Articles | Volume 14, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6335-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6335-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Determination of the multiple-scattering correction factor and its cross-sensitivity to scattering and wavelength dependence for different AE33 Aethalometer filter tapes: a multi-instrumental approach
Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18–26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
Grup de Meteorologia, Departament de Física Aplicada, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Martí i Franquès, 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
Vera Bernardoni
Dipartimento di Fisica “Aldo Pontremoli”, Università degli Studi di Milano & INFN Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milan, Italy
Griša Močnik
Center for Atmospheric Research, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska 11c, 5270 Ajdovščina, Slovenia
Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Andrés Alastuey
Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18–26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
Davide Ciniglia
Dipartimento di Fisica “Aldo Pontremoli”, Università degli Studi di Milano & INFN Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milan, Italy
Matic Ivančič
Aerosol d.o.o., Kamniška 39A, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Xavier Querol
Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18–26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
Noemí Perez
Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18–26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
Cristina Reche
Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18–26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
Martin Rigler
Aerosol d.o.o., Kamniška 39A, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Roberta Vecchi
Dipartimento di Fisica “Aldo Pontremoli”, Università degli Studi di Milano & INFN Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milan, Italy
Sara Valentini
Dipartimento di Fisica “Aldo Pontremoli”, Università degli Studi di Milano & INFN Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milan, Italy
Marco Pandolfi
Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18–26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
Related authors
Jesús Yus-Díez, Luka Drinovec, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Gloria Titos, Elena Bazo, Andrea Casans, Diego Patrón, Xavier Querol, Adolfo Gonzalez-Romero, Carlos Perez García-Pando, and Griša Močnik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3073–3093, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3073-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3073-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We have used absorption from a photothermal interferometer and scattering measurements to evaluate the most deployed filter photometers used to measure absorption for monitoring networks. We used soot- and dust-dominated aerosol samples in both laboratory and ambient settings. Our results indicated that one of these filter photometers, the MAAP (Multiangle Absorption Photometer), usually used as a pseudo-reference instrument, had 47 % higher absorption values than our reference measurements.
Jesús Yus-Díez, Jeronimo Escribano, Marco Pandolfi, Andres Alastuey, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo Gonzalez-Romero, Maria Gonçalves Ageitos, Matic Ivančič, Martina Klose, Konrad Kandler, Vicenzo Obiso, Agnesh Panta, Cristina Reche, Martin Rigler, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Perez Garćia-Pando
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2571, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2571, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present measurements of dust optical properties during active emissions at a source region in the Moroccan Sahara. We present results on its single scattering albedo, absorption and scattering wavelength dependence and mass efficiency. Furthermore, we have performed imaginary refractive index (k) retrieval under varying assumptions of the refractive index real part, and particle sphericity. We also provide a comparison between the k retrievals and estimations on dust k from AERONET.
Agnesh Panta, Konrad Kandler, Kerstin Schepanski, Andres Alastuey, Pavla Dagsson Waldhauserova, Sylvain Dupont, Melanie Eknayan, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Martina Klose, Mara Montag, Xavier Querol, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-494, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-494, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Iceland is among the most active dust source areas in the world. Dust properties are influenced by particle size, mineralogy, shape, and mixing state. This work characterizes freshly emitted individual aerosol particles of Icelandic dust using electron microscopy. Our study provides insights into critical particle-specific information will contribute to better constraining climate models that consider mineralogical variations in their representation of the dust cycle.
Hector Navarro-Barboza, Jordi Rovira, Vincenzo Obiso, Andrea Pozzer, Marta Via, Andres Alastuey, Xavier Querol, Noemi Perez, Marjan Savadkoohi, Gang Chen, Jesus Yus-Díez, Matic Ivancic, Martin Rigler, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Stergios Vratolis, Olga Zografou, Maria Gini, Benjamin Chazeau, Nicolas Marchand, Andre S. H. Prevot, Kaspar Dallenbach, Mikael Ehn, Krista Luoma, Tuukka Petäjä, Anna Tobler, Jaroslaw Necki, Minna Aurela, Hilkka Timonen, Jarkko Niemi, Olivier Favez, Jean-Eudes Petit, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Christoph Hueglin, Nicolas Pascal, Aurélien Chauvigné, Sébastien Conil, Marco Pandolfi, and Oriol Jorba
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2667–2694, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2667-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2667-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Brown carbon (BrC) absorbs ultraviolet (UV) and visible light, influencing climate. This study explores BrC's imaginary refractive index (k) using data from 12 European sites. Residential emissions are a major organic aerosol (OA) source in winter, while secondary organic aerosol (SOA) dominates in summer. Source-specific k values were derived, improving model accuracy. The findings highlight BrC's climate impact and emphasize source-specific constraints in atmospheric models.
Adolfo González-Romero, Cristina González-Flórez, Agnesh Panta, Jesús Yus-Díez, Patricia Córdoba, Andres Alastuey, Natalia Moreno, Melani Hernández-Chiriboga, Konrad Kandler, Martina Klose, Roger N. Clark, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Rebecca N. Greenberger, Abigail M. Keebler, Phil Brodrick, Robert Green, Paul Ginoux, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9155–9176, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9155-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9155-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this research, we studied the dust-emitting properties of crusts and aeolian ripples from the Mojave Desert. These properties are key to understanding the effect of dust upon climate. We found two different playa lakes according to the groundwater regime, which implies differences in crusts' cohesion state and mineralogy, which can affect the dust emission potential and properties. We also compare them with Moroccan Sahara crusts and Icelandic top sediments.
Adolfo González-Romero, Cristina González-Flórez, Agnesh Panta, Jesús Yus-Díez, Patricia Córdoba, Andres Alastuey, Natalia Moreno, Konrad Kandler, Martina Klose, Roger N. Clark, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Rebecca N. Greenberger, Abigail M. Keebler, Phil Brodrick, Robert O. Green, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6883–6910, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6883-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6883-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The knowledge of properties from dust emitted in high latitudes such as in Iceland is scarce. This study focuses on the particle size, mineralogy, cohesion, and iron mode of occurrence and reflectance spectra of dust-emitting sediments. Icelandic top sediments have lower cohesion state, coarser particle size, distinctive mineralogy, and 3-fold bulk Fe content, with a large presence of magnetite compared to Saharan crusts.
Adolfo González-Romero, Cristina González-Flórez, Agnesh Panta, Jesús Yus-Díez, Cristina Reche, Patricia Córdoba, Natalia Moreno, Andres Alastuey, Konrad Kandler, Martina Klose, Clarissa Baldo, Roger N. Clark, Zongbo Shi, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15815–15834, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15815-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15815-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The effect of dust emitted from desertic surfaces upon climate and ecosystems depends on size and mineralogy, but data from soil mineral atlases of desert soils are scarce. We performed particle-size distribution, mineralogy, and Fe speciation in southern Morocco. Results show coarser particles with high quartz proportion are near the elevated areas, while in depressed areas, sizes are finer, and proportions of clays and nano-Fe oxides are higher. This difference is important for dust modelling.
Cristina González-Flórez, Martina Klose, Andrés Alastuey, Sylvain Dupont, Jerónimo Escribano, Vicken Etyemezian, Adolfo Gonzalez-Romero, Yue Huang, Konrad Kandler, George Nikolich, Agnesh Panta, Xavier Querol, Cristina Reche, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7177–7212, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7177-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7177-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric mineral dust consists of tiny mineral particles that are emitted by wind erosion from arid regions. Its particle size distribution (PSD) affects its impact on the Earth's system. Nowadays, there is an incomplete understanding of the emitted dust PSD and a lot of debate about its variability. Here, we try to address these issues based on the measurements performed during a wind erosion and dust emission field campaign in the Moroccan Sahara within the framework of FRAGMENT project.
Agnesh Panta, Konrad Kandler, Andres Alastuey, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Martina Klose, Xavier Querol, Cristina Reche, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3861–3885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3861-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3861-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Desert dust is a major aerosol component of the Earth system and affects the climate. Dust properties are influenced by particle size, mineralogy, shape, and mixing state. This work characterizes freshly emitted individual mineral dust particles from a major source region using electron microscopy. Our new insights into critical particle-specific information will contribute to better constraining climate models that consider mineralogical variations in their representation of the dust cycle.
Jesús Yus-Díez, Marta Via, Andrés Alastuey, Angeliki Karanasiou, María Cruz Minguillón, Noemí Perez, Xavier Querol, Cristina Reche, Matic Ivančič, Martin Rigler, and Marco Pandolfi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8439–8456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8439-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8439-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the absorption enhancement of internally and externally mixed black carbon (BC) particles in a Mediterranean city and countryside. We showed the importance of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) and particle ageing by increasing the BC absorption enhancement. We performed a trend analysis on the absorption enhancement. We found a positive trend of the absorption enhancement at the regional station in summer driven by the increase over time of the relative contribution of SOA.
Andrea Cuesta-Mosquera, Griša Močnik, Luka Drinovec, Thomas Müller, Sascha Pfeifer, María Cruz Minguillón, Björn Briel, Paul Buckley, Vadimas Dudoitis, Javier Fernández-García, María Fernández-Amado, Joel Ferreira De Brito, Veronique Riffault, Harald Flentje, Eimear Heffernan, Nikolaos Kalivitis, Athina-Cerise Kalogridis, Hannes Keernik, Luminita Marmureanu, Krista Luoma, Angela Marinoni, Michael Pikridas, Gerhard Schauer, Norbert Serfozo, Henri Servomaa, Gloria Titos, Jesús Yus-Díez, Natalia Zioła, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3195–3216, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3195-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3195-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of black carbon must be conducted with instruments operating in quality-checked and assured conditions to generate reliable and comparable data. Here, 23 Aethalometers monitoring black carbon mass concentrations in European networks were characterized and intercompared. The influence of different aerosol sources, maintenance activities, and the filter material on the instrumental variabilities were investigated. Good agreement and in general low deviations were seen.
Nikolaos Evangeliou, Stephen M. Platt, Sabine Eckhardt, Cathrine Lund Myhre, Paolo Laj, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, John Backman, Benjamin T. Brem, Markus Fiebig, Harald Flentje, Angela Marinoni, Marco Pandolfi, Jesus Yus-Dìez, Natalia Prats, Jean P. Putaud, Karine Sellegri, Mar Sorribas, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Stergios Vratolis, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2675–2692, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2675-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2675-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Following the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to Europe, social distancing rules were introduced to prevent further spread. We investigate the impacts of the European lockdowns on black carbon (BC) emissions by means of in situ observations and inverse modelling. BC emissions declined by 23 kt in Europe during the lockdowns as compared with previous years and by 11 % as compared to the period prior to lockdowns. Residential combustion prevailed in Eastern Europe, as confirmed by remote sensing data.
Jesús Yus-Díez, Marina Ealo, Marco Pandolfi, Noemí Perez, Gloria Titos, Griša Močnik, Xavier Querol, and Andrés Alastuey
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 431–455, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-431-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-431-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here we describe the vertical profiles of extensive (scattering and absorption) and intensive (e.g. albedo and asymmetry parameter) aerosol optical properties from coupling ground-based measurements from two sites in north-eastern Spain and airborne measurements performed with an aircraft. We analyse different aerosol layers along the vertical profile for a regional pollution episode and a Saharan dust intrusion. The results show a change with height depending on the different measured layers.
Irena Ježek Brecelj, Asta Gregorič, Lucijan Zgonik, Tjaša Rutar, Matic Ivančič, Bálint Alföldy, Griša Močnik, and Martin Rigler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 9113–9125, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9113-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-9113-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Following a major car industry scandal involving diesel emissions tests, the European Union (EU) introduced new testing procedures. However, concerns remained about their effectiveness. Our independent study examined real-world vehicle emissions and revealed encouraging findings: modern diesel cars perform as well as, or even better than, gasoline cars in terms of nitrogen oxide emissions. We found the same pattern for soot particles, challenging common perceptions about diesel's environmental impact.
Myriam Agrò, Manuel Bettineschi, Silvia Melina, Diego Aliaga, Andrea Bergomi, Beatrice Biffi, Alessandro Bigi, Giancarlo Ciarelli, Cristina Colombi, Paola Fermo, Ivan Grigioni, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Janne Lampilahti, Angela Marinoni, Celestine Oliewo, Juha Sulo, Gianluigi Valli, Roberta Vecchi, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, and Federico Bianchi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2387, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2387, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates New Particle Formation (NPF) in Milan, the most populated city in the Po Valley (Italy), using one year of particle number size distribution data (1.2–480 nm). NPF is enhanced under cleaner air conditions with lower pollution, reduced condensation sink, stronger ventilation, and stronger northwesterly winds (e.g., Foehn events). In contrast, longer air mass residence time in the Po Valley and higher air mass exposure to anthropogenic emissions suppress it.
