scholarly journals Review of "Mixing state of black carbon and its impact on optical properties and radiative forcing over East Asia" by Ma et al.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anonymous
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
East Asia ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Mixing State

scholarly journals Mixing state of black carbon and its impact on optical properties and radiative forcing over East Asia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Ma ◽  
Hailing Jia ◽  
Rong Tian ◽  
Fangqun Yu ◽  
Jiagnan Li
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
East Asia ◽  
Heating Rate ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Central China ◽  
Anthropogenic Emissions ◽  
Core Shell ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosol

Abstract. BC mixing state, one of essential aerosol microphysical properties modulating its optical properties and radiative forcing, and climatic and environmental effect, has often been assumed in numerical models previously. In this study, by employing a nested version of GEOS-Chem-APM model with predicted BC mixing state, we carefully examined the effect of BC mixing state on aerosol optical properties, radiative forcing, and heating rate over East Asia (EA) and particularly in East-Central China (ECC). The modelling results show that the mass of both BC core and coating by secondary species (coated SS) are significantly high in ECC and India due to strong anthropogenic emissions but quite low in the other regions. The ratio of total mass (BC + coated SS) to the BC over ECC can be doubled compared to pure BC core mass, indicating quite large coating over the regions with high anthropogenic emissions. Absorptive aerosol optical depth (AAOD) enhances ~ 40 % over ECC once core-shell mixing, rather than external mixing, is taken into account, despite AOD only changes slightly, and the resulting absorption amplification (Aa) normally varies from 1.1 to 1.8 over ECC. Aerosol direct radiative forcing (DRF) under clear sky and all sky indicate that DRF at top of atmosphere (DRFTOA) become weaker but DRF at surface (DRFSRF) become stronger when core-shell mixing, instead of external mixing, is taken in to account in the simulation. The simulation with core-shell mixing presented that over ECC, the regional-averaged atmospheric absorption enhances 39 % while DRFTOA and DRFSRF are reported as −8.3 and −17.8 W m-2, compared to −9.4 and −16.2 W m-2 in the simulation with external mixing state. The heating rate in entire column enhances with core-shell mixing state due to absorption amplification, compared to external mixing state. The heating rate at surface over ECC increases about 43 %, i.e. increase from 0.7 K day-1 (external) to 0.9 K day-1 (core-shell) during the study period. The results in three cities (Beijing, Nanjing, Chengdu), representative of North China Plain (NCP), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Sichuan Basin (SCB), major anthropogenic aerosol emissions regions over EA, are also discussed in the study.

scholarly journals Effects of internal mixing and aggregate morphology on optical properties of black carbon using a discrete dipole approximation model

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5089-5101 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. V. Scarnato ◽  
S. Vahidinia ◽  
D. T. Richard ◽  
T. W. Kirchstetter
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Dipole Approximation ◽  
Discrete Dipole Approximation ◽  
Approximation Model ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Internal Mixing ◽  
Aggregate Morphology ◽  
Nm Range

Abstract. According to recent studies, internal mixing of black carbon (BC) with other aerosol materials in the atmosphere alters its aggregate shape, absorption of solar radiation, and radiative forcing. These mixing state effects are not yet fully understood. In this study, we characterize the morphology and mixing state of bare BC and BC internally mixed with sodium chloride (NaCl) using electron microscopy and examine the sensitivity of optical properties to BC mixing state and aggregate morphology using a discrete dipole approximation model (DDSCAT). DDSCAT is flexible in simulating the geometry and refractive index of particle aggregates. DDSCAT predicts a higher mass absorption coefficient (MAC), lower single scattering albedo (SSA), and higher absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE) for bare BC aggregates that are lacy rather than compact. Predicted values of SSA at 550 nm range between 0.16 and 0.27 for lacy and compact aggregates, respectively, in agreement with reported experimental values of 0.25 ± 0.05. The variation in absorption with wavelength does not adhere precisely to a power law relationship over the 200 to 1000 nm range. Consequently, AAE values depend on the wavelength region over which they are computed. The MAC of BC (averaged over the 200–1000 nm range) is amplified when internally mixed with NaCl (100–300 nm in radius) by factors ranging from 1.0 for lacy BC aggregates partially immersed in NaCl to 2.2 for compact BC aggregates fully immersed in NaCl. The SSA of BC internally mixed with NaCl is higher than for bare BC and increases with the embedding in the NaCl. Internally mixed BC SSA values decrease in the 200–400 nm wavelength range, a feature also common to the optical properties of dust and organics. Linear polarization features are also predicted in DDSCAT and are dependent on particle size and morphology. This study shows that DDSCAT predicts complex morphology and mixing state dependent aerosol optical properties that have been reported previously and are relevant to radiative transfer, climate modeling, and interpretation of remote sensing measurements.

scholarly journals Black carbon aerosol mixing state, organic aerosols and aerosol optical properties over the UK

