonably well simulated, but the coarse mode was substantially overestimated by the model. We found that it was mainly due to the nearby point source plume emitting a high amount of EC in the coarse mode. The comparisons between simulated EC and Multi-angle Absorption Photometers (MAAP) measurements at Melpitz, Leipzig-TROPOS and Bösel indicated that coarse mode EC (ECc) emission in the nearby point sources might be overestimated by a factor of 2–10. The emission fraction of EC in coarse mode was overestimated by about 10–30 % for Russian and 5–10 % for Eastern Europe (e.g.: Poland and Belarus), respectively. This overestimation in ECc emission fraction makes EC particles having less opportunity to accumulate in the atmosphere and participate to the long range transport, due to the shorter lifetime of coarse mode aerosol. The deposition concept model showed that the transported EC mass from Warsaw and Moskva to Melpitz may be reduced by 25–35 and 25–55 % respectively, due to the overestimation of ECc emission fraction. This may partly explain the underestimation of EC concentrations for Germany under eastern wind pattern in some other modelling research.

scholarly journals Sea salt emission, transportation and influence on nitrate simulation: a case study in Europe

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Chen ◽  
Yafang Cheng ◽  
Nan Ma ◽  
Ralf Wolke ◽  
Stephan Nordmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Wind ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Sea Salt ◽  
Wind Pattern ◽  
Sea Salt Aerosol ◽  
Coarse Mode ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Fine Mode ◽  
Inorganic Aerosol

Abstract. Sea salt aerosol (SSA) is one of the major components of primary aerosols and has significant impact on the formation of secondary inorganic aerosol particles on a global scale. In this study, the fully online coupled WRF-Chem model was utilized to evaluate the SSA emission scheme and its influence on the nitrate simulation in a case study in Europe during September 10–20, 2013. Meteorological conditions near the surface, wind pattern, and thermal stratification structure were well reproduced by the model. Nonetheless, coarse mode (PM1–10) particle mass concentration was substantially overestimated due to the overestimation of SSA and nitrate. Compared to filter measurements at 4 EMEP stations (coastal stations: Bilthoven, Kollumerwaard and Vredepeel; inland station: Melpitz), the modeled SSA concentrations were overestimated by a factor of 8–20. We found that the overestimation was mainly caused by the overestimated SSA emission over North Sea during September 16–20. Over the coastal regions, the SSA was injected into the continental free troposphere through an “aloft bridge” (about 500 to 1000 meter above the ground), a result of the different thermodynamic properties and planetary boundary layer (PBL) structure between continental and marine regions. The injected SSA was further transported inland and mixed downward to the surface through downdraft and PBL turbulence. This process broadened the influence of SSA to a larger downwind region, for example, leading to an overestimation of SSA at Melpitz, Germany by a factor of ~20. As a result, nitrate partitioning fraction (ratio between particulate nitrate and the summation of particulate nitrate and gas-phase nitric acid) increased by about 0.2 for the coarse mode nitrate due to the overestimation of SSA at Melpitz, but no significant difference in the partitioning fraction for the fine mode nitrate. About 140 % overestimation of the coarse mode nitrate was resulted from the influence of SSA at Melpitz. On the other hand, the overestimation of SSA inhibited the nitrate formation in the fine mode by about 20 %, because of the increased consumption of precursors by coarse mode nitrate formation.

Elemental carbon deposition to Svalbard snow from Norwegian settlements and long-range transport

Tellus B ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Borgar Aamaas ◽  
Carl Egede Bøggild ◽  
Frode Stordal ◽  
Terje Berntsen ◽  
Kim Holmén ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Carbon Deposition ◽  
Long Range Transport ◽  
Range Transport

scholarly journals TNO-MACC_II emission inventory; a multi-year (2003–2009) consistent high-resolution European emission inventory for air quality modelling