Jesús Yus-Díez, Luka Drinovec, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Gloria Titos, Elena Bazo, Andrea Casans, Diego Patrón, Xavier Querol, Adolfo Gonzalez-Romero, Carlos Perez García-Pando, and Griša Močnik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3073–3093, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3073-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3073-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We have used absorption from a photothermal interferometer and scattering measurements to evaluate the most deployed filter photometers used to measure absorption for monitoring networks. We used soot- and dust-dominated aerosol samples in both laboratory and ambient settings. Our results indicated that one of these filter photometers, the MAAP (Multiangle Absorption Photometer), usually used as a pseudo-reference instrument, had 47 % higher absorption values than our reference measurements.
Jesús Yus-Díez, Jeronimo Escribano, Marco Pandolfi, Andres Alastuey, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo Gonzalez-Romero, Maria Gonçalves Ageitos, Matic Ivančič, Martina Klose, Konrad Kandler, Vicenzo Obiso, Agnesh Panta, Cristina Reche, Martin Rigler, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Perez Garćia-Pando
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2571, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2571, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present measurements of dust optical properties during active emissions at a source region in the Moroccan Sahara. We present results on its single scattering albedo, absorption and scattering wavelength dependence and mass efficiency. Furthermore, we have performed imaginary refractive index (k) retrieval under varying assumptions of the refractive index real part, and particle sphericity. We also provide a comparison between the k retrievals and estimations on dust k from AERONET.
Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Antonin Bergé, Edouard Pangui, Marco Zanatta, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Satoshi Inomata, Chenjie Yu, Vera Bernardoni, Servanne Chevaillier, Daniel Ferry, Paolo Laj, Michel Maillé, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Gael Noyalet, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Brice Temime-Roussel, Roberta Vecchi, Virginia Vernocchi, Paola Formenti, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, and Jean-François Doussin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 6407–6428, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-6407-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The spectral optical properties of combustion soot aerosols with varying black (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) content were studied in an atmospheric simulation chamber. Measurements of the mass spectral absorption cross section (MAC), supplemented by literature data, allowed us to establish a generalised exponential relationship between the spectral absorption and the elemental-to-total-carbon ratio (EC / TC) in soot. This relationship can provide a useful tool for modelling the properties of soot.
Silvia Nava, Roberta Vecchi, Paolo Prati, Vera Bernardoni, Laura Cadeo, Giulia Calzolai, Luca Carraresi, Carlo Cialdai, Massimo Chiari, Federica Crova, Alice Forello, Cosimo Fratticioli, Fabio Giardi, Marco Manetti, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Luca Repetto, Gianluigi Valli, Virginia Vernocchi, and Franco Lucarelli
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 2137–2147, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2137-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2137-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The new high-time-resolution sampler STRAS has been designed, developed and tested. It enables automatic sequential sampling of up to 168 hourly samples of PM10, PM2.5 or PM1. It has been conceived for subsequent elemental composition analysis (from Na to Pb) by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), but optical techniques may also be applied to measure black and brown carbon. Its use combined with other high-temporal-resolution instrumentation can provide complete chemical speciation of aerosols on an hourly basis.
Sylvain Dupont, Eric Lamaud, Mark R. Irvine, Jean-Marc Bonnefond, Adolfo González-Romero, Andrés Alastuey, Cristina González-Flórez, Xavier Querol, Konrad Kandler, Martina Klose, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 2183–2200, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2183-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-2183-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Low-cost optical particle counters (OPCs) offer new opportunities to monitor dust particles from wind soil erosion. Their price, size, and power consumption are lower than those of traditional OPCs. We tested the ability of the low-cost OPC-N3 from Alphasense to estimate dust emission flux during erosion events in Jordan. N3 estimated the dust flux well, with differences of less than 30 % compared to a traditional OPC. Our results confirm the potential of low-cost OPCs for dust erosion research.
Hannah Meyer, Konrad Kandler, Sylvain Dupont, Jerónimo Escribano, Jessica Girdwood, George Nikolich, Andrés Alastuey, Vicken Etyemezian, Cristina González Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Tareq Hussein, Mark Irvine, Peter Knippertz, Ottmar Möhler, Xavier Querol, Chris Stopford, Franziska Vogel, Frederik Weis, Andreas Wieser, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, and Martina Klose
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1531, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1531, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Mineral dust particles emitted from dry soils are of various sizes, yet the abundance of very large particles is not well understood. Here we measured the dust size distribution from fine to giant particles at an emission source during a field campaign in Jordan (J-WADI) using multiple instruments. Our findings show that large particles make up a significant part of the total dust mass. This knowledge is essential to improve climate models and to predict dust impacts on climate and environment.
Natalie M. Mahowald, Longlei Li, Julius Vira, Marje Prank, Douglas S. Hamilton, Hitoshi Matsui, Ron L. Miller, P. Louis Lu, Ezgi Akyuz, Daphne Meidan, Peter Hess, Heikki Lihavainen, Christine Wiedinmyer, Jenny Hand, Maria Grazia Alaimo, Célia Alves, Andres Alastuey, Paulo Artaxo, Africa Barreto, Francisco Barraza, Silvia Becagli, Giulia Calzolai, Shankararaman Chellam, Ying Chen, Patrick Chuang, David D. Cohen, Cristina Colombi, Evangelia Diapouli, Gaetano Dongarra, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Johann Engelbrecht, Corinne Galy-Lacaux, Cassandra Gaston, Dario Gomez, Yenny González Ramos, Roy M. Harrison, Chris Heyes, Barak Herut, Philip Hopke, Christoph Hüglin, Maria Kanakidou, Zsofia Kertesz, Zbigniew Klimont, Katriina Kyllönen, Fabrice Lambert, Xiaohong Liu, Remi Losno, Franco Lucarelli, Willy Maenhaut, Beatrice Marticorena, Randall V. Martin, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Yasser Morera-Gómez, Adina Paytan, Joseph Prospero, Sergio Rodríguez, Patricia Smichowski, Daniela Varrica, Brenna Walsh, Crystal L. Weagle, and Xi Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4665–4702, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4665-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4665-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles are an important part of the Earth system, but their concentrations are spatially and temporally heterogeneous, as well as being variable in size and composition. Here, we present a new compilation of PM2.5 and PM10 aerosol observations, focusing on the spatial variability across different observational stations, including composition, and demonstrate a method for comparing the data sets to model output.
Ludovico Di Antonio, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Aline Gratien, Vincent Michoud, Christopher Cantrell, Astrid Bauville, Antonin Bergé, Mathieu Cazaunau, Servanne Chevaillier, Manuela Cirtog, Patrice Coll, Barbara D'Anna, Joel F. de Brito, David O. De Haan, Juliette R. Dignum, Shravan Deshmukh, Olivier Favez, Pierre-Marie Flaud, Cecile Gaimoz, Lelia N. Hawkins, Julien Kammer, Brigitte Language, Franck Maisonneuve, Griša Močnik, Emilie Perraudin, Jean-Eudes Petit, Prodip Acharja, Laurent Poulain, Pauline Pouyes, Eva Drew Pronovost, Véronique Riffault, Kanuri I. Roundtree, Marwa Shahin, Guillaume Siour, Eric Villenave, Pascal Zapf, Gilles Foret, Jean-François Doussin, and Matthias Beekmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3161–3189, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3161-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The spectral complex refractive index (CRI) and single scattering albedo were retrieved from submicron aerosol measurements at three sites within the greater Paris area during the ACROSS field campaign (June–July 2022). Measurements revealed urban emission impact on surrounding areas. CRI full period averages at 520 nm were 1.41 – 0.037i (urban), 1.52 – 0.038i (peri-urban), and 1.50 – 0.025i (rural). Organic aerosols dominated the aerosol mass and contributed up to 22 % of absorption at 370 nm.
Agnesh Panta, Konrad Kandler, Kerstin Schepanski, Andres Alastuey, Pavla Dagsson Waldhauserova, Sylvain Dupont, Melanie Eknayan, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Martina Klose, Mara Montag, Xavier Querol, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-494, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-494, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Iceland is among the most active dust source areas in the world. Dust properties are influenced by particle size, mineralogy, shape, and mixing state. This work characterizes freshly emitted individual aerosol particles of Icelandic dust using electron microscopy. Our study provides insights into critical particle-specific information will contribute to better constraining climate models that consider mineralogical variations in their representation of the dust cycle.
Laura Cadeo, Beatrice Biffi, Benjamin Chazeau, Cristina Colombi, Rosario Cosenza, Eleonora Cuccia, Manousos-Ioannis Manousakas, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, André S. H. Prévôt, and Roberta Vecchi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-110, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-110, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the deployment of the Xact® 625i Ambient Metals Monitor in Milan (Po Valley, Italy) and its performance in measuring PM10 elemental composition at a high temporal resolution. Our findings demonstrate strong agreement between online and offline XRF analyses, underscoring the potential of advanced monitoring technologies for air quality research.
Hector Navarro-Barboza, Jordi Rovira, Vincenzo Obiso, Andrea Pozzer, Marta Via, Andres Alastuey, Xavier Querol, Noemi Perez, Marjan Savadkoohi, Gang Chen, Jesus Yus-Díez, Matic Ivancic, Martin Rigler, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Stergios Vratolis, Olga Zografou, Maria Gini, Benjamin Chazeau, Nicolas Marchand, Andre S. H. Prevot, Kaspar Dallenbach, Mikael Ehn, Krista Luoma, Tuukka Petäjä, Anna Tobler, Jaroslaw Necki, Minna Aurela, Hilkka Timonen, Jarkko Niemi, Olivier Favez, Jean-Eudes Petit, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Christoph Hueglin, Nicolas Pascal, Aurélien Chauvigné, Sébastien Conil, Marco Pandolfi, and Oriol Jorba
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2667–2694, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2667-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2667-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Brown carbon (BrC) absorbs ultraviolet (UV) and visible light, influencing climate. This study explores BrC's imaginary refractive index (k) using data from 12 European sites. Residential emissions are a major organic aerosol (OA) source in winter, while secondary organic aerosol (SOA) dominates in summer. Source-specific k values were derived, improving model accuracy. The findings highlight BrC's climate impact and emphasize source-specific constraints in atmospheric models.
Xiansheng Liu, Xun Zhang, Marvin Dufresne, Tao Wang, Lijie Wu, Rosa Lara, Roger Seco, Marta Monge, Ana Maria Yáñez-Serrano, Marie Gohy, Paul Petit, Audrey Chevalier, Marie-Pierre Vagnot, Yann Fortier, Alexia Baudic, Véronique Ghersi, Grégory Gille, Ludovic Lanzi, Valérie Gros, Leïla Simon, Heidi Héllen, Stefan Reimann, Zoé Le Bras, Michelle Jessy Müller, David Beddows, Siqi Hou, Zongbo Shi, Roy M. Harrison, William Bloss, James Dernie, Stéphane Sauvage, Philip K. Hopke, Xiaoli Duan, Taicheng An, Alastair C. Lewis, James R. Hopkins, Eleni Liakakou, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Xiaohu Zhang, Andrés Alastuey, Xavier Querol, and Thérèse Salameh
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 625–638, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-625-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-625-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) pollution in urban areas across seven European countries. Analyzing data from 22 monitoring sites, we found traffic and industrial activities significantly impact BTEX levels, with peaks during rush hours. The risk from BTEX exposure remains moderate, especially in high-traffic and industrial zones, highlighting the need for targeted air quality management to protect public health and improve urban air quality.
