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 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 Relating CCN activity, volatility, and droplet growth kinetics of β-caryophyllene secondary organic aerosol

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 795-812 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
G. J. Engelhart ◽  
B. H. Lee ◽  
S. N. Pandis ◽  
A. Nenes
Keyword(s):  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Active Material ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nucleus ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. This study investigates the droplet formation characteristics of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed during the ozonolysis of sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene (with and without hydroxyl radicals present). Emphasis is placed on understanding the role of semi-volatile material on Cloud Condensation Nucleus (CCN) activity and droplet growth kinetics. Aging of β-caryophyllene SOA significantly affects all CCN-relevant properties measured throughout the experiments. Using a thermodenuder and two CCN instruments, we find that CCN activity is a strong function of temperature (activation diameter at ~0.6% supersaturation: 100±10 nm at 20°C and 130±10 nm at 35°C), suggesting that the hygroscopic fraction of the SOA is volatile. The water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) is extracted from the SOA and characterized with Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA); the results suggest that the WSOC is composed of low molecular weight (<200 g mol−1) slightly surface-active material that constitute 5–15% of the SOA mass. These properties are similar to the water-soluble fraction of monoterpene SOA, suggesting that predictive understanding of SOA CCN activity requires knowledge of the WSOC fraction but not its exact speciation. Droplet growth kinetics of the CCN are found to be strongly anticorrelated with WSOC fraction, suggesting that the insoluble material in the SOA forms a kinetic barrier that delays droplet growth. Overall, volatilization effects can increase activation diameters by 30%, and depress droplet growth rate by a factor of two; these results may have important implications for the droplet formation characteristics of SOA, and the atmospheric relevance of CCN measurements carried out at temperatures different from ambient.

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 Relating CCN activity, volatility, and droplet growth kinetics of β-caryophyllene secondary organic aerosol

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 10105-10151 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Asa-Awuku ◽  
G. J. Engelhart ◽  
B. H. Lee ◽  
S. N. Pandis ◽  
A. Nenes
Keyword(s):  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Active Material ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nucleus ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. This study investigates the droplet formation characteristics of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed during the ozonolysis of sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene (with and without hydroxyl radicals present). Emphasis is placed on understanding the role of semi-volatile material on Cloud Condensation Nucleus (CCN) activity and droplet growth kinetics. Aging of β-caryophyllene SOA significantly affects all CCN-relevant properties measured throughout the experiments. Using a thermodenuder and two CCN instruments, we find that CCN activity is a strong function of temperature (activation diameter at ~0.6% supersaturation: 100±10 nm at 20°C and 130±10 nm at 35°C), suggesting that the hygroscopic fraction of the SOA is volatile. The water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) is extracted from the SOA and characterized with Köhler Theory Analysis (KTA); the results suggest that the WSOC is composed of low molecular weight (<200 g mol−1) slightly surface-active material that constitute 5–15% of the SOA mass. These properties are similar to the water-soluble fraction of monoterpene SOA, suggesting that predictive understanding of SOA CCN activity requires knowledge of the WSOC fraction but not its exact speciation. Droplet growth kinetics of the CCN are found to be strongly anticorrelated with WSOC fraction, suggesting that the insoluble material in the SOA forms a kinetic barrier that delays droplet growth. These results have important implications for the droplet formation characteristics of SOA, and the atmospheric relevance of CCN measurements carried out at temperatures different from ambient.

scholarly journals Cloud condensation nuclei activity, droplet growth kinetics, and hygroscopicity of biogenic and anthropogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA)

