A European aerosol phenomenology-5: Climatology of black carbon optical properties at 9 regional background sites across Europe

Zanatta, Marco; Gysel, M.; Bukowiecki, Nicolas; Müller, Thomas; Weingärtner, E.; Areskoug, Hans; Fiebig, Markus; Yttri, Karl Espen; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Kouvarakis, Giorgos; Beddows, D. C. S.; Harrison, Roy M.; Cavalli, F.; Putaud, J.-P.; Spindler, Gerald; Wiedensohler, Alfred; Alastuey, Andrés; Pandolfi, M.; Sellegri, Karine; Swietlicki, Erik; Jaffrezo, Jean-Luc; Baltensperger, Urs; Laj, Paolo

doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.09.035

Cited by 159 publications

(160 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Assuming an absorption Ångstrom exponent of 1.0, the MAC used here is 6.13 when adjusted to 637 nm. Our MAC value is at the lower limit of the values reported by Zanatta et al (2016), for nine rural background stations across Europe (7.5-13.3 m 2 g −1 , calculated for 637 nm), and within the range of values reported by Hitzenberger et al (2006) for an urban background site in Vienna (5.9-7.5 at 637 nm).…”

Section: Aerosol Light Absorption and Equivalent Black Carbonmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…2). The value of 3.5 was used for C 0 , as recommended in Zanatta et al (2016). The compensation parameter f λ is a parameter that mainly depends on the single scattering albedo of aerosol and is expressed as follows:…”

Section: Aerosol Light Absorption and Equivalent Black Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Combustion processes used for transportation, power generation and other human activities produce a complex mixture of chemical pollutants (Cohen et al, 2004), which at any given location have characteristics depending on the relative contributions of the different sources of pollution and on the effects of the local geo-climatic factors. Black carbon (BC) aerosol and carbon monoxide (CO) are two major products of incomplete combustion and are important atmospheric components because of their substantial impact on health , including respiratory and cardiovascular effects, as well as on climate (Zanatta et al, 2016). BC refers to the absorb-…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of wood burning versus fossil fuel contribution to wintertime black carbon and carbon monoxide concentrations in Athens, Greece

et al. 2018

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Abstract. The scope of this study was to estimate the contribution of fossil fuel and wood burning combustion to black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide (CO) during wintertime, in Athens. For that purpose, in situ measurements of equivalent black carbon (eBC) and CO were simultaneously conducted in a suburban and an urban background monitoring site in Athens during the 3 months of winter 2014-2015. For the deconvolution of eBC into eBC emitted from fossil fuel (BC ff ) and wood burning (BC wb ), a method based on the spectral dependency of the absorption of pure black carbon and brown carbon was used. Thereafter, BC wb and BC ff estimated fractions were used along with measured CO concentrations in a multiple regression analysis, in order to quantify the contribution of each one of the combustion sources to the ambient CO levels. For a comparative analysis of the results, we additionally estimated the wood burning and fossil fuel contribution to CO, calculated on the basis of their CO / NO x emission ratios. The results indicate that during wintertime BC and CO are mainly emitted by local sources within the Athens Metropolitan Area (AMA). Fossil fuel combustion, mainly from road traffic, is found to be the major contributor to both eBC in PM 2.5 and CO ambient concentrations in AMA. However, wintertime wood burning makes a significant contribution to the observed eBC (of about 30 %) and CO concentrations (on average, 11 and 16 % of total CO in the suburban and urban background sites respectively). Both BC and CO from biomass burning (BC wb and CO wb , respectively) present a clear diurnal pattern, with the highest concentrations during night-time, supporting the theory of local domestic heating being their main source.

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Section: Aerosol Light Absorption and Equivalent Black Carbonmentioning

confidence: 64%

Section: Aerosol Light Absorption and Equivalent Black Carbonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of wood burning versus fossil fuel contribution to wintertime black carbon and carbon monoxide concentrations in Athens, Greece

et al. 2018

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“…Bond et al, 2013;Pandolfi et al, 2014a;Reche et al, 2011, among others). In some cases, the MAE of BC has been observed to change depending on the degree of the internal mixing of BC with non-absorbing material, such as sulfate and organic compounds (Jacobson, 2001b;Moffet and Prather, 2009;Ramana et al, 2010;Zanatta et al, 2016). Recently, the potential for organic carbon as an absorber of UV and visible light through their brown carbon (BrC) content, has been also reported in the literature (i.e.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of aerosol particle sources on optical properties in urban, regional and remote areas in the north-western Mediterranean