Pamela A. Dominutti, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Anouk Marsal, Takoua Mhadhbi, Rhabira Elazzouzi, Camille Rak, Fabrizia Cavalli, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Aikaterini Bougiatioti, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Despina Paraskevopoulou, Ian Mudway, Athanasios Nenes, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Catherine Banach, Steven J. Campbell, Hana Cigánková, Daniele Contini, Greg Evans, Maria Georgopoulou, Manuella Ghanem, Drew A. Glencross, Maria Rachele Guascito, Hartmut Herrmann, Saima Iram, Maja Jovanović, Milena Jovašević-Stojanović, Markus Kalberer, Ingeborg M. Kooter, Suzanne E. Paulson, Anil Patel, Esperanza Perdrix, Maria Chiara Pietrogrande, Pavel Mikuška, Jean-Jacques Sauvain, Katerina Seitanidi, Pourya Shahpoury, Eduardo J. d. S. Souza, Sarah Steimer, Svetlana Stevanovic, Guillaume Suarez, P. S. Ganesh Subramanian, Battist Utinger, Marloes F. van Os, Vishal Verma, Xing Wang, Rodney J. Weber, Yuhan Yang, Xavier Querol, Gerard Hoek, Roy M. Harrison, and Gaëlle Uzu
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 177–195, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-177-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-177-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, 20 labs worldwide collaborated to evaluate the measurement of air pollution's oxidative potential (OP), a key indicator of its harmful effects. The study aimed to identify disparities in the widely used OP dithiothreitol assay and assess the consistency of OP among labs using the same protocol. The results showed that half of the labs achieved acceptable results. However, variability was also found, highlighting the need for standardisation in OP procedures.
Fernando Rejano, Andrea Casans, Marta Via, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Sonia Castillo, Hassan Lyamani, Alberto Cazorla, Elisabeth Andrews, Daniel Pérez-Ramírez, Andrés Alastuey, Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, Francisco José Olmo, and Gloria Titos
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13865–13888, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13865-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13865-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study provides valuable insights to improve cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) estimations at a high-altitude remote site which is influenced by nearby urban pollution. Understanding the factors that affect CCN estimations is essential to improve the CCN data coverage worldwide and assess aerosol–cloud interactions on a global scale. This is crucial for improving climate models, since aerosol–cloud interactions are the most important source of uncertainty in climate projections.
Valeria Mardoñez-Balderrama, Griša Močnik, Marco Pandolfi, Robin L. Modini, Fernando Velarde, Laura Renzi, Angela Marinoni, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Isabel Moreno R., Diego Aliaga, Federico Bianchi, Claudia Mohr, Martin Gysel-Beer, Patrick Ginot, Radovan Krejci, Alfred Wiedensohler, Gaëlle Uzu, Marcos Andrade, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12055–12077, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12055-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12055-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Levels of black carbon (BC) are scarcely reported in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in high-altitude conditions. This study provides insight into the concentration level, variability, and optical properties of BC in La Paz and El Alto and at the Chacaltaya Global Atmosphere Watch Station. Two methods of source apportionment of absorption were tested and compared showing traffic as the main contributor to absorption in the urban area, in addition to biomass and open waste burning.
Adolfo González-Romero, Cristina González-Flórez, Agnesh Panta, Jesús Yus-Díez, Patricia Córdoba, Andres Alastuey, Natalia Moreno, Melani Hernández-Chiriboga, Konrad Kandler, Martina Klose, Roger N. Clark, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Rebecca N. Greenberger, Abigail M. Keebler, Phil Brodrick, Robert Green, Paul Ginoux, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9155–9176, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9155-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9155-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this research, we studied the dust-emitting properties of crusts and aeolian ripples from the Mojave Desert. These properties are key to understanding the effect of dust upon climate. We found two different playa lakes according to the groundwater regime, which implies differences in crusts' cohesion state and mineralogy, which can affect the dust emission potential and properties. We also compare them with Moroccan Sahara crusts and Icelandic top sediments.
Adolfo González-Romero, Cristina González-Flórez, Agnesh Panta, Jesús Yus-Díez, Patricia Córdoba, Andres Alastuey, Natalia Moreno, Konrad Kandler, Martina Klose, Roger N. Clark, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Rebecca N. Greenberger, Abigail M. Keebler, Phil Brodrick, Robert O. Green, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6883–6910, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6883-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6883-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The knowledge of properties from dust emitted in high latitudes such as in Iceland is scarce. This study focuses on the particle size, mineralogy, cohesion, and iron mode of occurrence and reflectance spectra of dust-emitting sediments. Icelandic top sediments have lower cohesion state, coarser particle size, distinctive mineralogy, and 3-fold bulk Fe content, with a large presence of magnetite compared to Saharan crusts.
Jordi Massagué, Eduardo Torre-Pascual, Cristina Carnerero, Miguel Escudero, Andrés Alastuey, Marco Pandolfi, Xavier Querol, and Gotzon Gangoiti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4827–4850, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4827-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4827-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyses three acute ozone episodes in Barcelona (NE Spain) which have occurred only in recent years and are of particular concern due to the city's significant population. The findings uncover a complex interplay of factors, notably shared among episodes, including pollution transport at different scales and specific weather and emission patterns. These insights significantly enhance our understanding of these occurrences and improve predictive capabilities.
Celia Herrero del Barrio, Roberto Román, Ramiro González, Alberto Cazorla, Marcos Herreras-Giralda, Juan Carlos Antuña-Sánchez, Francisco Molero, Francisco Navas-Guzmán, Antonio Serrano, María Ángeles Obregón, Yolanda Sola, Marco Pandolfi, Sara Herrero-Anta, Daniel González-Fernández, Jorge Muñiz-Rosado, David Mateos, Abel Calle, Carlos Toledano, Victoria Eugenia Cachorro, and Ángel Máximo de Frutos
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-581, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-581, 2024
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
Introducing CAECENET, a novel system that combines sun-sky photometer and ceilometer data, enabling the continuous monitoring and automatic retrieval of both vertical and columnar aerosol properties in near real-time. A case study on a Saharan dust outbreak illustrates it's efficacy in tracking aerosol events. Additionally, the analysis of Canadian wildfires' long-range transport is presented, showing it's utility in monitoring event propagation, aerosol concentration, and optical properties.
C. Isabel Moreno, Radovan Krejci, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Gaëlle Uzu, Andrés Alastuey, Marcos F. Andrade, Valeria Mardóñez, Alkuin Maximilian Koenig, Diego Aliaga, Claudia Mohr, Laura Ticona, Fernando Velarde, Luis Blacutt, Ricardo Forno, David N. Whiteman, Alfred Wiedensohler, Patrick Ginot, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2837–2860, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2837-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2837-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol chemical composition (ions, sugars, carbonaceous matter) from 2011 to 2020 was studied at Mt. Chacaltaya (5380 m a.s.l., Bolivian Andes). Minimum concentrations occur in the rainy season with maxima in the dry and transition seasons. The origins of the aerosol are located in a radius of hundreds of kilometers: nearby urban and rural areas, natural biogenic emissions, vegetation burning from Amazonia and Chaco, Pacific Ocean emissions, soil dust, and Peruvian volcanism.
Tommaso Isolabella, Vera Bernardoni, Alessandro Bigi, Marco Brunoldi, Federico Mazzei, Franco Parodi, Paolo Prati, Virginia Vernocchi, and Dario Massabò
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1363–1373, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1363-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1363-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present an innovative software toolkit to differentiate sources of carbonaceous aerosol in the atmosphere. Our toolkit implements an upgraded mathematical model which allows for determination of fundamental optical properties of the aerosol, its sources, and the mass concentration of different carbonaceous species of particulate matter. We have tested the functionality of the software by re-analysing published data, and we obtained a compatible results with additional information.
Andrea Cuesta-Mosquera, Kristina Glojek, Griša Močnik, Luka Drinovec, Asta Gregorič, Martin Rigler, Matej Ogrin, Baseerat Romshoo, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Dominik van Pinxteren, Hartmut Herrmann, Alfred Wiedensohler, Mira Pöhlker, and Thomas Müller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2583–2605, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2583-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2583-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluated the air pollution and climate impacts of residential-wood-burning particle emissions from a rural European site. The authors investigate the optical and physical properties that connect the aerosol emissions with climate by evaluating atmospheric radiative impacts via simple-forcing calculations. The study contributes to reducing the lack of information on the understanding of the optical properties of air pollution from anthropogenic sources.
Natalie M. Mahowald, Longlei Li, Julius Vira, Marje Prank, Douglas S. Hamilton, Hitoshi Matsui, Ron L. Miller, Louis Lu, Ezgi Akyuz, Daphne Meidan, Peter Hess, Heikki Lihavainen, Christine Wiedinmyer, Jenny Hand, Maria Grazia Alaimo, Célia Alves, Andres Alastuey, Paulo Artaxo, Africa Barreto, Francisco Barraza, Silvia Becagli, Giulia Calzolai, Shankarararman Chellam, Ying Chen, Patrick Chuang, David D. Cohen, Cristina Colombi, Evangelia Diapouli, Gaetano Dongarra, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Corinne Galy-Lacaux, Cassandra Gaston, Dario Gomez, Yenny González Ramos, Hannele Hakola, Roy M. Harrison, Chris Heyes, Barak Herut, Philip Hopke, Christoph Hüglin, Maria Kanakidou, Zsofia Kertesz, Zbiginiw Klimont, Katriina Kyllönen, Fabrice Lambert, Xiaohong Liu, Remi Losno, Franco Lucarelli, Willy Maenhaut, Beatrice Marticorena, Randall V. Martin, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Yasser Morera-Gomez, Adina Paytan, Joseph Prospero, Sergio Rodríguez, Patricia Smichowski, Daniela Varrica, Brenna Walsh, Crystal Weagle, and Xi Zhao
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-1, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-1, 2024
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles can interact with incoming solar radiation and outgoing long wave radiation, change cloud properties, affect photochemistry, impact surface air quality, and when deposited impact surface albedo of snow and ice, and modulate carbon dioxide uptake by the land and ocean. Here we present a new compilation of aerosol observations including composition, a methodology for comparing the datasets to model output, and show the implications of these results using one model.
Adolfo González-Romero, Cristina González-Flórez, Agnesh Panta, Jesús Yus-Díez, Cristina Reche, Patricia Córdoba, Natalia Moreno, Andres Alastuey, Konrad Kandler, Martina Klose, Clarissa Baldo, Roger N. Clark, Zongbo Shi, Xavier Querol, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15815–15834, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15815-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15815-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The effect of dust emitted from desertic surfaces upon climate and ecosystems depends on size and mineralogy, but data from soil mineral atlases of desert soils are scarce. We performed particle-size distribution, mineralogy, and Fe speciation in southern Morocco. Results show coarser particles with high quartz proportion are near the elevated areas, while in depressed areas, sizes are finer, and proportions of clays and nano-Fe oxides are higher. This difference is important for dust modelling.
Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Daniel Pérez-Ramírez, Hassan Lyamani, Fernando Rejano, Andrea Casans, Gloria Titos, Francisco José Olmo, Lubna Dada, Simo Hakala, Tareq Hussein, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Pauli Paasonen, Antti Hyvärinen, Noemí Pérez, Xavier Querol, Sergio Rodríguez, Nikos Kalivitis, Yenny González, Mansour A. Alghamdi, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Andrés Alastuey, Tuukka Petäjä, and Lucas Alados-Arboledas
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15795–15814, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15795-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15795-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present the first study of the effect of mineral dust on the inhibition/promotion of new particle formation (NPF) events in different dust-influenced areas. Unexpectedly, we show that the occurrence of NPF events is highly frequent during mineral dust outbreaks, occurring even during extreme dust outbreaks. We also show that the occurrence of NPF events during mineral dust outbreaks significantly affects the potential cloud condensation nuclei budget.
Alessandro Bigi, Giorgio Veratti, Elisabeth Andrews, Martine Collaud Coen, Lorenzo Guerrieri, Vera Bernardoni, Dario Massabò, Luca Ferrero, Sergio Teggi, and Grazia Ghermandi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14841–14869, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14841-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14841-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric particles include compounds that play a key role in the greenhouse effect and air toxicity. Concurrent observations of these compounds by multiple instruments are presented, following deployment within an urban environment in the Po Valley, one of Europe's pollution hotspots. The study compares these data, highlighting the impact of ground emissions, mainly vehicular traffic and biomass burning, on the absorption of sun radiation and, ultimately, on climate change and air quality.
Simone Lolli, Michaël Sicard, Francesco Amato, Adolfo Comeron, Cristina Gíl-Diaz, Tony C. Landi, Constantino Munoz-Porcar, Daniel Oliveira, Federico Dios Otin, Francesc Rocadenbosch, Alejandro Rodriguez-Gomez, Andrés Alastuey, Xavier Querol, and Cristina Reche
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12887–12906, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12887-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12887-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We evaluated the long-term trends and seasonal variability of the vertically resolved aerosol properties over the past 17 years in Barcelona. Results shows that air quality is improved, with a consistent drop in PM concentrations at the surface, as well as the column aerosol optical depth. The results also show that natural dust outbreaks are more likely in summer, with aerosols reaching an altitude of 5 km, while in winter, aerosols decay as an exponential with a scale height of 600 m.