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 10963-10976 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. P. Kuenen ◽  
A. J. H. Visschedijk ◽  
M. Jozwicka ◽  
H. A. C. Denier van der Gon
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Emission Inventory ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Air Quality Modelling ◽  
Emission Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Spatially Distributed ◽  
Reported Data

Abstract. Emissions to air are reported by countries to EMEP. The emissions data are used for country compliance checking with EU emission ceilings and associated emission reductions. The emissions data are also necessary as input for air quality modelling. The quality of these "official" emissions varies across Europe. As alternative to these official emissions, a spatially explicit high-resolution emission inventory (7 × 7 km) for UNECE-Europe for all years between 2003 and 2009 for the main air pollutants was made. The primary goal was to supply air quality modellers with the input they need. The inventory was constructed by using the reported emission national totals by sector where the quality is sufficient. The reported data were analysed by sector in detail, and completed with alternative emission estimates as needed. This resulted in a complete emission inventory for all countries. For particulate matter, for each source emissions have been split in coarse and fine particulate matter, and further disaggregated to EC, OC, SO4, Na and other minerals using fractions based on the literature. Doing this at the most detailed sectoral level in the database implies that a consistent set was obtained across Europe. This allows better comparisons with observational data which can, through feedback, help to further identify uncertain sources and/or support emission inventory improvements for this highly uncertain pollutant. The resulting emission data set was spatially distributed consistently across all countries by using proxy parameters. Point sources were spatially distributed using the specific location of the point source. The spatial distribution for the point sources was made year-specific. The TNO-MACC_II is an update of the TNO-MACC emission data set. Major updates included the time extension towards 2009, use of the latest available reported data (including updates and corrections made until early 2012) and updates in distribution maps.

Elemental carbon deposition to Svalbard snow from Norwegian settlements and long-range transport

Tellus B ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 340-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Borgar Aamaas ◽  
Carl Egede Bøggild ◽  
Frode Stordal ◽  
Terje Berntsen ◽  
Kim Holmèn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Carbon Deposition ◽  
Long Range Transport ◽  
Range Transport

scholarly journals Size distributions of elemental carbon in the atmosphere of a coastal urban area in South China: characteristics, evolution processes, and implications for the mixing state

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (19) ◽  
pp. 5843-5853 ◽  
Author(s):  
X.-F. Huang ◽  
J. Z. Yu
Keyword(s):  
Urban Area ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Particle Growth ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Hygroscopic Growth ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Cloud Processing ◽  
Fine Mode

Abstract. Elemental carbon (EC), as one of the primary light-absorbing components in the atmosphere, has a significant impact on both regional and global climate. The environmental impacts of EC are strongly dependent on its particle size. Little is known about the size distribution characteristics of EC particles in China's ambient environments. We report size distributions of EC particles in the urban area of Shenzhen in Southern China. In our samples, EC was consistently found in two modes, a fine mode and a coarse mode. The majority of EC mass (~80%) in this coastal metropolitan city resided in particles smaller than 3.2 μm in diameter. The fine mode peaked at around either 0.42 μm or 0.75 μm. While the mode at 0.42 μm could be ascribed to fresh vehicular emissions in the region, the mode at 0.75 μm was likely a result of particle growth from smaller EC particles. We theoretically investigated the particle growth processes that caused the EC particles to grow from 0.42 μm to 0.75 µm in the atmosphere. Our calculations indicate that the EC peak at 0.75 μm was not produced through either coagulation or H2SO4 condensation; both processes are too slow to lead to significant EC growth. Hygroscopic growth was also determined to be insignificant. Instead, addition of sulfate through in-cloud processing was found to cause significant growth of the EC particles and to explain the EC peak at 0.75 μm. We also estimated the mixing state of EC from the EC size distributions. In the droplet size, at least 45–60% of the EC mass in the summer samples and 68% of the EC mass in the winter samples was internally mixed with sulfate as a result of in-cloud processing. This information on EC should be considered in models of the optical properties of aerosols in this region. Our results also suggest that the in-cloud processing of primary EC particles could increase the light absorbing capacities through mixing EC with sulfate.