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 14991-15027 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. McMeeking ◽  
W. T. Morgan ◽  
M. Flynn ◽  
E. J. Highwood ◽  
K. Turnbull ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Organic Aerosols ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Air Masses ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Urban Plumes

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) aerosols absorb sunlight thereby leading to a positive radiative forcing and a warming of climate and can also impact human health through their impact on the respiratory system. The state of mixing of BC with other aerosol species, particularly the degree of internal/external mixing, has been highlighted as a major uncertainty in assessing its radiative forcing and hence its climate impact, but few in situ observations of mixing state exist. We present airborne single particle soot photometer (SP2) measurements of refractory BC (rBC) mass concentrations and mixing state coupled with aerosol composition and optical properties measured in urban plumes and regional pollution over the UK. All data were obtained using instrumentation flown on the UK's BAe-146-301 large Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) operated by the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM). We measured sub-micron aerosol composition using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and used positive matrix factorization to separate hydrocarbon-like (HOA) and oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA). We found a higher number fraction of thickly coated rBC particles in air masses with large OOA relative to HOA, higher ozone-to-nitrogen oxides (NOx) ratios and large concentrations of total sub-micron aerosol mass relative to rBC mass concentrations. The more ozone- and OOA-rich air masses were associated with transport from continental Europe, while plumes from UK cities had higher HOA and NOx and fewer thickly coated rBC particles. We did not observe any significant change in the rBC mass absorption efficiency calculated from rBC mass and light absorption coefficients measured by a particle soot absorption photometer despite observing significant changes in aerosol composition and rBC mixing state. The contributions of light scattering and absorption to total extinction (quantified by the single scattering albedo; SSA) did change for different air masses, with lower SSA observed in urban plumes compared to regional aerosol (0.85 versus 0.9–0.95). We attribute these differences to the presence of relatively rapidly formed secondary aerosol, primarily OOA and ammonium nitrate, which must be taken into account in radiative forcing calculations.

scholarly journals Sensitivity of aerosol radiative effects to different mixing assumptions in the AEROPT 1.0 submodel of the EMAC atmospheric-chemistry–climate model

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 2503-2516 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Klingmüller ◽  
B. Steil ◽  
C. Brühl ◽  
H. Tost ◽  
J. Lelieveld
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Radiative Transfer ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Mixing Rule ◽  
Aerosol Optical Properties ◽  
Internal Mixing ◽  
Aerosol Radiative

Abstract. The modelling of aerosol radiative forcing is a major cause of uncertainty in the assessment of global and regional atmospheric energy budgets and climate change. One reason is the strong dependence of the aerosol optical properties on the mixing state of aerosol components, such as absorbing black carbon and, predominantly scattering sulfates. Using a new column version of the aerosol optical properties and radiative-transfer code of the ECHAM/MESSy atmospheric-chemistry–climate model (EMAC), we study the radiative transfer applying various mixing states. The aerosol optics code builds on the AEROPT (AERosol OPTical properties) submodel, which assumes homogeneous internal mixing utilising the volume average refractive index mixing rule. We have extended the submodel to additionally account for external mixing, partial external mixing and multilayered particles. Furthermore, we have implemented the volume average dielectric constant and Maxwell Garnett mixing rule. We performed regional case studies considering columns over China, India and Africa, corroborating much stronger absorption by internal than external mixtures. Well-mixed aerosol is a good approximation for particles with a black-carbon core, whereas particles with black carbon at the surface absorb significantly less. Based on a model simulation for the year 2005, we calculate that the global aerosol direct radiative forcing for homogeneous internal mixing differs from that for external mixing by about 0.5 W m−2.

scholarly journals Size distribution and coating thickness of black carbon from the Canadian oil sands operations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Cheng ◽  
Shao-Meng Li ◽  
Mark Gordon ◽  
Peter Liu
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Coating Thickness ◽  
Oil Sands ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Source Area ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Earth’S Climate

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) plays an important role in the Earth’s climate system. However, parameterization of BC size and mixing state have not been well addressed in aerosol-climate models, introducing substantial uncertainties into the estimation of radiative forcing by BC. In this study, we focused on BC emissions from the massive oil sands (OS) industry in northern Alberta, based on an aircraft campaign conducted over the Athabasca OS region in 2013. A total of 14 flights were made over the OS source area, in which the aircraft was typically flown in a 4- or 5-sided polygon pattern along flight tracks encircling an OS facility. Another 3 flights were performed downwind of the OS source area, each of which involved at least three intercepting locations where the well-mixed OS plume was measured along flight tracks perpendicular to the wind direction. Comparable size distributions were observed for refractory black carbon (rBC) over and downwind of the OS facilities, with rBC mass median diameters (MMD) between ~ 135 and 145 nm that were characteristic of fresh urban emissions. This MMD range corresponded to rBC number median diameters (NMD) of ~ 60–70 nm, approximately 100 % higher than the NMD settings in some aerosol-climate models. The typical in- and out-of-plume segments of a flight, which had different rBC concentrations and photochemical ages, showed consistent rBC size distributions. Moreover, rBC size distributions remained unchanged at different downwind distances from the source area, suggesting that atmospheric aging would not necessarily change rBC size distribution. However, aging indeed influenced rBC mixing state. Coating thickness for rBC cores in the diameter range of 130–160 nm was nearly doubled within three hours when the OS plume was transported over a distance of 90 km from the source area.