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 1105-1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Zhao ◽  
A. Buchholz ◽  
B. Kortner ◽  
P. Schlag ◽  
F. Rubach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Biogenic Voc ◽  
Degree Of Oxidation ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. Interaction of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with Anthropogenic VOC (AVOC) affects the physicochemical properties of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). We investigated cloud droplet activation (CCN activity), droplet growth kinetics, and hygroscopicity of mixed anthropogenic and biogenic SOA (ABSOA) compared to pure biogenic SOA (BSOA) and pure anthropogenic SOA (ASOA). Selected monoterpenes and aromatics were used as representative precursors of BSOA and ASOA, respectively.We found that BSOA, ASOA, and ABSOA had similar CCN activity despite the higher oxygen to carbon ratio (O/C) of ASOA compared to BSOA and ABSOA. For individual reaction systems, CCN activity increased with the degree of oxidation. Yet, when considering all different types of SOA together, the hygroscopicity parameter, κCCN, did not correlate with O/C. Droplet growth kinetics of BSOA, ASOA, and ABSOA were comparable to that of (NH4)2SO4, which indicates that there was no delay in the water uptake for these SOA in supersaturated conditions.In contrast to CCN activity, the hygroscopicity parameter from a hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) measurement, κHTDMA, of ASOA was distinctively higher (0.09–0.10) than that of BSOA (0.03–0.06), which was attributed to the higher degree of oxidation of ASOA. The ASOA components in mixed ABSOA enhanced aerosol hygroscopicity. Changing the ASOA fraction by adding biogenic VOC (BVOC) to ASOA or vice versa (AVOC to BSOA) changed the hygroscopicity of aerosol, in line with the change in the degree of oxidation of aerosol. However, the hygroscopicity of ABSOA cannot be described by a simple linear combination of pure BSOA and ASOA systems. This indicates that additional processes, possibly oligomerization, affected the hygroscopicity.Closure analysis of CCN and HTDMA data showed κHTDMA was lower than κCCN by 30–70 %. Better closure was achieved for ASOA compared to BSOA. This discrepancy can be attributed to several reasons. ASOA seemed to have higher solubility in subsaturated conditions and/or higher surface tension at the activation point than that of BSOA.

scholarly journals Cloud condensation nuclei activity, droplet growth kinetics and hygroscopicity of biogenic and anthropogenic Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA)

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (14) ◽  
pp. 19903-19945 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Zhao ◽  
A. Buchholz ◽  
B. Kortner ◽  
P. Schlag ◽  
F. Rubach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Degree Of Oxidation ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Aerosol Hygroscopicity ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. Interaction of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOC) with anthropogenic VOC affects the physicochemical properties of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). We investigated cloud droplet activation (CCN activity), droplet growth kinetics, and hygroscopicity of mixed anthropogenic and biogenic SOA (ABSOA) compared to pure biogenic SOA (BSOA) and pure anthropogenic SOA (ASOA). Selected monoterpenes and aromatics were used as representative precursors of BSOA and ASOA, respectively. We found that BSOA, ASOA, and ABSOA had similar CCN activity despite the higher oxygen to carbon ratio (O/C) of ASOA compared to BSOA and ABSOA. For individual reaction systems, CCN activity increased with the degree of oxidation. Yet, when considering all different types of SOA together, the hygroscopicity parameter, κCCN, did not correlate with O/C. Droplet growth kinetics of BSOA, ASOA, and ABSOA was comparable to that of (NH4)2SO4, which indicates that there was no delay in the water uptake for these SOA in supersaturated conditions. In contrast to CCN activity, the hygroscopicity parameter from hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) measurement, κHTDMA, of ASOA was distinctively higher (0.09–0.10) than that of BSOA (0.03–0.06), which was attributed to the higher degree of oxidation of ASOA. The ASOA components in mixed ABSOA enhanced aerosol hygroscopicity. Changing the ASOA fraction by adding BVOC to ASOA or vice versa AVOC to BSOA changed the hygroscopicity of aerosol, in line with the change in the degree of oxidation of aerosol. However, the hygroscopicity of ABSOA cannot be described by a simple linear combination of pure BSOA and ASOA systems. This indicates that additional processes, possibly oligomerization, affected the hygroscopicity. Closure analysis of CCN and HTDMA data showed κHTDMA was lower than κCCN by 30–70 %. Better closure was achieved for ASOA compared to BSOA. This discrepancy can be attributed to several reasons. ASOA seemed to have higher solubility in subsaturated conditions and/or higher surface tension at the activation point than that of BSOA.