Valeria Mardoñez, Marco Pandolfi, Lucille Joanna S. Borlaza, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Andrés Alastuey, Jean-Luc Besombes, Isabel Moreno R., Noemi Perez, Griša Močnik, Patrick Ginot, Radovan Krejci, Vladislav Chrastny, Alfred Wiedensohler, Paolo Laj, Marcos Andrade, and Gaëlle Uzu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10325–10347, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10325-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10325-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
La Paz and El Alto are two fast-growing, high-altitude Bolivian cities forming the second-largest metropolitan area in the country. The sources of particulate matter (PM) in this conurbation were not previously investigated. This study identified 11 main sources of PM, of which dust and vehicular emissions stand out as the main ones. The influence of regional biomass combustion and local waste combustion was also observed, with the latter being a major source of hazardous compounds.
Jean-Philippe Putaud, Enrico Pisoni, Alexander Mangold, Christoph Hueglin, Jean Sciare, Michael Pikridas, Chrysanthos Savvides, Jakub Ondracek, Saliou Mbengue, Alfred Wiedensohler, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Laurent Poulain, Dominik van Pinxteren, Hartmut Herrmann, Andreas Massling, Claus Nordstroem, Andrés Alastuey, Cristina Reche, Noemí Pérez, Sonia Castillo, Mar Sorribas, Jose Antonio Adame, Tuukka Petaja, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Jarkko Niemi, Véronique Riffault, Joel F. de Brito, Augustin Colette, Olivier Favez, Jean-Eudes Petit, Valérie Gros, Maria I. Gini, Stergios Vratolis, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Evangelia Diapouli, Hugo Denier van der Gon, Karl Espen Yttri, and Wenche Aas
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10145–10161, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10145-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10145-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Many European people are still exposed to levels of air pollution that can affect their health. COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 were used to assess the impact of the reduction in human mobility on air pollution across Europe by comparing measurement data with values that would be expected if no lockdown had occurred. We show that lockdown measures did not lead to consistent decreases in the concentrations of fine particulate matter suspended in the air, and we investigate why.
Cristina González-Flórez, Martina Klose, Andrés Alastuey, Sylvain Dupont, Jerónimo Escribano, Vicken Etyemezian, Adolfo Gonzalez-Romero, Yue Huang, Konrad Kandler, George Nikolich, Agnesh Panta, Xavier Querol, Cristina Reche, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7177–7212, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7177-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7177-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric mineral dust consists of tiny mineral particles that are emitted by wind erosion from arid regions. Its particle size distribution (PSD) affects its impact on the Earth's system. Nowadays, there is an incomplete understanding of the emitted dust PSD and a lot of debate about its variability. Here, we try to address these issues based on the measurements performed during a wind erosion and dust emission field campaign in the Moroccan Sahara within the framework of FRAGMENT project.
Aliki Christodoulou, Iasonas Stavroulas, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Maximillien Desservettaz, Michael Pikridas, Elie Bimenyimana, Jonilda Kushta, Matic Ivančič, Martin Rigler, Philippe Goloub, Konstantina Oikonomou, Roland Sarda-Estève, Chrysanthos Savvides, Charbel Afif, Nikos Mihalopoulos, Stéphane Sauvage, and Jean Sciare
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6431–6456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6431-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6431-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our study presents, for the first time, a detailed source identification of aerosols at an urban background site in Cyprus (eastern Mediterranean), a region strongly impacted by climate change and air pollution. Here, we identify an unexpected high contribution of long-range transported pollution from fossil fuel sources in the Middle East, highlighting an urgent need to further characterize these fast-growing emissions and their impacts on regional atmospheric composition, climate, and health.
Agnesh Panta, Konrad Kandler, Andres Alastuey, Cristina González-Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Martina Klose, Xavier Querol, Cristina Reche, Jesús Yus-Díez, and Carlos Pérez García-Pando
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3861–3885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3861-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3861-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Desert dust is a major aerosol component of the Earth system and affects the climate. Dust properties are influenced by particle size, mineralogy, shape, and mixing state. This work characterizes freshly emitted individual mineral dust particles from a major source region using electron microscopy. Our new insights into critical particle-specific information will contribute to better constraining climate models that consider mineralogical variations in their representation of the dust cycle.
Balint Alfoldy, Asta Gregorič, Matic Ivančič, Irena Ježek, and Martin Rigler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 135–152, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-135-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-135-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric concentrations and source apportionment (SA) of black carbon (BC) and CO2 were determined in an urban environment during a heating season. BC particles were attributed to two major sources: traffic and heating. The BC SA was implemented by an Aethalometer model used for the SA of CO2 supposing that the source-specific CO2 components are correlated with the corresponding BC. Source-specific emission factors were determined as a ratio of corresponding BC and CO2 components.
Marta Via, Gang Chen, Francesco Canonaco, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Benjamin Chazeau, Hasna Chebaicheb, Jianhui Jiang, Hannes Keernik, Chunshui Lin, Nicolas Marchand, Cristina Marin, Colin O'Dowd, Jurgita Ovadnevaite, Jean-Eudes Petit, Michael Pikridas, Véronique Riffault, Jean Sciare, Jay G. Slowik, Leïla Simon, Jeni Vasilescu, Yunjiang Zhang, Olivier Favez, André S. H. Prévôt, Andrés Alastuey, and María Cruz Minguillón
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 5479–5495, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5479-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-5479-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This work presents the differences resulting from two techniques (rolling and seasonal) of the positive matrix factorisation model that can be run for organic aerosol source apportionment. The current state of the art suggests that the rolling technique is more accurate, but no proof of its effectiveness has been provided yet. This paper tackles this issue in the context of a synthetic dataset and a multi-site real-world comparison.
Jesús Yus-Díez, Marta Via, Andrés Alastuey, Angeliki Karanasiou, María Cruz Minguillón, Noemí Perez, Xavier Querol, Cristina Reche, Matic Ivančič, Martin Rigler, and Marco Pandolfi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8439–8456, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8439-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8439-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the absorption enhancement of internally and externally mixed black carbon (BC) particles in a Mediterranean city and countryside. We showed the importance of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) and particle ageing by increasing the BC absorption enhancement. We performed a trend analysis on the absorption enhancement. We found a positive trend of the absorption enhancement at the regional station in summer driven by the increase over time of the relative contribution of SOA.
Luka Drinovec, Uroš Jagodič, Luka Pirker, Miha Škarabot, Mario Kurtjak, Kristijan Vidović, Luca Ferrero, Bradley Visser, Jannis Röhrbein, Ernest Weingartner, Daniel M. Kalbermatter, Konstantina Vasilatou, Tobias Bühlmann, Celine Pascale, Thomas Müller, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Griša Močnik
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3805–3825, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3805-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3805-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A new photothermal interferometer (PTAAM-2λ) for artefact-free determination of the aerosol absorption coefficient at two wavelengths is presented. The instrument is calibrated with NO2 and polydisperse nigrosin, resulting in very low uncertainties of the absorption coefficients: 4 % at 532 nm and 6 % at 1064 nm. The instrument’s performance makes the PTAAM-2λ a strong candidate for reference measurements of the aerosol absorption coefficient.
Marilena Teri, Thomas Müller, Josef Gasteiger, Sara Valentini, Helmuth Horvath, Roberta Vecchi, Paulus Bauer, Adrian Walser, and Bernadett Weinzierl
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3161–3187, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3161-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3161-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We performed an extensive closure study including laboratory and simulated experiments to evaluate various angular corrections for the Aurora 4000 polar nephelometer, focusing on irregularly shaped aerosols such as mineral dust. We describe the impact of particle size, refractive index, and shape on the determination of the particle scattering coefficient and propose a guideline to establish the most appropriate angular correction depending on the aerosol type and the investigated size range.
M. Dolores Andrés Hernández, Andreas Hilboll, Helmut Ziereis, Eric Förster, Ovid O. Krüger, Katharina Kaiser, Johannes Schneider, Francesca Barnaba, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Jörg Schmidt, Heidi Huntrieser, Anne-Marlene Blechschmidt, Midhun George, Vladyslav Nenakhov, Theresa Harlass, Bruna A. Holanda, Jennifer Wolf, Lisa Eirenschmalz, Marc Krebsbach, Mira L. Pöhlker, Anna B. Kalisz Hedegaard, Linlu Mei, Klaus Pfeilsticker, Yangzhuoran Liu, Ralf Koppmann, Hans Schlager, Birger Bohn, Ulrich Schumann, Andreas Richter, Benjamin Schreiner, Daniel Sauer, Robert Baumann, Mariano Mertens, Patrick Jöckel, Markus Kilian, Greta Stratmann, Christopher Pöhlker, Monica Campanelli, Marco Pandolfi, Michael Sicard, José L. Gómez-Amo, Manuel Pujadas, Katja Bigge, Flora Kluge, Anja Schwarz, Nikos Daskalakis, David Walter, Andreas Zahn, Ulrich Pöschl, Harald Bönisch, Stephan Borrmann, Ulrich Platt, and John P. Burrows
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5877–5924, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5877-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5877-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
EMeRGe provides a unique set of in situ and remote sensing airborne measurements of trace gases and aerosol particles along selected flight routes in the lower troposphere over Europe. The interpretation uses also complementary collocated ground-based and satellite measurements. The collected data help to improve the current understanding of the complex spatial distribution of trace gases and aerosol particles resulting from mixing, transport, and transformation of pollution plumes over Europe.
Kristina Glojek, Griša Močnik, Honey Dawn C. Alas, Andrea Cuesta-Mosquera, Luka Drinovec, Asta Gregorič, Matej Ogrin, Kay Weinhold, Irena Ježek, Thomas Müller, Martin Rigler, Maja Remškar, Dominik van Pinxteren, Hartmut Herrmann, Martina Ristorini, Maik Merkel, Miha Markelj, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5577–5601, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5577-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5577-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A pilot study to determine the emissions of wood burning under
real-world laboratoryconditions was conducted. We found that measured black carbon (eBC) and particulate matter (PM) in rural shallow terrain depressions with residential wood burning could be much greater than predicted by models. The exceeding levels are a cause for concern since similar conditions can be expected in numerous hilly and mountainous regions across Europe, where approximately 20 % of the total population lives.
Daniel M. Kalbermatter, Griša Močnik, Luka Drinovec, Bradley Visser, Jannis Röhrbein, Matthias Oscity, Ernest Weingartner, Antti-Pekka Hyvärinen, and Konstantina Vasilatou
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 561–572, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-561-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-561-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Soot particles with varying amounts of secondary organic matter coating were generated and used to compare a series of aerosol-absorption-measuring instruments: filter-based and photoacoustic instruments as well as photo-thermal interferometers. Significant deviations in the response of the instruments were observed depending on the amount of secondary organic coating. The system can be used for the inter-comparison and characterisation of instruments.
Clémence Rose, Martine Collaud Coen, Elisabeth Andrews, Yong Lin, Isaline Bossert, Cathrine Lund Myhre, Thomas Tuch, Alfred Wiedensohler, Markus Fiebig, Pasi Aalto, Andrés Alastuey, Elisabeth Alonso-Blanco, Marcos Andrade, Begoña Artíñano, Todor Arsov, Urs Baltensperger, Susanne Bastian, Olaf Bath, Johan Paul Beukes, Benjamin T. Brem, Nicolas Bukowiecki, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Sébastien Conil, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Olivier Favez, Harald Flentje, Maria I. Gini, Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno, Martin Gysel-Beer, Anna Gannet Hallar, Ivo Kalapov, Nikos Kalivitis, Anne Kasper-Giebl, Melita Keywood, Jeong Eun Kim, Sang-Woo Kim, Adam Kristensson, Markku Kulmala, Heikki Lihavainen, Neng-Huei Lin, Hassan Lyamani, Angela Marinoni, Sebastiao Martins Dos Santos, Olga L. Mayol-Bracero, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Merkel, Jean-Marc Metzger, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Jakub Ondracek, Marco Pandolfi, Noemi Pérez, Tuukka Petäjä, Jean-Eudes Petit, David Picard, Jean-Marc Pichon, Veronique Pont, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Fabienne Reisen, Karine Sellegri, Sangeeta Sharma, Gerhard Schauer, Patrick Sheridan, James Patrick Sherman, Andreas Schwerin, Ralf Sohmer, Mar Sorribas, Junying Sun, Pierre Tulet, Ville Vakkari, Pieter Gideon van Zyl, Fernando Velarde, Paolo Villani, Stergios Vratolis, Zdenek Wagner, Sheng-Hsiang Wang, Kay Weinhold, Rolf Weller, Margarita Yela, Vladimir Zdimal, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17185–17223, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Aerosol particles are a complex component of the atmospheric system the effects of which are among the most uncertain in climate change projections. Using data collected at 62 stations, this study provides the most up-to-date picture of the spatial distribution of particle number concentration and size distribution worldwide, with the aim of contributing to better representation of aerosols and their interactions with clouds in models and, therefore, better evaluation of their impact on climate.