Ealo

Alastuey

Pérez³

et al. 2018

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Further research is needed to reduce the existing uncertainties on the effect that specific aerosol particle sources have on light extinction and consequently on climate. This study presents a new approach that aims to quantify the mass scattering and absorption efficiencies (MSEs and MAEs) of different aerosol sources at urban (Barcelona – BCN), regional (Montseny – MSY) and remote (Montsec – MSA) background sites in the north-western (NW) Mediterranean. An analysis of source apportionment to the measured multi-wavelength light scattering (σsp) and absorption (σap) coefficients was performed by means of a multilinear regression (MLR) model for the periods 2009–2014, 2010–2014 and 2011–2014 at BCN, MSY and MSA respectively. The source contributions to PM10 mass concentration, identified by means of the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, were used as dependent variables in the MLR model. With this approach we addressed both the effect that aerosol sources have on air quality and their potential effect on light extinction through the determination of their MSEs and MAEs. An advantage of the presented approach is that the calculated MSEs and MAEs take into account the internal mixing of atmospheric particles. Seven aerosol sources were identified at MSA and MSY, and eight sources at BCN. Mineral, aged marine, secondary sulfate, secondary nitrate and V-Ni bearing sources were common at the three sites. Traffic, industrial/metallurgy and road dust resuspension sources were isolated at BCN, whereas mixed industrial/traffic and aged organics sources were identified at MSY and MSA. The highest MSEs were observed for secondary sulfate (4.5 and 10.7 m2 g−1, at MSY and MSA), secondary nitrate (8.8 and 7.8 m2 g−1) and V-Ni bearing source (8 and 3.5 m2 g−1). These sources dominated the scattering throughout the year with marked seasonal trends. The V-Ni bearing source, originating mainly from shipping in the area under study, simultaneously contributed to both σsp and σap, being the second most efficient light-absorbing source in BCN (MAE = 0.9 m2 g−1). The traffic source at BCN and the industrial/traffic at MSY exhibited the highest MAEs (1.7 and 0.9 m2 g−1). These sources were major contributors to σap at BCN and MSY; however at MSA, secondary nitrate exerted the highest influence on σap (MAE = 0.4 m2 g−1). The sources which were predominantly composed of fine and relatively dark particles, such as industrial/traffic, aged organics and V-Ni, were simultaneously characterized by low single scattering albedo (SSA) and a high scattering Ångström exponent (SAE). Conversely, mineral and aged marine showed the lowest SAE and the highest SSA, being scattering the dominant process in the light extinction. The good agreement found between modelled and measured particle optical properties allowed the reconstruction of σsp and σap long-term series over the period 2004–2014 at MSY. Significant decreasing trends were found for the modelled σsp and σap (−4.6 and −4.1 % yr−1).

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“…The use of different thermal protocols and their effect on EC quantification impacted also on apparent MAC (Equation (5)) measured at the sites: the MAC was 6.3 ± 1.1 m 2 /g and 9.1 ± 1.9 m 2 /g at 850 nm in Propata and Milan, respectively. If the influence of the thermal protocol on EC quantification is considered, the MAC values determined at the two sites are fully comparable within variabilities and they are in the range of results recently reported in the literature in the European boundary layer [70].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

The Multi-Wavelength Absorption Analyzer (MWAA) Model as a Tool for Source and Component Apportionment Based on Aerosol Absorption Properties: Application to Samples Collected in Different Environments

Bernardoni

Pileci

Caponi³

et al. 2017

Atmosphere

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Abstract:The multi-wavelength absorption analyzer model (MWAA model) was recently proposed to provide a source (fossil fuel combustion vs. wood burning) and a component (black carbon BC vs. brown carbon BrC) apportionment of b abs measured at different wavelengths, and to provide the BrC Ångström Absorption exponent (α BrC ). This paper shows MWAA model performances and issues when applied to samples impacted by different sources. To this aim, the MWAA model was run on samples collected at a rural (Propata) and an urban (Milan) site in Italy during the winter period. Lower uncertainties on α BrC and a better correlation of the BrC absorption coefficient (b abs BrC ) with levoglucosan (tracer for wood burning) were obtained in Propata (compared to Milan).Nevertheless, the correlation previously mentioned improved, especially in Milan, when providing a priori information on α BrC to MWAA. Possible reasons for this improvement could be the more complex mixture of sources present in Milan and the aging processes, which can affect aerosol composition, particle mixing, and size distribution. OC and EC source apportionment showed that wood burning was the dominating contributor to the carbonaceous fractions in Propata, whereas a more complex situation was detected in Milan. Simultaneous b abs (BC) apportionment and EC measurements allowed MAC determination, which gave analogous results at the two sites.

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A European aerosol phenomenology-5: Climatology of black carbon optical properties at 9 regional background sites across Europe

Cited by 159 publications

References 79 publications

Assessment of wood burning versus fossil fuel contribution to wintertime black carbon and carbon monoxide concentrations in Athens, Greece

Assessment of wood burning versus fossil fuel contribution to wintertime black carbon and carbon monoxide concentrations in Athens, Greece

Impact of aerosol particle sources on optical properties in urban, regional and remote areas in the north-western Mediterranean

The Multi-Wavelength Absorption Analyzer (MWAA) Model as a Tool for Source and Component Apportionment Based on Aerosol Absorption Properties: Application to Samples Collected in Different Environments

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