Despite the crucial role of bioaerosol particles (BAP) in our climate system, local ecosystems, and human health, our grasp on their atmospheric interactions is hampered by a lack of high‐resolution and long‐term data, which is essential for understanding their abundance and variability in response to meteorological conditions. To discern these relationships in a high‐altitude mountainous terrain is even less well‐studied. Therefore, we deployed a Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS‐Neo) for three months during the first biologically active season of the Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) campaign in summer 2022 on Mt. Crested Butte in Colorado (elevation 3,140 m ASL). Here, we report real‐time fluorescent BAP (FBAP) data collected from 15 June to 13 September 2022, sampled from within the ARM Aerosol Observing System (AOS). To our knowledge, these are the first high altitude (>3,000 m ASL) continuous measurements of FBAP made in North America. During this deployment, we observed on average 21% and as many as 48% (hourly maximum) of particles within the detection size range ( to ) of the WIBS as FBAP. Our analysis presents the diurnal cycles for seven distinct types of FBAP, showing unique patterns and, in some cases, correlations with temperature and solar radiation cycles. Abundance and composition of FBAP varied with relative humidity and precipitation. Precipitation events appeared to both cause emission and removal of FBAP, whereas dust and smoke events had no significant effect, highlighting the critical role of meteorology on FBAP at high altitudes.
Shawon, Abu Sayeed Md, et al. "Diurnal Trends and Meteorological Factors Influencing the Variability of Fluorescent Bioaerosol in Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado During SAIL." Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres, vol. 130, no. 4, Feb. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JD041186
Shawon, Abu Sayeed Md, Benedict, Katherine B., Gutierrez, Alejandro, & Aiken, Allison C. (2025). Diurnal Trends and Meteorological Factors Influencing the Variability of Fluorescent Bioaerosol in Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado During SAIL. Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres, 130(4). https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JD041186
Shawon, Abu Sayeed Md, Benedict, Katherine B., Gutierrez, Alejandro, et al., "Diurnal Trends and Meteorological Factors Influencing the Variability of Fluorescent Bioaerosol in Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado During SAIL," Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres 130, no. 4 (2025), https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JD041186
@article{osti_2515653,
author = {Shawon, Abu Sayeed Md and Benedict, Katherine B. and Gutierrez, Alejandro and Aiken, Allison C.},
title = {Diurnal Trends and Meteorological Factors Influencing the Variability of Fluorescent Bioaerosol in Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado During SAIL},
annote = {Abstract Despite the crucial role of bioaerosol particles (BAP) in our climate system, local ecosystems, and human health, our grasp on their atmospheric interactions is hampered by a lack of high‐resolution and long‐term data, which is essential for understanding their abundance and variability in response to meteorological conditions. To discern these relationships in a high‐altitude mountainous terrain is even less well‐studied. Therefore, we deployed a Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS‐Neo) for three months during the first biologically active season of the Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) campaign in summer 2022 on Mt. Crested Butte in Colorado (elevation 3,140 m ASL). Here, we report real‐time fluorescent BAP (FBAP) data collected from 15 June to 13 September 2022, sampled from within the ARM Aerosol Observing System (AOS). To our knowledge, these are the first high altitude (>3,000 m ASL) continuous measurements of FBAP made in North America. During this deployment, we observed on average 21% and as many as 48% (hourly maximum) of particles within the detection size range ( to ) of the WIBS as FBAP. Our analysis presents the diurnal cycles for seven distinct types of FBAP, showing unique patterns and, in some cases, correlations with temperature and solar radiation cycles. Abundance and composition of FBAP varied with relative humidity and precipitation. Precipitation events appeared to both cause emission and removal of FBAP, whereas dust and smoke events had no significant effect, highlighting the critical role of meteorology on FBAP at high altitudes.},
doi = {10.1029/2024JD041186},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2515653},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres},
issn = {ISSN 2169-897X},
number = {4},
volume = {130},
place = {United States},
publisher = {American Geophysical Union (AGU)},
year = {2025},
month = {02}}
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Center
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Contributing Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL); Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001
OSTI ID:
2515653
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2515656 OSTI ID: 2518981 OSTI ID: 2532364
Report Number(s):
LA-UR--24-22335; e2024JD041186
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 130; ISSN 2169-897X
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); ARM Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)https://doi.org/10.5439/1225037
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); ARM Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)https://doi.org/10.5439/1250819
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); ARM Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)https://doi.org/10.5439/1476898
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); ARM Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)https://doi.org/10.5439/1807910
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); ARM Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)https://doi.org/10.5439/1824224
Md, Shawon, Abu Sayeed; Aiken, Allison; Benedict, Katherine
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Archive, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); ARM Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)https://doi.org/10.5439/2228932