scholarly journals CCN activity and volatility of β-caryophyllene secondary organic aerosol

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 20745-20783
Author(s):  
M. Frosch ◽  
M. Bilde ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
A. P. Praplan ◽  
Z. Jurányi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Initial Injection ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. In a series of smog chamber experiments, the Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) activity of Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) generated from ozonolysis of β-caryophyllene was characterized by determining the CCN derived hygroscopicity parameter, κCCN, from experimental data. Two types of CCN counters, operating at different temperatures, were used. The effect of semi-volatile organic compounds on the CCN activity of SOA was studied using a thermodenuder. Overall, SOA was only slightly CCN active (with κCCN in the range 0.001–0.16), and in dark experiments with no OH scavenger present, κCCN decreased when particles were sent through the thermodenuder (with a temperature up to 50 °C). SOA was generated under different experimental conditions: in some experiments, an OH scavenger (2-butanol) was added. SOA from these experiments was less CCN active than SOA produced in experiments without an OH scavenger (i.e. where OH was produced during ozonolysis). In other experiments, lights were turned on, either without or with the addition of HONO (OH source). This led to the formation of more CCN active SOA. SOA was aged up to 30 h through exposure to ozone and (in experiments with no OH scavenger present) to OH. In all experiments, the derived κCCN consistently increased with time after initial injection of β-caryophyllene, showing that chemical ageing increases the CCN activity of β-caryophyllene SOA. κCCN was also observed to depend on supersaturation, which was explained either as an evaporation artifact from semi-volatile SOA (only observed in experiments lacking light exposure) or, alternatively, by effects related to chemical composition depending on dry particle size. Using the method of Threshold Droplet Growth Analysis it was also concluded that the activation kinetics of the SOA do not differ significantly from calibration ammonium sulphate aerosol.

scholarly journals CCN activity and volatility of β-caryophyllene secondary organic aerosol

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2283-2297 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Frosch ◽  
M. Bilde ◽  
A. Nenes ◽  
A. P. Praplan ◽  
Z. Jurányi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Droplet Growth ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Initial Injection ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ccn Activity

Abstract. In a series of smog chamber experiments, the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generated from ozonolysis of β-caryophyllene was characterized by determining the CCN derived hygroscopicity parameter, κCCN, from experimental data. Two types of CCN counters, operating at different temperatures, were used. The effect of semi-volatile organic compounds on the CCN activity of SOA was studied using a thermodenuder. Overall, SOA was only slightly CCN active (with κCCN in the range 0.001–0.16), and in dark experiments with no OH scavenger present, κCCN decreased when particles were sent through the thermodenuder (with a temperature up to 50 °C). SOA was generated under different experimental conditions: In some experiments, an OH scavenger (2-butanol) was added. SOA from these experiments was less CCN active than SOA produced in experiments without an OH scavenger (i.e. where OH was produced during ozonolysis). In other experiments, lights were turned on, either without or with the addition of HONO (OH source). This led to the formation of more CCN active SOA. SOA was aged up to 30 h through exposure to ozone and (in experiments with no OH scavenger present) to OH. In all experiments, the derived κCCN consistently increased with time after initial injection of β-caryophyllene, showing that chemical ageing increases the CCN activity of β-caryophyllene SOA. κCCN was also observed to depend on supersaturation, which was explained either as an evaporation artifact from semi-volatile SOA (only observed in experiments lacking light exposure) or, alternatively, by effects related to chemical composition depending on dry particle size. Using the method of Threshold Droplet Growth Analysis it was also concluded that the activation kinetics of the SOA do not differ significantly from calibration ammonium sulphate aerosol for particles aged for several hours.

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.

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