Anna K. Tobler, Alicja Skiba, Francesco Canonaco, Griša Močnik, Pragati Rai, Gang Chen, Jakub Bartyzel, Miroslaw Zimnoch, Katarzyna Styszko, Jaroslaw Nęcki, Markus Furger, Kazimierz Różański, Urs Baltensperger, Jay G. Slowik, and Andre S. H. Prevot
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14893–14906, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14893-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14893-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Kraków is among the cities with the highest particulate matter levels within Europe. We conducted long-term and highly time-resolved measurements of the chemical composition of submicron particlulate matter (PM1). Combined with advanced source apportionment techniques, which allow for time-dependent factor profiles, our results elucidate that traffic and residential heating (biomass burning and coal combustion) as well as oxygenated organic aerosol are the key PM sources in Kraków.
Dimitrios Bousiotis, Francis D. Pope, David C. S. Beddows, Manuel Dall'Osto, Andreas Massling, Jakob Klenø Nøjgaard, Claus Nordstrøm, Jarkko V. Niemi, Harri Portin, Tuukka Petäjä, Noemi Perez, Andrés Alastuey, Xavier Querol, Giorgos Kouvarakis, Nikos Mihalopoulos, Stergios Vratolis, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Alfred Wiedensohler, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Thomas Tuch, and Roy M. Harrison
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11905–11925, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11905-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11905-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Formation of new particles is a key process in the atmosphere. New particle formation events arising from nucleation of gaseous precursors have been analysed in extensive datasets from 13 sites in five European countries in terms of frequency, nucleation rate, and particle growth rate, with several common features and many differences identified. Although nucleation frequencies are lower at roadside sites, nucleation rates and particle growth rates are typically higher.
Jose Antonio Benavent-Oltra, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Roberto Román, Hassan Lyamani, Daniel Pérez-Ramírez, María José Granados-Muñoz, Milagros Herrera, Alberto Cazorla, Gloria Titos, Pablo Ortiz-Amezcua, Andrés Esteban Bedoya-Velásquez, Gregori de Arruda Moreira, Noemí Pérez, Andrés Alastuey, Oleg Dubovik, Juan Luis Guerrero-Rascado, Francisco José Olmo-Reyes, and Lucas Alados-Arboledas
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 9269–9287, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9269-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-9269-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we use the GRASP algorithm combining different remote sensing measurements to obtain the aerosol vertical and column properties during the SLOPE I and II campaigns. We show an overview of aerosol properties retrieved by GRASP during these campaigns and evaluate the retrievals of aerosol properties using the in situ measurements performed at a high-altitude station and airborne flights. For the first time we present an evaluation of the absorption coefficient by GRASP.
Marta Via, María Cruz Minguillón, Cristina Reche, Xavier Querol, and Andrés Alastuey
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8323–8339, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8323-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8323-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric pollutants have been measured in an urban environment by means of state-of-the-art techniques, allowing the origin and the sources of pollution to be identified. Recent years are shown to be increasingly dominated by non-directly emitted particulate matter. Knowledge about the sources of atmospheric pollutants is necessary to design effective mitigation policies.
Andrea Cuesta-Mosquera, Griša Močnik, Luka Drinovec, Thomas Müller, Sascha Pfeifer, María Cruz Minguillón, Björn Briel, Paul Buckley, Vadimas Dudoitis, Javier Fernández-García, María Fernández-Amado, Joel Ferreira De Brito, Veronique Riffault, Harald Flentje, Eimear Heffernan, Nikolaos Kalivitis, Athina-Cerise Kalogridis, Hannes Keernik, Luminita Marmureanu, Krista Luoma, Angela Marinoni, Michael Pikridas, Gerhard Schauer, Norbert Serfozo, Henri Servomaa, Gloria Titos, Jesús Yus-Díez, Natalia Zioła, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 3195–3216, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3195-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3195-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Measurements of black carbon must be conducted with instruments operating in quality-checked and assured conditions to generate reliable and comparable data. Here, 23 Aethalometers monitoring black carbon mass concentrations in European networks were characterized and intercompared. The influence of different aerosol sources, maintenance activities, and the filter material on the instrumental variabilities were investigated. Good agreement and in general low deviations were seen.
Vera Bernardoni, Luca Ferrero, Ezio Bolzacchini, Alice Corina Forello, Asta Gregorič, Dario Massabò, Griša Močnik, Paolo Prati, Martin Rigler, Luca Santagostini, Francesca Soldan, Sara Valentini, Gianluigi Valli, and Roberta Vecchi
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 2919–2940, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-2919-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-2919-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
An instrument-dependent wavelength-independent parameter (C) is often used to face multiple-scattering issues affecting aerosol light absorption measurements by Aethalometers. Instead, we determined multi-wavelength C by comparison with absorption measurements of samples collected in parallel performed by an instrument developed in-house. Considering C wavelength dependence, harmonized results were obtained applying source and component apportionment models to data from different Aethalometers.
Luca Ferrero, Asta Gregorič, Griša Močnik, Martin Rigler, Sergio Cogliati, Francesca Barnaba, Luca Di Liberto, Gian Paolo Gobbi, Niccolò Losi, and Ezio Bolzacchini
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 4869–4897, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4869-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-4869-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The work experimentally quantifies the impact of cloudiness and cloud type on the atmospheric heating rate of black and brown carbon. The most impacting clouds were stratocumulus, altostratus and stratus. Clouds caused a decrease of the heating rate of about 12 % per okta. The black carbon decease was slightly higher with respect to that of brown carbon. This study highlights the need to take into account the role of cloudiness when modelling light-absorbing aerosol climate forcing.
Dimitrios Bousiotis, James Brean, Francis D. Pope, Manuel Dall'Osto, Xavier Querol, Andrés Alastuey, Noemi Perez, Tuukka Petäjä, Andreas Massling, Jacob Klenø Nøjgaard, Claus Nordstrøm, Giorgos Kouvarakis, Stergios Vratolis, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Jarkko V. Niemi, Harri Portin, Alfred Wiedensohler, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Thomas Tuch, and Roy M. Harrison
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 3345–3370, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-3345-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-3345-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
New particle formation events from 16 sites over Europe have been studied, and the influence of meteorological and atmospheric composition variables has been investigated. Some variables, like solar radiation intensity and temperature, have a positive effect on the occurrence of these events, while others have a negative effect, affecting different aspects such as the rate at which particles are formed or grow. This effect varies depending on the site type and magnitude of these variables.
Ana Moreno, Miguel Bartolomé, Juan Ignacio López-Moreno, Jorge Pey, Juan Pablo Corella, Jordi García-Orellana, Carlos Sancho, María Leunda, Graciela Gil-Romera, Penélope González-Sampériz, Carlos Pérez-Mejías, Francisco Navarro, Jaime Otero-García, Javier Lapazaran, Esteban Alonso-González, Cristina Cid, Jerónimo López-Martínez, Belén Oliva-Urcia, Sérgio Henrique Faria, María José Sierra, Rocío Millán, Xavier Querol, Andrés Alastuey, and José M. García-Ruíz
The Cryosphere, 15, 1157–1172, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1157-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1157-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Our study of the chronological sequence of Monte Perdido Glacier in the Central Pyrenees (Spain) reveals that, although the intense warming associated with the Roman period or Medieval Climate Anomaly produced important ice mass losses, it was insufficient to make this glacier disappear. By contrast, recent global warming has melted away almost 600 years of ice accumulated since the Little Ice Age, jeopardising the survival of this and other southern European glaciers over the next few decades.
Nikolaos Evangeliou, Stephen M. Platt, Sabine Eckhardt, Cathrine Lund Myhre, Paolo Laj, Lucas Alados-Arboledas, John Backman, Benjamin T. Brem, Markus Fiebig, Harald Flentje, Angela Marinoni, Marco Pandolfi, Jesus Yus-Dìez, Natalia Prats, Jean P. Putaud, Karine Sellegri, Mar Sorribas, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Stergios Vratolis, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Andreas Stohl
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2675–2692, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2675-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2675-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Following the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to Europe, social distancing rules were introduced to prevent further spread. We investigate the impacts of the European lockdowns on black carbon (BC) emissions by means of in situ observations and inverse modelling. BC emissions declined by 23 kt in Europe during the lockdowns as compared with previous years and by 11 % as compared to the period prior to lockdowns. Residential combustion prevailed in Eastern Europe, as confirmed by remote sensing data.
Jesús Yus-Díez, Marina Ealo, Marco Pandolfi, Noemí Perez, Gloria Titos, Griša Močnik, Xavier Querol, and Andrés Alastuey
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 431–455, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-431-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-431-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here we describe the vertical profiles of extensive (scattering and absorption) and intensive (e.g. albedo and asymmetry parameter) aerosol optical properties from coupling ground-based measurements from two sites in north-eastern Spain and airborne measurements performed with an aircraft. We analyse different aerosol layers along the vertical profile for a regional pollution episode and a Saharan dust intrusion. The results show a change with height depending on the different measured layers.
Bradley Visser, Jannis Röhrbein, Peter Steigmeier, Luka Drinovec, Griša Močnik, and Ernest Weingartner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 7097–7111, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-7097-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-7097-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Here we report on the development of a novel single-beam photothermal interferometer and its use in the measurement of aerosol light absorption. We demonstrate how light-absorbing gases can be used to calibrate the instrument and how this absorption is automatically subtracted during normal operation. The performance of the instrument is compared to a standard filter-based instrument using a black carbon test aerosol. The 60 s detection limit is found to be less than 10 Mm-1.
Asta Gregorič, Luka Drinovec, Irena Ježek, Janja Vaupotič, Matevž Lenarčič, Domen Grauf, Longlong Wang, Maruška Mole, Samo Stanič, and Griša Močnik
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14139–14162, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14139-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14139-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new method for the determination of highly time-resolved and source-separated black carbon emission rates. The atmospheric dynamics is quantified using the atmospheric radon concentration. Different intensity and daily dynamics of black carbon emission rates for two different environments are presented: urban and rural area. The method can be used to assess the efficiency of pollution mitigation measures, thereby avoiding the influence of variable meteorology.
James Brean, David C. S. Beddows, Zongbo Shi, Brice Temime-Roussel, Nicolas Marchand, Xavier Querol, Andrés Alastuey, María Cruz Minguillón, and Roy M. Harrison
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 10029–10045, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-10029-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-10029-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
New particle formation is a key process influencing both local air quality and climatically active cloud condensation nuclei concentrations. This study has carried out fundamental measurements of nucleation processes in Barcelona, Spain, and concludes that a mechanism involving stabilisation of sulfuric acid clusters by low molecular weight amines is primarily responsible for new particle formation events.
