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Title: Black carbon absorption at the global scale is affected by particle-scale diversity in composition

Abstract

Atmospheric black carbon (BC) exerts a strong, but uncertain, warming effect on the climate. BC that is coated with non-absorbing material absorbs more strongly than the same amount of BC in an uncoated particle, but the magnitude of this absorption enhancement (Eabs) is not well constrained. Modelling studies and laboratory measurements have found stronger absorption enhancement than has been observed in the atmosphere. Here, using a particle-resolved aerosol model to simulate diverse BC populations, we show that absorption is overestimated by as much as a factor of two if diversity is neglected and population-averaged composition is assumed across all BC-containing particles. If, instead, composition diversity is resolved, we find Eabs=1-1.5 at low relative humidity, consistent with ambient observations. This study offers not only an explanation for the discrepancy between modelled and observed absorption enhancement, but also demonstrates how particle-scale simulations can be used to develop relationships for global-scale models.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [4]
  1. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Dept. of Environmental and Climate Sciences; Univ. Corp. for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States). Visiting Scientists Program
  2. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States). Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  3. NASA Goddard Inst. for Space Studies (GISS), New York, NY (United States); City Univ. of New York (CUNY), NY (United States); Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States). The Earth Inst.
  4. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1623842
Grant/Contract Number:  
FG02-08ER64533; R83504201; NNX09AK66G
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
Science & Technology - Other Topics

Citation Formats

Fierce, Laura, Bond, Tami C., Bauer, Susanne E., Mena, Francisco, and Riemer, Nicole. Black carbon absorption at the global scale is affected by particle-scale diversity in composition. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1038/ncomms12361.
Fierce, Laura, Bond, Tami C., Bauer, Susanne E., Mena, Francisco, & Riemer, Nicole. Black carbon absorption at the global scale is affected by particle-scale diversity in composition. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12361
Fierce, Laura, Bond, Tami C., Bauer, Susanne E., Mena, Francisco, and Riemer, Nicole. Thu . "Black carbon absorption at the global scale is affected by particle-scale diversity in composition". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12361. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1623842.
@article{osti_1623842,
title = {Black carbon absorption at the global scale is affected by particle-scale diversity in composition},
author = {Fierce, Laura and Bond, Tami C. and Bauer, Susanne E. and Mena, Francisco and Riemer, Nicole},
abstractNote = {Atmospheric black carbon (BC) exerts a strong, but uncertain, warming effect on the climate. BC that is coated with non-absorbing material absorbs more strongly than the same amount of BC in an uncoated particle, but the magnitude of this absorption enhancement (Eabs) is not well constrained. Modelling studies and laboratory measurements have found stronger absorption enhancement than has been observed in the atmosphere. Here, using a particle-resolved aerosol model to simulate diverse BC populations, we show that absorption is overestimated by as much as a factor of two if diversity is neglected and population-averaged composition is assumed across all BC-containing particles. If, instead, composition diversity is resolved, we find Eabs=1-1.5 at low relative humidity, consistent with ambient observations. This study offers not only an explanation for the discrepancy between modelled and observed absorption enhancement, but also demonstrates how particle-scale simulations can be used to develop relationships for global-scale models.},
doi = {10.1038/ncomms12361},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = 1,
volume = 7,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

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