scholarly journals Effects of internal mixing and aggregate morphology on optical properties of black carbon using a discrete dipole approximation model

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 26401-26434 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Scarnato ◽  
S. Vahidinia ◽  
D. T. Richard ◽  
T. W. Kirchstetter
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Linear Polarization ◽  
Incident Radiation ◽  
Dipole Approximation ◽  
Approximation Model ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Internal Mixing ◽  
Aggregate Morphology ◽  
Nm Range

Abstract. According to recent studies, internal mixing of black carbon (BC) with other aerosol materials in the atmosphere alters its aggregate shape, absorption of solar radiation, and radiative forcing. These mixing state effects are not yet fully understood. In this study, we characterize the morphology and mixing state of bare BC and BC internally mixed with sodium chloride (NaCl) using electron microscopy and examine the sensitivity of optical properties to BC mixing state and aggregate morphology using a discrete dipole approximation model (DDSCAT). DDSCAT predicts a higher mass absorption coefficient, lower single scattering albedo (SSA), and higher absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE) for bare BC aggregates that are lacy rather than compact. Predicted values of SSA at 550 nm range between 0.18 and 0.27 for lacy and compact aggregates, respectively, in agreement with reported experimental values of 0.25 ± 0.05. The variation in absorption with wavelength does not adhere precisely to a power law relationship over the 200 to 1000 nm range. Consequently, AAE values depend on the wavelength region over which they are computed. In the 300 to 550 nm range, AAE values ranged in this study from 0.70 for compact to 0.95 for lacy aggregates. The SSA of BC internally mixed with NaCl (100–300 nm in radius) is higher than for bare BC and increases with the embedding in the NaCl. Internally mixed BC SSA values decrease in the 200–400 nm wavelength range, a feature also common to the optical properties of dust and organics. Linear polarization features are also predicted in DDSCAT and are dependent on particle morphology. The bare BC (with a radius of 80 nm) presents in the linear polarization a bell shape feature, which is a characteristic of the Rayleigh regime (for particles smaller than the wavelength of incident radiation). When BC is internally mixed with NaCl (100–300 nm in radius), strong depolarization features for near-VIS incident radiation are evident, such as a decrease in the intensity and multiple modes at different angles corresponding to different mixing states. DDSCAT, being flexible on the geometry and refractive index of the particle, can be used to study the effect of mixing state and complex morphology on optical properties of realistic BC aggregates. This study shows that DDSCAT predicts morphology and mixing state dependent optical properties that have been reported previously and are relevant to radiative transfer and climate modeling and interpretation of remote sensing measurements.

scholarly journals Wet removal of black carbon in Asian outflow: Aerosol Radiative Forcing in East Asia (A-FORCE) aircraft campaign

2012 ◽  
Vol 117 (D3) ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Oshima ◽  
Y. Kondo ◽  
N. Moteki ◽  
N. Takegawa ◽  
M. Koike ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Aerosol Radiative Forcing ◽  
Aerosol Radiative ◽  
Wet Removal

scholarly journals Quantification of black carbon mixing state from traffic: implications for aerosol optical properties

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 4693-4706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan D. Willis ◽  
Robert M. Healy ◽  
Nicole Riemer ◽  
Matthew West ◽  
Jon M. Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Mixing State ◽  
Aerosol Optical Properties ◽  
Aerosol Composition ◽  
Average Mass ◽  
Measurement Capability ◽  
Aerosol Mass ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Abstract. The climatic impacts of black carbon (BC) aerosol, an important absorber of solar radiation in the atmosphere, remain poorly constrained and are intimately related to its particle-scale physical and chemical properties. Using particle-resolved modelling informed by quantitative measurements from a soot-particle aerosol mass spectrometer, we confirm that the mixing state (the distribution of co-emitted aerosol amongst fresh BC-containing particles) at the time of emission significantly affects BC-aerosol optical properties even after a day of atmospheric processing. Both single particle and ensemble aerosol mass spectrometry observations indicate that BC near the point of emission co-exists with hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) in two distinct particle types: HOA-rich and BC-rich particles. The average mass fraction of black carbon in HOA-rich and BC-rich particle classes was  < 0.1 and 0.8, respectively. Notably, approximately 90 % of BC mass resides in BC-rich particles. This new measurement capability provides quantitative insight into the physical and chemical nature of BC-containing particles and is used to drive a particle-resolved aerosol box model. Significant differences in calculated single scattering albedo (an increase of 0.1) arise from accurate treatment of initial particle mixing state as compared to the assumption of uniform aerosol composition at the point of BC injection into the atmosphere.

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