ATMOCHEM - Secondary organic aerosol production in the lower free troposphere over western Europe
Final Report Abstract
Until recently secondary organic carbon (SOA) aerosol mass concentrations have been systematically underestimated by three-dimensional atmospheric-chemistry aerosol models. With a newly proposed concept of aging of organic vapours more realistic model results for organic carbon aerosol mass concentrations could be achieved. Applying a mixed thermodynamic-kinetic approach for SOA aerosol formation shifted the aerosol size distribution towards particles in the cloud condensation nuclei size range, thereby emphasising the importance of SOA aerosol formation schemes for modelling realistic cloud and precipitation formation. The additional importance of hetero-molecular nucleation between H2SO4 and organic vapours remains to be evaluated in three-dimensional atmospheric-chemistry aerosol models. Here a case study is presented focussing on Puy-de-Dôme, France in June 2010. Measurements indicate a considerable increase in SOA aerosol mass concentration, which could be reproduced by modelling using a simplified thermodynamic-kinetic approach for SOA aerosol formation. Comparison with a thermodynamic SOA aerosol formation approach shows a huge improvement in modelled SOA aerosol mass concentration with the thermodynamic-kinetic approach for SOA aerosol formation and a slight improvement of modelled particle size distribution. The chosen episode turns out to be not very well suitable to study the role of nucleation of organic vapours in the PBL, as nucleation events at Puy-de-Dôme were rare.
Publications
- Contribution of isoprene oxidation products to marine aerosol over the North‐East Atlantic, Advances in Meteorology, 2010
Anttila, T., B. Langmann, Varghese, S. and C. O’Dowd
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/48203) - Recent advances in atmospheric modelling of secondary organic aerosol, Proceedings of the International Conference on Environmental Pollution and Public Health, May 17–21, 2012, Shanghai, China
Langmann, B., K. Sellegri and E. Freney
- Secondary organic aerosol formation during summer 2010 over Central Europe, EAC 20012, abstract C‐WG09S1P03, Granada, Spain, September 3‐7, 2012
Langmann, B., K. Sellegri and E. Freney
- Sub‐3 nm particles detection in a large photoreactor background: Possible implications for new particle formation studies in smog chambers, Aerosol Science & Technolog 47, 153–157, 2012
Boulon, J., K. Sellegri, Y. Katrib, J. Wang, K. Miet, B. Langmann, P. Laj and J.‐F. Doussin
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2012.733040)
