Feature Papers of Aerosol Impacts on Climate and Air Quality

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Aerosols".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 20249

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Pacific Marine Environment Laboratories, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, WA 98115, USA
Interests: radiative effects of aerosols; effects of aerosol on air quality
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Dear Colleagues,

Aerosol particles play a central role in the composition and radiation budget of the atmosphere. The aerosol distribution on global and regional scales is dependent on emission, chemical processing, removal, and horizontal–vertical transport and may significantly affect local and regional air quality. A variety of measurement techniques and numerical modeling tools is used to study aerosol spatial distribution and its effects on atmospheric composition and radiative transfer. The latter take place through a number of processes, from direct scattering and absorption of solar and planetary radiation to indirect effects related to the formation of cloud droplets and ice particles in the troposphere, or even in the stratospheric polar vortices. Other effects may play a substantial role in atmospheric radiative transfer, for example, the aerosol deposition feedback on the albedo of snow/ice covered surfaces or the influence on atmospheric stability due to the absorption of radiation. A reliable estimate of the direct radiative effects can be reached if the vertical distribution of the particles is known, along with their size distribution and chemical composition. A meaningful representation of the indirect effects needs to take several complex microphysical processes into account. Atmospheric aerosols may also cause a negative impact on human health and vegetation. Specific details on emission and chemical mechanisms concerning toxic particulate-borne species are required for an accurate assessment of exposure.

Dr. Patricia K. Quinn
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Anthropogenic and natural emissions
  • Primary and secondary atmospheric aerosols
  • Direct, semidirect, and indirect radiative effects
  • Aerosol–cloud interactions
  • Aerosol microphysics
  • Impact on air quality
  • Toxicity of aerosols
  • Large-scale transport
  • Chemical and physical properties
  • Measurements and modeling