scholarly journals Column aerosol optical properties and aerosol radiative forcing during a serious haze-fog month over North China Plain in 2013 based on ground-based sunphotometer measurements

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 29685-29720 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Che ◽  
X. Xia ◽  
J. Zhu ◽  
Z. Li ◽  
O. Dubovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Optical Parameters ◽  
Aerosol Radiative Forcing ◽  
Coarse Mode ◽  
Fine Mode ◽  
Rural Sites ◽  
Urban Sites ◽  
Aerosol Radiative

Abstract. In January 2013, North China Plain experienced several serious haze events. Cimel sunphotometer measurements at seven sites over rural, suburban and urban regions of North China Plain from 1 to 30 January 2013 were used to further our understanding of spatial-temporal variation of aerosol optical parameters and aerosol radiative forcing (ARF). It was found that Aerosol Optical Depth at 500 nm (AOD500 nm) during non-pollution periods at all stations was lower than 0.30 and increased significantly to greater than 1.00 as pollution events developed. The Angstrom exponent (Alpha) was larger than 0.80 for all stations most of the time. AOD500 nm averages increased from north to south during both polluted and non-polluted periods on the three urban sites in Beijing. The fine mode AOD during pollution periods is about a factor of 2.5 times larger than that during the non-pollution period at urban sites but a factor of 5.0 at suburban and rural sites. The fine mode fraction of AOD675 nm was higher than 80% for all sites during January 2013. The absorption AOD675 nm at rural sites was only about 0.01 during pollution periods, while ~0.03–0.07 and 0.01–0.03 during pollution and non-pollution periods at other sites, respectively. Single scattering albedo varied between 0.87 and 0.95 during January 2013 over North China Plain. The size distribution showed an obvious tri-peak pattern during the most serious period. The fine mode effective radius in the pollution period was about 0.01–0.08 μm larger than during non-pollution periods, while the coarse mode radius in pollution periods was about 0.06–0.38 μm less than that during non-pollution periods. The total, fine and coarse mode particle volumes varied by about 0.06–0.34 μm3, 0.03–0.23 μm3, and 0.03–0.10 μm3, respectively, throughout January 2013. During the most intense period (1–16 January), aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) at the surface exceeded −50 W m−2, −180 W m−2, and −200 W m−2 at rural, suburban, and urban sites, respectively. The ARF readings at the top of the atmosphere were approximately −30 W m−2 in rural and −40–60 W m−2 in urban areas. Positive ARF at the top of the atmosphere at the Huimin suburban site was found to be different from others as a result of the high surface albedo due to snow cover.

scholarly journals Modelling constraints on the emission inventory and on vertical dispersion for CO and SO<sub>2</sub> in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area using Solar FTIR and zenith sky UV spectroscopy

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 781-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. de Foy ◽  
W. Lei ◽  
M. Zavala ◽  
R. Volkamer ◽  
J. Samuelsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Emission Inventory ◽  
Uv Spectroscopy ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Large Power ◽  
Vertical Dispersion ◽  
Current Emission

Abstract. Emissions of air pollutants in and around urban areas lead to negative health impacts on the population. To estimate these impacts, it is important to know the sources and transport mechanisms of the pollutants accurately. Mexico City has a large urban fleet in a topographically constrained basin leading to high levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Large point sources of sulfur dioxide (SO2) surrounding the basin lead to episodes with high concentrations. An Eulerian grid model (CAMx) and a particle trajectory model (FLEXPART) are used to evaluate the estimates of CO and SO2 in the current emission inventory using mesoscale meteorological simulations from MM5. Vertical column measurements of CO are used to constrain the total amount of emitted CO in the model and to identify the most appropriate vertical dispersion scheme. Zenith sky UV spectroscopy is used to estimate the emissions of SO2 from a large power plant and the Popocatépetl volcano. Results suggest that the models are able to identify correctly large point sources and that both the power plant and the volcano impact the MCMA. Modelled concentrations of CO based on the current emission inventory match observations suggesting that the current total emissions estimate is correct. Possible adjustments to the spatial and temporal distribution can be inferred from model results. Accurate source and dispersion modelling provides feedback for development of the emission inventory, verification of transport processes in air quality models and guidance for policy decisions.

