Importance of adsorption for CCN activity and hygroscopic properties of mineral dust aerosol

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Kumar ◽  
Athanasios Nenes ◽  
Irina N. Sokolik
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 376-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Ibrahim ◽  
Manolis N. Romanias ◽  
Laurent Y. Alleman ◽  
Mohamad N. Zeineddine ◽  
Giasemi K. Angeli ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1863-1871 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Li ◽  
L. Y. Shao

Abstract. Nitrate compounds have received much attention because of their ability to alter the hygroscopic properties and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of mineral dust particles in the atmosphere. However, very little is known about specific characteristics of ambient nitrate-coated mineral particles on an individual particle scale. In this study, sample collection was conducted during brown haze and dust episodes between 24 May and 21 June 2007 in Beijing, northern China. Sizes, morphologies, and compositions of 332 mineral dust particles together with their coatings were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalyses. Structures of some mineral particles were verified using selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). TEM observation indicates that approximately 90% of the collected mineral particles are covered by visible coatings in haze samples whereas only 5% are coated in the dust sample. 92% of the analyzed mineral particles are covered with Ca-, Mg-, and Na-rich coatings, and 8% are associated with K- and S-rich coatings. The majority of coatings contain Ca, Mg, O, and N with minor amounts of S and Cl, suggesting that they are possibly nitrates mixed with small amounts of sulfates and chlorides. These nitrate coatings are strongly correlated with the presence of alkaline mineral components (e.g., calcite and dolomite). CaSO4 particles with diameters from 10 to 500 nm were also detected in the coatings including Ca(NO3)2 and Mg(NO3)2. Our results indicate that mineral particles in brown haze episodes were involved in atmospheric heterogeneous reactions with two or more acidic gases (e.g., SO2, NO2, HCl, and HNO3). Mineral particles that acquire hygroscopic nitrate coatings tend to be more spherical and larger, enhancing their light scattering and CCN activity, both of which have cooling effects on the climate.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 19249-19272 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Li ◽  
L. Y. Shao

Abstract. Nitrate compounds have recently received much attention because of their ability to alter the hygroscopic properties and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of mineral dust particles in the atmosphere. However, very little is known about specific characteristics of nitrate-coated mineral particles in an individual particle scale in field study. The sample collection was conducted during brown haze and dust episodes occurred between 24 May and 21 June 2007 in Beijing, northern China. The sizes, morphologies, and compositions of mineral dust particles together with their coatings were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). 92% of the internally mixed mineral particles analyzed are covered with Ca-, Mg-, and Na-rich coatings, and 8% are associated with K- and S-rich coatings. The major coatings contain Ca, Mg, O, and N with minor amounts of S and Cl, suggesting that they are possibly nitrates mixed with less sulfates and chlorides. These nitrate coatings strongly relate with the presence of alkaline mineral components (e.g., calcite and dolomite) within individual mineral particles. Calcium sulfate particles with the diameter from 10 to 500 nm were also detected within Ca(NO3)2 and Mg(NO3)2 coatings. Our results indicate that mineral particles in brown haze episodes were involved in atmospheric heterogeneous reactions with two or more acidic gases (e.g., SO2, NO2, HCl, and HNO3). Mineral particles that acquire hygroscopic coatings tend to be more spherical and larger. Such changes enhance their light scattering and CCN activity, both of which have cooling effects on the climate.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 6049-6062 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Yue ◽  
H. Liao ◽  
H. J. Wang ◽  
S. L. Li ◽  
J. P. Tang

Abstract. Mineral dust aerosol can be transported over the nearby oceans and influence the energy balance at the sea surface. The role of dust-induced sea surface temperature (SST) responses in simulations of the climatic effect of dust is examined by using a general circulation model with online simulation of mineral dust and a coupled mixed-layer ocean model. Both the longwave and shortwave radiative effects of mineral dust aerosol are considered in climate simulations. The SST responses are found to be very influential on simulated dust-induced climate change, especially when climate simulations consider the two-way dust-climate coupling to account for the feedbacks. With prescribed SSTs and dust concentrations, we obtain an increase of 0.02 K in the global and annual mean surface air temperature (SAT) in response to dust radiative effects. In contrast, when SSTs are allowed to respond to radiative forcing of dust in the presence of the dust cycle-climate interactions, we obtain a global and annual mean cooling of 0.09 K in SAT by dust. The extra cooling simulated with the SST responses can be attributed to the following two factors: (1) The negative net (shortwave plus longwave) radiative forcing of dust at the surface reduces SST, which decreases latent heat fluxes and upward transport of water vapor, resulting in less warming in the atmosphere; (2) The positive feedback between SST responses and dust cycle. The dust-induced reductions in SST lead to reductions in precipitation (or wet deposition of dust) and hence increase the global burden of small dust particles. These small particles have strong scattering effects, which enhance the dust cooling at the surface and further reduce SSTs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 319-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Lafon ◽  
Stéphane C. Alfaro ◽  
Servanne Chevaillier ◽  
Jean Louis Rajot

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