Cited articles
Ajtai, T., Filep, Á., Schnaiter, M., Linke, C., Vragel, M., Bozóki, Z. Á., Szabó, G., and Leisner, T.: A novel multi-wavelength photoacoustic spectrometer for the measurement of the UV-vis-NIR spectral absorption coefficient of atmospheric aerosols, J. Aerosol Sci., 41, 1020–1029, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2010.07.008, 2010. a, b
Alfaro, S., Lafon, S., Rajot, J., Formenti, P., Gaudichet, A., and Maille, M.: Iron oxides and light absorption by pure desert dust: An experimental study, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D08208, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JD004374, 2004. a
Amato, F., Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Pandolfi, M., Moreno, T., Gracia, J., and Rodriguez, P.: Evaluating urban PM10 pollution benefit induced by street cleaning activities, Atmos. Environ., 43, 4472–4480, 2009. a
Andreae, M. O. and Gelencsér, A.: Black carbon or brown carbon? The nature of light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosols, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 3131–3148, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-3131-2006, 2006. a, b
Andrews, E., Ogren, J. A., Bonasoni, P., Marinoni, A., Cuevas, E., Rodríguez, S., Sun, J. Y., Jaffe, D. A., Fischer, E. V., Baltensperger, U., Weingartner, E., Collaud Coen, M., Sharma, S., Macdonald, A. M., Leaitch, W. R., Lin, N.-H., Laj, P., Arsov, T., Kalapov, I., Jefferson, A., and Sheridan, P.: Climatology of aerosol radiative properties in the free troposphere, Atmos. Res., 102, 365–393, 2011. a
Arnott, W. P., Hamasha, K., Moosmüller, H., Sheridan, P. J., and Ogren, J. A.: Towards aerosol light-absorption measurements with a 7-wavelength aethalometer: Evaluation with a photoacoustic instrument and 3-wavelength nephelometer, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 39, 17–29, https://doi.org/10.1080/027868290901972, 2005. a, b, c, d, e
Backman, J., Schmeisser, L., Virkkula, A., Ogren, J. A., Asmi, E., Starkweather, S., Sharma, S., Eleftheriadis, K., Uttal, T., Jefferson, A., Bergin, M., Makshtas, A., Tunved, P., and Fiebig, M.: On Aethalometer measurement uncertainties and an instrument correction factor for the Arctic, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 5039–5062, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-5039-2017, 2017. a, b, c, d
Bergametti, G., Dutot, A.-L., Buat-Menard, P., Losno, R., and Remoudaki, E.: Seasonal variability of the elemental composition of atmospheric aerosol particles over the northwestern Mediterranean, Tellus B, 41, 353–361, 1989. a
Bergstrom, R. W., Pilewskie, P., Russell, P. B., Redemann, J., Bond, T. C., Quinn, P. K., and Sierau, B.: Spectral absorption properties of atmospheric aerosols, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 5937–5943, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-5937-2007, 2007. a
Bernardoni, V., Valli, G., and Vecchi, R.: Set-up of a multi wavelength polar photometer for off-line absorption coefficient measurements on 1-h resolved aerosol samples, J. Aerosol Sci., 107, 84–93, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2017.02.009, 2017. a, b, c, d
Bernardoni, V., Ferrero, L., Bolzacchini, E., Forello, A. C., Gregorič, A., Massabò, D., Močnik, G., Prati, P., Rigler, M., Santagostini, L., Soldan, F., Valentini, S., Valli, G., and Vecchi, R.: Determination of Aethalometer multiple-scattering enhancement parameters and impact on source apportionment during the winter 2017/18 EMEP/ACTRIS/COLOSSAL campaign in Milan, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 2919–2940, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-2919-2021, 2021. a, b, c, d, e, f
Bond, T. C., Doherty, S. J., Fahey, D. W., Forster, P. M. Berntsen, T., DeAngelo, B. J., Flanner, M. G., Ghan, S., Kärcher, B., Koch, D., Kinne, S., Kondo, Y., Quinn, P. K., Sarofim, M. C., Schultz, M. G., Schulz, M., Venkataraman, C., Zhang, H., Zhang, S., Bellouin, N., Guttikunda, S. K., Hopke, P. K., Jacobson, M. Z., Kaiser, J. W., Klimont, Z., Lohmann, U., Schwarz, J. P., Shindell, D., Storelvmo, T., Warren, S. G., and Zender, C. S.: Bounding the role of black carbon in the climate system: A scientific assessment, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 118, 5380–5552, 2013. a, b
Brean, J., Beddows, D. C. S., Shi, Z., Temime-Roussel, B., Marchand, N., Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Minguillón, M. C., and Harrison, R. M.: Molecular insights into new particle formation in Barcelona, Spain, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 10029–10045, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-10029-2020, 2020. a
Cappa, C. D., Zhang, X., Russell, L. M., Collier, S., Lee, A. K., Chen, C. L., Betha, R., Chen, S., Liu, J., Price, D. J., Sanchez, K. J., McMeeking, G. R., Williams, L. R., Onasch, T. B., Worsnop, D. R., Abbatt, J., and Zhang, Q.: Light Absorption by Ambient Black and Brown Carbon and its Dependence on Black Carbon Coating State for Two California, USA, Cities in Winter and Summer, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 124, 1550–1577, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JD029501, 2019. a
Chen, Y. and Bond, T. C.: Light absorption by organic carbon from wood combustion, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 1773–1787, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-1773-2010, 2010. a
Collaud Coen, M., Weingartner, E., Schaub, D., Hueglin, C., Corrigan, C., Henning, S., Schwikowski, M., and Baltensperger, U.: Saharan dust events at the Jungfraujoch: detection by wavelength dependence of the single scattering albedo and first climatology analysis, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 4, 2465–2480, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-4-2465-2004, 2004. a, b
Collaud Coen, M., Weingartner, E., Apituley, A., Ceburnis, D., Fierz-Schmidhauser, R., Flentje, H., Henzing, J. S., Jennings, S. G., Moerman, M., Petzold, A., Schmid, O., and Baltensperger, U.: Minimizing light absorption measurement artifacts of the Aethalometer: evaluation of five correction algorithms, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 3, 457–474, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-3-457-2010, 2010. a, b
Collaud Coen, M., Andrews, E., Alastuey, A., Arsov, T. P., Backman, J., Brem, B. T., Bukowiecki, N., Couret, C., Eleftheriadis, K., Flentje, H., Fiebig, M., Gysel-Beer, M., Hand, J. L., Hoffer, A., Hooda, R., Hueglin, C., Joubert, W., Keywood, M., Kim, J. E., Kim, S.-W., Labuschagne, C., Lin, N.-H., Lin, Y., Lund Myhre, C., Luoma, K., Lyamani, H., Marinoni, A., Mayol-Bracero, O. L., Mihalopoulos, N., Pandolfi, M., Prats, N., Prenni, A. J., Putaud, J.-P., Ries, L., Reisen, F., Sellegri, K., Sharma, S., Sheridan, P., Sherman, J. P., Sun, J., Titos, G., Torres, E., Tuch, T., Weller, R., Wiedensohler, A., Zieger, P., and Laj, P.: Multidecadal trend analysis of in situ aerosol radiative properties around the world, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 8867–8908, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-8867-2020, 2020. a, b
Corbin, J. C., Pieber, S. M., Czech, H., Zanatta, M., Jakobi, G., Massabò, D., Orasche, J., El Haddad, I., Mensah, A. A., Stengel, B., Drinovec, L., Mocnik, G., Zimmermann, R., Prévôt, A. S., and Gysel, M.: Brown and Black Carbon Emitted by a Marine Engine Operated on Heavy Fuel Oil and Distillate Fuels: Optical Properties, Size Distributions, and Emission Factors, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 123, 6175–6195, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JD027818, 2018. a
Dayan, U., Ricaud, P., Zbinden, R., and Dulac, F.: Atmospheric pollution over the eastern Mediterranean during summer – a review, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 13233–13263, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-13233-2017, 2017. a
Di Biagio, C., Formenti, P., Cazaunau, M., Pangui, E., Marchand, N., and Doussin, J.-F.: Aethalometer multiple scattering correction Cref for mineral dust aerosols, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 2923–2939, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2923-2017, 2017. a, b, c
Di Biagio, C., Formenti, P., Balkanski, Y., Caponi, L., Cazaunau, M., Pangui, E., Journet, E., Nowak, S., Andreae, M. O., Kandler, K., Saeed, T., Piketh, S., Seibert, D., Williams, E., and Doussin, J.-F.: Complex refractive indices and single-scattering albedo of global dust aerosols in the shortwave spectrum and relationship to size and iron content, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 15503–15531, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-15503-2019, 2019. a
Drinovec, L., Močnik, G., Zotter, P., Prévôt, A. S. H., Ruckstuhl, C., Coz, E., Rupakheti, M., Sciare, J., Müller, T., Wiedensohler, A., and Hansen, A. D. A.: The ”dual-spot” Aethalometer: an improved measurement of aerosol black carbon with real-time loading compensation, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 1965–1979, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-1965-2015, 2015. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m
Drinovec, L., Gregorič, A., Zotter, P., Wolf, R., Bruns, E. A., Prévôt, A. S. H., Petit, J.-E., Favez, O., Sciare, J., Arnold, I. J., Chakrabarty, R. K., Moosmüller, H., Filep, A., and Močnik, G.: The filter-loading effect by ambient aerosols in filter absorption photometers depends on the coating of the sampled particles, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 1043–1059, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-1043-2017, 2017. a, b
Drinovec, L., Sciare, J., Stavroulas, I., Bezantakos, S., Pikridas, M., Unga, F., Savvides, C., Višić, B., Remškar, M., and Močnik, G.: A new optical-based technique for real-time measurements of mineral dust concentration in PM10 using a virtual impactor, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 3799–3813, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-3799-2020, 2020. a, b, c
Ealo, M., Alastuey, A., Ripoll, A., Pérez, N., Minguillón, M. C., Querol, X., and Pandolfi, M.: Detection of Saharan dust and biomass burning events using near-real-time intensive aerosol optical properties in the north-western Mediterranean, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 12567–12586, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-12567-2016, 2016. a, b, c, d
EBAS: Montsec d'Ares dataset, EBAS [data set], available at: http://ebas.nilu.no/Pages/DataSetList.aspx?key=4F862F47EC324FD6AAFA5CD8CF6F8EFB, last access: 20 September 2021a. a
EBAS: Montseny dataset, EBAS [data set], available at: http://ebas.nilu.no/Pages/DataSetList.aspx?key=562F658B11934EAC92BB0A2F0CD29A40, last access: 20 September 2021b. a
Escudero, M., Castillo, S., Querol, X., Avila, A., Alarcón, M., Viana, M. M., Alastuey, A., Cuevas, E., and Rodríguez, S.: Wet and dry African dust episodes over eastern Spain, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D18S08, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004731, 2005. a
Ess, M. N. and Vasilatou, K.: Characterization of a new miniCAST with diffusion flame and premixed flame options: Generation of particles with high EC content in the size range 30 nm to 200 nm, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 53, 29–44, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2018.1536818, 2019. a
Ferrero, L., Ritter, C., Cappelletti, D., Moroni, B., Močnik, G., Mazzola, M., Lupi, A., Becagli, S., Traversi, R., Cataldi, M., Neuber, R., Vitale, V., and Bolzacchini, E.: Aerosol optical properties in the Arctic: The role of aerosol chemistry and dust composition in a closure experiment between Lidar and tethered balloon vertical profiles, Sci. Total Environ., 686, 452–467, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.399, 2019. a
Forello, A. C., Bernardoni, V., Calzolai, G., Lucarelli, F., Massabò, D., Nava, S., Pileci, R. E., Prati, P., Valentini, S., Valli, G., and Vecchi, R.: Exploiting multi-wavelength aerosol absorption coefficients in a multi-time resolution source apportionment study to retrieve source-dependent absorption parameters, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 11235–11252, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-11235-2019, 2019. a
Forello, A. C., Amato, F., Bernardoni, V., Calzolai, G., Canepari, S., Costabile, F., Di Liberto, L., Gualtieri, M., Lucarelli, F., Nava, S., Perrino, C., Petralia, E., Valentini, S., Valli, G., and Vecchi, R.: Gaining knowledge on source contribution to aerosol optical absorption properties and organics by receptor modelling, Atmos. Environ., 243, 117 873, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117873, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117873, 2020. a
Freedman, D. and Diaconis, P.: On the histogram as a density estimator: L2 theory, Z. Wahrscheinlichkeit., 57, 453–476, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01025868, 1981. a