Regional and Transported A erosols in Ambient A tmosphere of Raipur,India, during W inter

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-17
Author(s):  
Manas Kanti Deb ◽  
Mithlesh Mahilang ◽  
Jayant Nirmalkar
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Long Range ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Characteristic Size ◽  
Long Range Transport ◽  
Bimodal Size Distribution ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Coarse Mode ◽  
Range Transport ◽  
Air Trajectory

Size fractionated atmospheric aerosols were collected using cascade impactor sampler on quartz flter substrate during October 2015 to February 2016 in campus of Pt Ravishankar Shukla University of Raipur Chhattisgarh. The size of aerosol particles is of crucial importance to several processes in the atmosphere. The relative concentrations in both modes are responsible for the variability observed in the shape of the size distribution. Characteristic size distributions of measured aerosol over central India showed identifcation of three main behaviour types during entire study period: (i) month in which bimodal size distribution dominated in coarse mode (October 2015, 5 December 2015 and January, 2016), (ii) those months in which bimodal distribution equally intense in both one, and coarse modes (November, 2015) and (iii) those which were mainly dominated within fine (February, 2016, December, 2015). The two-subsequent month namely November 2015 and December 2015 shows bimodal size distribution with dominance in fine size range in comparison to coarse mode, possibly these high loading of one particles is due to long range transport. The peculiar observation of air trajectory shows that there is increase in fine particles concentration during December 2015, although there in increase in temperature and wind speed. The reason for this high concentration is long range transport of air masses. However, January has normal trend in particular matter concentration. The important finding of the present study based on characteristic size distribution and air trajectory plots accomplishes that fine particles are obtained through long range transport whereas coarse particles are mainly from local origin.

scholarly journals NH<sub>3</sub> emissions from large point sources derived from CrIS and IASI satellite observations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Dammers ◽  
Chris A. McLinden ◽  
Debora Griffin ◽  
Mark W. Shephard ◽  
Shelley Van Der Graaf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Reactive Nitrogen Species ◽  
Emission Inventory ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Satellite Observations ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Current Emission ◽  
Human Kind

Abstract. Ammonia (NH3) is an essential reactive nitrogen species in the biosphere and through its use in agriculture in the form of fertilizer important for sustaining human kind. The current emission levels however, are up to four times higher than in the previous century and continue to grow with uncertain consequences to human health and the environment. While NH3 at its current levels is a hazard to the environmental and human health the atmospheric budget is still highly uncertain, which is a product of an overall lack of measurements. The capability to measure NH3 with satellites has opened up new ways to study the atmospheric NH3 budget. In this study we present the first estimates of NH3 emissions, lifetimes, and plume widths from large (> ~ 5 kt/yr) agricultural and industrial point sources from CrIS satellite observations across the globe with a consistent methodology. The same methodology is also applied to the IASI (A and B) satellite observations and we show that the satellites typically provide comparable results that are within the uncertainty of the estimates. The computed NH3 lifetime for large point sources is on average 2.35 ± 1.16 hours. For the 249 sources with emission levels detectable by the CrIS satellite, there are currently 55 locations missing (or underestimated by more than an order of magnitude) from the current HTAPv2 emission inventory, and only 72 locations with emissions within a factor 2 compared to the inventories. We find a total of 5622 kt/yr, for the sources analyzed in this study, which is equivalent to a factor ~ 2.5 between the CrIS estimated and HTAPv2 emissions. Furthermore, the study shows that it is possible to accurately detect short and long-term changes in emissions, demonstrating the possibility of using satellite observed NH3 to constrain emission inventories.

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