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 9506 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Aeolian Dust Deposition Rates in Different Climate Zones of Southwestern Iran
by Mansour Ahmadi Foroushani, Christian Opp and Michael Groll
Atmosphere 2021, 12(2), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12020229 - 7 Feb 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3236
Abstract
Dust and atmospheric particles have been described in southwestern Iran primarily in terms of load, concentration and transport. The passive deposition, however, has been discussed inadequately. Therefore, the relationships between different climate zones in southwestern Iran and dust deposition rates were quantified between [...] Read more.
Dust and atmospheric particles have been described in southwestern Iran primarily in terms of load, concentration and transport. The passive deposition, however, has been discussed inadequately. Therefore, the relationships between different climate zones in southwestern Iran and dust deposition rates were quantified between 2014 and 2017 using both space- (second modern-era retrospective analysis for research and applications, version 2 reanalysis model) and ground-based (eolian ground deposition rate) tools. In addition, the surface meteorological records, including the wind patterns favoring the occurrence of dust events, were examined. A hot desert climate (BWh), hot semi-arid climate (BSh), and temperate hot and dry summer climate (Csa) were identified as the three dominant climate regions in the study area, exhibiting the highest average dust deposition rates. In this study, correlations between the most relevant climate patterns and deposition rate weather parameters were found to describe a region’s deposition rate when a dust event occurred. Based on these results, the BSh and Csa regions were found to be associated with the seasonal cycle of dust events in March, April, and May, revealing that in the long run meteorological conditions were responsible for the varying dust deposition rates. Relatively, precipitation and temperature were the two major factors influencing dust deposition rates, not wind speed. Moreover, the peak seasonal deposition rates in the spring and summer were 8.40 t km−2 month−1, 6.06 t km−2 month−1, and 3.30 t km−2 month−1 for the BWh, BSh, and Csa climate regions, respectively. However, each of these climate types was directly related to the specific quantity of the dust deposition rates. Overall, the highest dust deposition rates were detected over the years studied were 100.80 t km−2 year−1, 79.27 t km−2 year−1, and 39.60 t km−2 year−1 for BWh, BSh, and Csa, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Aerosol Impacts on Climate and Air Quality)
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18 pages, 5300 KiB  
Article
Effect of Vertical Profile of Aerosols on the Local Shortwave Radiative Forcing Estimation
by Francisco Molero, Alfonso Javier Fernández, María Aránzazu Revuelta, Isabel Martínez-Marco, Manuel Pujadas and Begoña Artíñano
Atmosphere 2021, 12(2), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12020187 - 30 Jan 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2829
Abstract
In this work, the effect of the aerosol vertical distribution on the local shortwave aerosol radiative forcing is studied. We computed the radiative forcing at the top and bottom of the atmosphere between 0.2 and 4 microns using the libRadTran package and compared [...] Read more.
In this work, the effect of the aerosol vertical distribution on the local shortwave aerosol radiative forcing is studied. We computed the radiative forcing at the top and bottom of the atmosphere between 0.2 and 4 microns using the libRadTran package and compared the results with those provided by AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork). Lidar measurements were employed to characterize the aerosol vertical profile, and collocated AERONET measurements provided aerosol optical parameters required to calculate its radiative forcing. A good correlation between the calculated radiative forcings and those provide by AERONET, with differences smaller than 1 W m−2 (15% of estimated radiative forcing), is obtained when a gaussian vertical aerosol profile is assumed. Notwithstanding, when a measured aerosol profile is inserted into the model, differences between radiative forcings can vary up to 6.54 W m−2 (15%), with a mean of differences = −0.74 ± 3.06 W m−2 at BOA and −3.69 W m−2 (13%), with a mean of differences = −0.27 ± 1.32 W m−2 at TOA due to multiple aerosol layers and aerosol types. These results indicate that accurate information about aerosol vertical distribution must be incorporated in the radiative forcing calculation in order to reduce its uncertainties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Aerosol Impacts on Climate and Air Quality)
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25 pages, 5997 KiB  
Article
Source Apportionment of Aerosol at a Coastal Site and Relationships with Precipitation Chemistry: A Case Study over the Southeast United States
by Andrea F. Corral, Hossein Dadashazar, Connor Stahl, Eva-Lou Edwards, Paquita Zuidema and Armin Sorooshian
Atmosphere 2020, 11(11), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11111212 - 10 Nov 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4340
Abstract
This study focuses on the long-term aerosol and precipitation chemistry measurements from colocated monitoring sites in Southern Florida between 2013 and 2018. A positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified six potential emission sources impacting the study area. The PMF model solution yielded the [...] Read more.
This study focuses on the long-term aerosol and precipitation chemistry measurements from colocated monitoring sites in Southern Florida between 2013 and 2018. A positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified six potential emission sources impacting the study area. The PMF model solution yielded the following source concentration profiles: (i) combustion; (ii) fresh sea salt; (iii) aged sea salt; (iv) secondary sulfate; (v) shipping emissions; and (vi) dust. Based on these results, concentration-weighted trajectory maps were developed to identify sources contributing to the PMF factors. Monthly mean precipitation pH values ranged from 4.98 to 5.58, being positively related to crustal species and negatively related to SO42−. Sea salt dominated wet deposition volume-weighted concentrations year-round without much variability in its mass fraction in contrast to stronger seasonal changes in PM2.5 composition where fresh sea salt was far less influential. The highest mean annual deposition fluxes were attributed to Cl, NO3, SO42−, and Na+ between April and October. Nitrate is strongly correlated with dust constituents (unlike sea salt) in precipitation samples, indicative of efficient partitioning to dust. Interrelationships between precipitation chemistry and aerosol species based on long-term surface data provide insight into aerosol–cloud–precipitation interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Aerosol Impacts on Climate and Air Quality)
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Review

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18 pages, 1287 KiB  
Review
Deposition of Aerosols onto Upper Ocean and Their Impacts on Marine Biota
by Andreia Ventura, Eliana F. C. Simões, Antoine S. Almeida, Roberto Martins, Armando C. Duarte, Susana Loureiro and Regina M. B. O. Duarte
Atmosphere 2021, 12(6), 684; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12060684 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8357
Abstract
Atmospheric aerosol deposition (wet and dry) is an important source of macro and micronutrients (N, P, C, Si, and Fe) to the oceans. Most of the mass flux of air particles is made of fine mineral particles emitted from arid or semi-arid areas [...] Read more.
Atmospheric aerosol deposition (wet and dry) is an important source of macro and micronutrients (N, P, C, Si, and Fe) to the oceans. Most of the mass flux of air particles is made of fine mineral particles emitted from arid or semi-arid areas (e.g., deserts) and transported over long distances until deposition to the oceans. However, this atmospheric deposition is affected by anthropogenic activities, which heavily impacts the content and composition of aerosol constituents, contributing to the presence of potentially toxic elements (e.g., Cu). Under this scenario, the deposition of natural and anthropogenic aerosols will impact the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients and toxic elements in the ocean, also affecting (positively or negatively) primary productivity and, ultimately, the marine biota. Given the importance of atmospheric aerosol deposition to the oceans, this paper reviews the existing knowledge on the impacts of aerosol deposition on the biogeochemistry of the upper ocean, and the different responses of marine biota to natural and anthropogenic aerosol input. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers of Aerosol Impacts on Climate and Air Quality)
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