Gyawali, M., Arnott, W. P., Lewis, K., and Moosmüller, H.: In situ aerosol optics in Reno, NV, USA during and after the summer 2008 California wildfires and the influence of absorbing and non-absorbing organic coatings on spectral light absorption, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 8007–8015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-8007-2009, 2009. a
IPCC; Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by: Houghton, J. T., Ding, Y., Griggs, D. J., Noguer, M., van der Linden, P. J., Dai, X., Maskell, K., and Johnson, C. A., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 881 pp., 2001. a
Kalivitis, N., Gerasopoulos, E., Vrekoussis, M., Kouvarakis, G., Kubilay, N., Hatzianastassiou, N., Vardavas, I., and Mihalopoulos, N.: Dust transport over the eastern Mediterranean derived from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, Aerosol Robotic Network, and surface measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D03202, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JD007510, 2007. a
Kirchstetter, T. W., Novakov, T., and Hobbs, P. V.: Evidence that the spectral dependence of light absorption by aerosols is affected by organic carbon, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D21208, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004999, 2004. a, b, c
Koçak, M., Mihalopoulos, N., and Kubilay, N.: Contributions of natural sources to high PM10 and PM2.5 events in the eastern Mediterranean, Atmos. Environ., 41, 3806–3818, 2007. a
Lack, D. A., Lovejoy, E. R., Baynard, T., Pettersson, A., and Ravishankara, A. R.: Aerosol Absorption Measurement using Photoacoustic Spectroscopy: Sensitivity, Calibration, and Uncertainty Developments, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 40, 697–708, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820600803917, 2006. a
Lack, D. A., Cappa, C. D., Covert, D. S., Baynard, T., Massoli, P., Sierau, B., Bates, T. S., Quinn, P. K., Lovejoy, E. R., and Ravishankara, A. R.: Bias in filter-based aerosol light absorption measurements due to organic aerosol loading: Evidence from ambient measurements, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 42, 1033–1041, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820802389277, 2008. a, b
Lack, D. A., Moosmüller, H., McMeeking, G. R., Chakrabarty, R. K., and Baumgardner, D.: Characterizing elemental, equivalent black, and refractory black carbon aerosol particles: A review of techniques, their limitations and uncertainties, Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 406, 99–122, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-013-7402-3, 2014. a, b
Laing, J. R., Jaffe, D. A., and Sedlacek, A. J.: Comparison of filter-based absorption measurements of biomass burning aerosol and background aerosol at the Mt. Bachelor observatory, Aerosol Air Qual. Res., 20, 663–678, https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.06.0298, 2020. a, b, c
Laj, P., Bigi, A., Rose, C., Andrews, E., Lund Myhre, C., Collaud Coen, M., Lin, Y., Wiedensohler, A., Schulz, M., Ogren, J. A., Fiebig, M., Gliß, J., Mortier, A., Pandolfi, M., Petäja, T., Kim, S.-W., Aas, W., Putaud, J.-P., Mayol-Bracero, O., Keywood, M., Labrador, L., Aalto, P., Ahlberg, E., Alados Arboledas, L., Alastuey, A., Andrade, M., Artíñano, B., Ausmeel, S., Arsov, T., Asmi, E., Backman, J., Baltensperger, U., Bastian, S., Bath, O., Beukes, J. P., Brem, B. T., Bukowiecki, N., Conil, S., Couret, C., Day, D., Dayantolis, W., Degorska, A., Eleftheriadis, K., Fetfatzis, P., Favez, O., Flentje, H., Gini, M. I., Gregorič, A., Gysel-Beer, M., Hallar, A. G., Hand, J., Hoffer, A., Hueglin, C., Hooda, R. K., Hyvärinen, A., Kalapov, I., Kalivitis, N., Kasper-Giebl, A., Kim, J. E., Kouvarakis, G., Kranjc, I., Krejci, R., Kulmala, M., Labuschagne, C., Lee, H.-J., Lihavainen, H., Lin, N.-H., Löschau, G., Luoma, K., Marinoni, A., Martins Dos Santos, S., Meinhardt, F., Merkel, M., Metzger, J.-M., Mihalopoulos, N., Nguyen, N. A., Ondracek, J., Pérez, N., Perrone, M. R., Petit, J.-E., Picard, D., Pichon, J.-M., Pont, V., Prats, N., Prenni, A., Reisen, F., Romano, S., Sellegri, K., Sharma, S., Schauer, G., Sheridan, P., Sherman, J. P., Schütze, M., Schwerin, A., Sohmer, R., Sorribas, M., Steinbacher, M., Sun, J., Titos, G., Toczko, B., Tuch, T., Tulet, P., Tunved, P., Vakkari, V., Velarde, F., Velasquez, P., Villani, P., Vratolis, S., Wang, S.-H., Weinhold, K., Weller, R., Yela, M., Yus-Diez, J., Zdimal, V., Zieger, P., and Zikova, N.: A global analysis of climate-relevant aerosol properties retrieved from the network of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) near-surface observatories, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 4353–4392, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4353-2020, 2020. a
Laskin, A., Laskin, J., and Nizkorodov, S. A.: Chemistry of Atmospheric Brown Carbon, Chem. Rev., 115, 4335–4382, https://doi.org/10.1021/cr5006167, 2015. a
Lee, J. and Moosmüller, H.: Measurement of light absorbing aerosols with folded-jamin photothermal interferometry, Sensors, 20, 1–13, https://doi.org/10.3390/s20092615, 2020. a
Lin, C. I., Baker, M., and Charlson, R. J.: Absorption Coefficient of Atmospheric Aerosol: a Method for Measurement, Appl. Optics, 12, 1356–1363, 1973. a
Linke, C., Ibrahim, I., Schleicher, N., Hitzenberger, R., Andreae, M. O., Leisner, T., and Schnaiter, M.: A novel single-cavity three-wavelength photoacoustic spectrometer for atmospheric aerosol research, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 5331–5346, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-5331-2016, 2016. a
Liousse, C., Cachier, H., and Jennings, S. G.: Optical and thermal measurements of black carbon aerosol content in different environments: Variation of the specific attenuation cross-section, sigma (σ), Atmospheric Environment A-Gen., 27, 1203–1211, https://doi.org/10.1016/0960-1686(93)90246-U, 1993. a
Liu, S., Aiken, A. C., Gorkowski, K., Dubey, M. K., Cappa, C. D., Williams, L. R., Herndon, S. C., Massoli, P., Fortner, E. C., Chhabra, P. S., Brooks, W. A., Onasch, T. B., Jayne, J. T., Worsnop, D. R., China, S., Sharma, N., Mazzoleni, C., Xu, L., Ng, N. L., Liu, D., Allan, J. D., Lee, J. D., Fleming, Z. L., Mohr, C., Zotter, P., Szidat, S., and Prévôt, A. S.: Enhanced light absorption by mixed source black and brown carbon particles in UK winter, Nat. Commun., 6, 8435, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9435, 2015. a
Lyamani, H., Olmo, F., Alcántara, A., and Alados-Arboledas, L.: Atmospheric aerosols during the 2003 heat wave in southeastern Spain II: Microphysical columnar properties and radiative forcing, Atmos. Environ., 40, 6465–6476, 2006. a
Massabò, D., Bernardoni, V., Bove, M. C., Brunengo, A., Cuccia, E., Piazzalunga, A., Prati, P., Valli, G., and Vecchi, R.: A multi-wavelength optical set-up for the characterization of carbonaceous particulate matter, J. Aerosol Sci., 60, 34–46, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2013.02.006, 2013. a, b
Mengis, N. and Matthews, H. D.: Non-CO2 forcing changes will likely decrease the remaining carbon budget for 1.5 ∘C, npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 3, 1–7, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-020-0123-3, 2020. a
Mona, L., Amodeo, A., Pandolfi, M., and Pappalardo, G.: Saharan dust intrusions in the Mediterranean area: Three years of Raman lidar measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D16203, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006569, 2006. a
Moosmüller, H., Chakrabarty, R. K., and Arnott, W. P.: Aerosol light absorption and its measurement: A review, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Ra., 110, 844–878, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jqsrt.2009.02.035, 2009. a, b
Müller, T., Henzing, J. S., de Leeuw, G., Wiedensohler, A., Alastuey, A., Angelov, H., Bizjak, M., Collaud Coen, M., Engström, J. E., Gruening, C., Hillamo, R., Hoffer, A., Imre, K., Ivanow, P., Jennings, G., Sun, J. Y., Kalivitis, N., Karlsson, H., Komppula, M., Laj, P., Li, S.-M., Lunder, C., Marinoni, A., Martins dos Santos, S., Moerman, M., Nowak, A., Ogren, J. A., Petzold, A., Pichon, J. M., Rodriquez, S., Sharma, S., Sheridan, P. J., Teinilä, K., Tuch, T., Viana, M., Virkkula, A., Weingartner, E., Wilhelm, R., and Wang, Y. Q.: Characterization and intercomparison of aerosol absorption photometers: result of two intercomparison workshops, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 4, 245–268, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-4-245-2011, 2011a. a, b, c
Müller, T., Laborde, M., Kassell, G., and Wiedensohler, A.: Design and performance of a three-wavelength LED-based total scatter and backscatter integrating nephelometer, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 4, 1291–1303, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-4-1291-2011, 2011b. a, b
Myhre, G., Shindell, D., Breéon, F.-M., Collins, W., Fuglestvedt, J., Huang, J., Koch, D., Lamarque, J.-F., Lee, D., Mendoza, B., Nakajima, T., Robock, A., Stephens, G., Takemura, T., and Zhang, H.: Anthropogenic and Natural Radiative Forcing, 8, 659–740, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.018, 2013. a, b, c, d
Ogren, J. A., Wendell, J., Andrews, E., and Sheridan, P. J.: Continuous light absorption photometer for long-term studies, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 4805–4818, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-4805-2017, 2017. a
Onasch, T. B., Massoli, P., Kebabian, P. L., Hills, F. B., Bacon, F. W., and Freedman, A.: Single scattering albedo monitor for airborne particulates, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 49, 267–279, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2015.1022248, 2015. a
Pandolfi, M., Cusack, M., Alastuey, A., and Querol, X.: Variability of aerosol optical properties in the Western Mediterranean Basin, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 8189–8203, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-8189-2011, 2011. a, b
Pandolfi, M., Ripoll, A., Querol, X., and Alastuey, A.: Climatology of aerosol optical properties and black carbon mass absorption cross section at a remote high-altitude site in the western Mediterranean Basin, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 6443–6460, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-6443-2014, 2014a. a, b, c, d
Pandolfi, M., Tobias, A., Alastuey, A., Sunyer, J., Schwartz, J., Lorente, J., Pey, J., and Querol, X.: Effect of atmospheric mixing layer depth variations on urban air quality and daily mortality during Saharan dust outbreaks, Sci. Total Environ., 494, 283–289, 2014b. a
Pandolfi, M., Alados-Arboledas, L., Alastuey, A., Andrade, M., Angelov, C., Artiñano, B., Backman, J., Baltensperger, U., Bonasoni, P., Bukowiecki, N., Collaud Coen, M., Conil, S., Coz, E., Crenn, V., Dudoitis, V., Ealo, M., Eleftheriadis, K., Favez, O., Fetfatzis, P., Fiebig, M., Flentje, H., Ginot, P., Gysel, M., Henzing, B., Hoffer, A., Holubova Smejkalova, A., Kalapov, I., Kalivitis, N., Kouvarakis, G., Kristensson, A., Kulmala, M., Lihavainen, H., Lunder, C., Luoma, K., Lyamani, H., Marinoni, A., Mihalopoulos, N., Moerman, M., Nicolas, J., O'Dowd, C., Petäjä, T., Petit, J.-E., Pichon, J. M., Prokopciuk, N., Putaud, J.-P., Rodríguez, S., Sciare, J., Sellegri, K., Swietlicki, E., Titos, G., Tuch, T., Tunved, P., Ulevicius, V., Vaishya, A., Vana, M., Virkkula, A., Vratolis, S., Weingartner, E., Wiedensohler, A., and Laj, P.: A European aerosol phenomenology – 6: scattering properties of atmospheric aerosol particles from 28 ACTRIS sites, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 7877–7911, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-7877-2018, 2018. a
Park, S. S., Hansen, A. D., and Cho, S. Y.: Measurement of real time black carbon for investigating spot loading effects of Aethalometer data, Atmos. Environ., 44, 1449–1455, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.01.025, 2010. a
Pérez, N., Pey, J., Castillo, S., Viana, M., Alastuey, A., and Querol, X.: Interpretation of the variability of levels of regional background aerosols in the Western Mediterranean, Sci. Total Environ., 407, 527–540, 2008. a
Petzold, A., Schloesser, H., Sheridan, P. J., Arnott, W. P., Ogren, J. A., and Virkkula, A.: Evaluation of multiangle absorption photometry for measuring aerosol light absorption, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 39, 40–51, https://doi.org/10.1080/027868290901945, 2005. a, b
Petzold, A., Ogren, J. A., Fiebig, M., Laj, P., Li, S.-M., Baltensperger, U., Holzer-Popp, T., Kinne, S., Pappalardo, G., Sugimoto, N., Wehrli, C., Wiedensohler, A., and Zhang, X.-Y.: Recommendations for reporting “black carbon” measurements, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 8365–8379, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-8365-2013, 2013. a, b
Pey, J., Pérez, N., Castillo, S., Viana, M., Moreno, T., Pandolfi, M., López-Sebastián, J., Alastuey, A., and Querol, X.: Geochemistry of regional background aerosols in the Western Mediterranean, Atmos. Res., 94, 422–435, 2009. a
