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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 34, L18806, doi:10.1029/2007GL030502, 2007

Correlations between optical, chemical and physical properties of biomass burn aerosols

R. J. Hopkins

Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA


K. Lewis

Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA


Y. Desyaterik

William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA


Z. Wang

Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
College of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA


A. V. Tivanski

Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA


W. P. Arnott

Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA


A. Laskin

William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA


M. K. Gilles

Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA


Abstract

Aerosols generated from burning different plant fuels were characterized to determine relationships between chemical, optical and physical properties. Single scattering albedo (ω) and Angstrom absorption coefficients (α ap) were measured using a photoacoustic technique combined with a reciprocal nephelometer. Carbon-to-oxygen atomic ratios, sp2 hybridization, elemental composition and morphology of individual particles were measured using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy coupled with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (STXM/NEXAFS) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersion of X-rays (SEM/EDX). Particles were grouped into three categories based on sp2 hybridization and chemical composition. Measured ω (0.4 − 1.0 at 405 nm) and α ap (1.0 − 3.5) values displayed a fuel dependence. The category with sp2 hybridization >80% had values of ω (<0.5) and α ap (∼1.25) characteristic of light absorbing soot. Other categories with lower sp2 hybridization (20 to 60%) exhibited higher ω (>0.8) and α ap (1.0 to 3.5) values, indicating increased absorption spectral selectivity.

Received 25 April 2007; accepted 14 August 2007; published 20 September 2007.

Keywords: biomass burn; aerosol; black carbon.

Index Terms: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906); 3311 Atmospheric Processes: Clouds and aerosols; 1610 Global Change: Atmosphere (0315, 0325).

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Citation: Hopkins, R. J., K. Lewis, Y. Desyaterik, Z. Wang, A. V. Tivanski, W. P. Arnott, A. Laskin, and M. K. Gilles (2007), Correlations between optical, chemical and physical properties of biomass burn aerosols, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L18806, doi:10.1029/2007GL030502.