Pey, J., Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Forastiere, F., and Stafoggia, M.: African dust outbreaks over the Mediterranean Basin during 2001–2011: PM10 concentrations, phenomenology and trends, and its relation with synoptic and mesoscale meteorology, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 1395–1410, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-1395-2013, 2013. a
Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Puicercus, J. A., Mantilla, E., Miro, J. V., Lopez-Soler, A., Plana, F., and Artiñano, B.: Seasonal evolution of suspended particles around a large coal-fired power station: particulate levels and sources, Atmos. Environ., 32, 1963–1978, 1998. a
Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Rodriguez, S., Plana, F., Ruiz, C. R., Cots, N., Massagué, G., and Puig, O.: PM10 and PM2.5 source apportionment in the Barcelona Metropolitan area, Catalonia, Spain, Atmos. Environ., 35, 6407–6419, 2001. a
Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Viana, M. M., Rodriguez, S., Artíñano, B., Salvador, P., Do Santos, S. G., Fernandez Patier, R., Ruiz, C., De la Rosa, J., Sanchez de la Campa, A., Menendez, M., and Gil, J.: Speciation and origin of PM10 and PM2.5 in Spain, J. Aerosol Sci., 35, 1151–1172, 2004. a
Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Pey, J., Cusack, M., Pérez, N., Mihalopoulos, N., Theodosi, C., Gerasopoulos, E., Kubilay, N., and Koçak, M.: Variability in regional background aerosols within the Mediterranean, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 4575–4591, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-4575-2009, 2009a. a
Ramanathan, V. and Carmichael, G.: Global and regional climate changes due to black carbon, Nat. Geosci., 1, 221–227, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo156, 2008. a
Ramanathan, V., Crutzen, P., Kiehl, J., and Rosenfeld, D.: Aerosols, climate, and the hydrological cycle, Science, 294, 2119–2124, 2001. a
Reche, C., Querol, X., Alastuey, A., Viana, M., Pey, J., Moreno, T., Rodríguez, S., González, Y., Fernández-Camacho, R., de la Rosa, J., Dall'Osto, M., Prévôt, A. S. H., Hueglin, C., Harrison, R. M., and Quincey, P.: New considerations for PM, Black Carbon and particle number concentration for air quality monitoring across different European cities, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 6207–6227, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-6207-2011, 2011. a
Rigler, M., Drinovec, L., Lavrič, G., Vlachou, A., Prévôt, A. S. H., Jaffrezo, J. L., Stavroulas, I., Sciare, J., Burger, J., Kranjc, I., Turšič, J., Hansen, A. D. A., and Močnik, G.: The new instrument using a TC–BC (total carbon–black carbon) method for the online measurement of carbonaceous aerosols, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 4333–4351, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4333-2020, 2020. a
Ripoll, A., Pey, J., Minguillón, M. C., Pérez, N., Pandolfi, M., Querol, X., and Alastuey, A.: Three years of aerosol mass, black carbon and particle number concentrations at Montsec (southern Pyrenees, 1570 m a.s.l.), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 4279–4295, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-4279-2014, 2014. a
Ripoll, A., Minguillón, M. C., Pey, J., Jimenez, J. L., Day, D. A., Sosedova, Y., Canonaco, F., Prévôt, A. S. H., Querol, X., and Alastuey, A.: Long-term real-time chemical characterization of submicron aerosols at Montsec (southern Pyrenees, 1570 m a.s.l.), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 2935–2951, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2935-2015, 2015. a
Rivas, I., Beddows, D. C. S., Amato, F., Green, D. C., Järvi, L., Hueglin, C., Reche, C., Timonen, H., Fuller, G. W., Niemi, J. V., Pérez, N., Aurela, M., Hopke, P. K., Alastuey, A., Kulmala, M., Harrison, R. M.,
Querol, X., and Kelly, F. J.: Source apportionment of particle number size distribution in urban background and traffic stations in four European cities, Environ. Int., 135, 105345, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.105345, 2020. a
Rodríguez, S., Querol, X., Alastuey, A., and Plana, F.: Sources and processes affecting levels and composition of atmospheric aerosol in the western Mediterranean, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 4777, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD001488, 2002. a
Samset, B. H., Sand, M., Smith, C. J., Bauer, S. E., Forster, P. M., Fuglestvedt, J. S., Osprey, S., and Schleussner, C. F.: Climate Impacts From a Removal of Anthropogenic Aerosol Emissions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 1020–1029, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076079, 2018. a
Sandradewi, J., Prévôt, A. S., Szidat, S., Perron, N., Alfarra, M. R., Lanz, V. A., Weingartner, E., and Baltensperger, U. R.: Using aerosol light absorption measurements for the quantitative determination of wood burning and traffic emission contribution to particulate matter, Environ. Sci. Technol., 42, 3316–3323, https://doi.org/10.1021/es702253m, 2008. a
Schauer, G., Kasper-Giebl, A., and Močnik, G.: Increased PM concentrations during a combined wildfire and saharan dust event observed at high-altitude Sonnblick observatory, Austria, Aerosol Air Qual. Res., 16, 542–554, https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2015.05.0337, 2016. a
Schmeisser, L., Backman, J., Ogren, J. A., Andrews, E., Asmi, E., Starkweather, S., Uttal, T., Fiebig, M., Sharma, S., Eleftheriadis, K., Vratolis, S., Bergin, M., Tunved, P., and Jefferson, A.: Seasonality of aerosol optical properties in the Arctic, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 11599–11622, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-11599-2018, 2018. a
Schmid, O., Artaxo, P., Arnott, W. P., Chand, D., Gatti, L. V., Frank, G. P., Hoffer, A., Schnaiter, M., and Andreae, M. O.: Spectral light absorption by ambient aerosols influenced by biomass burning in the Amazon Basin. I: Comparison and field calibration of absorption measurement techniques, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 3443–3462, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-3443-2006, 2006. a, b, c
Segura, S., Estellés, V., Titos, G., Lyamani, H., Utrillas, M. P., Zotter, P., Prévôt, A. S. H., Močnik, G., Alados-Arboledas, L., and Martínez-Lozano, J. A.: Determination and analysis of in situ spectral aerosol optical properties by a multi-instrumental approach, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 2373–2387, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-2373-2014, 2014. a, b, c
Sheridan, P. J., Patrick Arnott, W., Ogren, J. A., Andrews, E., Atkinson, D. B., Covert, D. S., Moosmüller, H., Petzold, A., Schmid, B., Strawa, A. W., Varma, R., and Virkkula, A.: The reno aerosol optics study: An evaluation of aerosol absorption measurement methods, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 39, 1–16, https://doi.org/10.1080/027868290901891, 2005. a
Singh, S., Fiddler, M. N., Smith, D., and Bililign, S.: Error analysis and uncertainty in the determination of aerosol optical properties using cavity ring-down spectroscopy, integrating nephelometry, and the extinction-minus-scattering method, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 48, 1345–1359, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2014.984062, 2014. a
Sokolik, I. N. and Toon, O. B.: Incorporation of mineralogical composition into models of the radiative properties of mineral aerosol from UV to IR wavelengths, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 104, 9423–9444, https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JD200048, 1999. a
Springston, S. R. and Sedlacek, A. J.: Noise characteristics of an instrumental particle absorbance technique, Aerosol Sci. Tech., 41, 1110–1116, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820701777457, 2007. a
Stephens, M., Turner, N., and Sandberg, J.: Particle identification by laser-induced incandescence in a solid-state laser cavity, Appl. Optics, 42, 3726, https://doi.org/10.1364/ao.42.003726, 2003. a
Terhune, R. W. and Anderson, J. E.: Spectrophone measurements of the absorption of visible light by aerosols in the atmosphere, Opt. Lett., 1, 70, https://doi.org/10.1364/ol.1.000070, 1977. a
Valentini, S., Barnaba, F., Bernardoni, V., Calzolai, G., Costabile, F., Di Liberto, L., Forello, A. C., Gobbi, G. P., Gualtieri, M., Lucarelli, F., Nava, S., Petralia, E., Valli, G., Wiedensohler, A., and Vecchi, R.: Classifying aerosol particles through the combination of optical and physical-chemical properties: Results from a wintertime campaign in Rome (Italy), Atmos. Res., 235, 104 799, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2019.104799, 2020a. a, b, c
Valentini, S., Bernardoni, V., Bolzacchini, E., Ciniglia, D., Pandolfi, M., Ferrero, L., Forello, A. C., Massabó, D., Pandolfi, M., Prati, P., Soldan, F., Valli, G., Yus-díez, J., and Vecchi, R.: Applicability of benchtop multi-wavelength polar photometers to off-line measurements of the Multi-Angle Absorption Photometer, 152, 105701, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2020.105701, 2020b. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m
Virkkula, A., Mäkelä, T., Hillamo, R., Yli-Tuomi, T., Hirsikko, A., Hämeri, K., and Koponen, I. K.: A simple procedure for correcting loading effects of aethalometer data, J. Air Waste Manage., 57, 1214–1222, https://doi.org/10.3155/1047-3289.57.10.1214, 2007. a, b
Virkkula, A., Chi, X., Ding, A., Shen, Y., Nie, W., Qi, X., Zheng, L., Huang, X., Xie, Y., Wang, J., Petäjä, T., and Kulmala, M.: On the interpretation of the loading correction of the aethalometer, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 4415–4427, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-4415-2015, 2015.
a, b, c, d
Visser, B., Röhrbein, J., Steigmeier, P., Drinovec, L., Močnik, G., and Weingartner, E.: A single-beam photothermal interferometer for in situ measurements of aerosol light absorption, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 7097–7111, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-7097-2020, 2020. a
Wang, Y., Le, T., Chen, G., Yung, Y. L., Su, H., Seinfeld, J. H., and Jiang, J. H.: Reduced European aerosol emissions suppress winter extremes over northern Eurasia, Nat. Clim. Change, 10, 225–230, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0693-4, 2020. a
Weingartner, E., Saathoff, H., Schnaiter, M., Streit, N., Bitnar, B., and Baltensperger, U.: Absorption of light by soot particles: Determination of the absorption coefficient by means of aethalometers, J. Aerosol Sci., 34, 1445–1463, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-8502(03)00359-8, 2003. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j
Yus-Díez, J., Ealo, M., Pandolfi, M., Perez, N., Titos, G., Močnik, G., Querol, X., and Alastuey, A.: Aircraft vertical profiles during summertime regional and Saharan dust scenarios over the north-western Mediterranean basin: aerosol optical and physical properties, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 431–455, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-431-2021, 2021. a, b, c
Zanatta, M., Gysel, M., Bukowiecki, N., Müller, T., Weingartner, E., Areskoug, H., Fiebig, M., Yttri, K. E., Mihalopoulos, N., Kouvarakis, G.,
Beddows, D., Harrison, R. M., Cavalli, F., Putaud, J. P., Spindler, G., Wiedensohler, A., Alastuey, A., Pandolfi, M., Sellegri, K., Swietlicki, E., Jaffrezo, J. L., Baltensperger, U., and Laj, P.: A European aerosol phenomenology-5: Climatology of black carbon optical properties at 9 regional background sites across Europe, Atmos. Environ., 145, 346–364, 2016. a
Zhang, Y., Favez, O., Canonaco, F., Liu, D., Močnik, G., Amodeo, T., Sciare, J., Prévôt, A. S. H., Gros, V., and Albinet, A.: Evidence of major secondary organic aerosol contribution to lensing effect black carbon absorption enhancement, npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 1, 47, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-018-0056-2, 2018. a
Zotter, P., Herich, H., Gysel, M., El-Haddad, I., Zhang, Y., Močnik, G., Hüglin, C., Baltensperger, U., Szidat, S., and Prévôt, A. S. H.: Evaluation of the absorption Ångström exponents for traffic and wood burning in the Aethalometer-based source apportionment using radiocarbon measurements of ambient aerosol, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 4229–4249, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-4229-2017, 2017. a
Short summary
Here we characterize the multiple-scattering factor, C, of the dual-spot Aethalometer AE33 and its cross-sensitivity to scattering and wavelength dependence for three background stations: urban, regional and mountaintop. C was obtained for two sets of filter tapes: M8020 and M8060. The cross-sensitivity to scattering and wavelength dependence of C were determined by inter-comparing with other absorption and scattering measurements including multi-angle off-line absorption measurements.
Here we characterize the multiple-scattering factor, C, of the dual-spot Aethalometer AE33 and...