Articles | Volume 19, issue 14
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6403-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6403-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Development and technical paper
| 
17 Jul 2026
Development and technical paper |
| 17 Jul 2026
| 17 Jul 2026
Machine learning significantly improves the simulation of hourly-to-yearly scale cloud nuclei concentration and radiative forcing in polluted atmosphere
Jingye Ren
State Key Laboratory of Loess Science, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China
Xi'an Institute for Innovative Earth Environment Research, Xi'an, 710061, China
Songjian Zou
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Eco-Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
Honghao Xu
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Eco-Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
Guiquan Liu
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Eco-Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
Zhe Wang
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Eco-Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
Anran Zhang
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Eco-Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
Chuanfeng Zhao
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Dongjie Shang
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Lizi Tang
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Ru-Jin Huang
State Key Laboratory of Loess Science, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China
State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, School of Eco-Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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This study investigates the impact of smoke on atmospheric warming over the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau (HTP) using MODIS fire data, ground-based and satellite aerosol observations, and model simulations. It finds that smoke aerosols, predominantly concentrated between 6 and 8 km in the mid-troposphere over southern HTP, likely alter regional atmospheric stability by modifying the vertical temperature profile, as indicated by a reduced lapse rate.
Huiyun Du, Jie Li, Xueshun Chen, Gabriele Curci, Fangqun Yu, Yele Sun, Xu Dao, Song Guo, Zhe Wang, Wenyi Yang, Lianfang Wei, and Zifa Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5665–5681, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5665-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5665-2025, 2025
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Inadequate consideration of mixing states and coatings on black carbon (BC) hinders aerosol radiation forcing quantification. Core–shell mixing aligns well with observations, but partial internal mixing is a more realistic representation. We used a microphysics module to determine the fraction of embedded BC and coating aerosols, constraining the mixing state. This reduced absorption enhancement by 30 %–43 % in northern China, offering insights into BC's radiative effects.
Jingye Ren, Songjian Zou, Honghao Xu, Guiquan Liu, Zhe Wang, Anran Zhang, Chuanfeng Zhao, Min Hu, Dongjie Shang, Lizi Tang, Ru-Jin Huang, Yele Sun, and Fang Zhang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1483, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1483, 2025
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In this study, a new framework of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) prediction in polluted region has been developed and it achieves well prediction of hourly-to-yearly scale across North China Plain. The study reveals a significant long-term decreasing trend of CCN concentration at typical supersaturations due to a rapid reduction in aerosol concentrations from 2014 to 2018. This improvement of our new model would be helpful to aerosols climate effect assessment in models.
Jieyao Liu, Fang Zhang, Jingye Ren, Lu Chen, Anran Zhang, Zhe Wang, Songjian Zou, Honghao Xu, and Xingyan Yue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5075–5086, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5075-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5075-2025, 2025
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Particle mixing states and aging timescales are important for the evaluation of aerosol climate effects, but they are poorly parameterized in current models. We unravel the evolution of real-time mixing states and the aging timescale of size-resolved particles based on field measurements in urban Beijing. This study provides an observational basis for accurately parameterizing the aging timescale of aerosol particles in climate models.
Tiantian Wang, Jun Zhang, Houssni Lamkaddam, Kun Li, Ka Yuen Cheung, Lisa Kattner, Erlend Gammelsæter, Michael Bauer, Zachary C. J. Decker, Deepika Bhattu, Rujin Huang, Rob L. Modini, Jay G. Slowik, Imad El Haddad, Andre S. H. Prevot, and David M. Bell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2707–2724, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2707-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2707-2025, 2025
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Our study analyzes real-time emissions of organic vapors from solid fuel combustion. Using the mass spectrometer, we tested various fuels, finding higher emission factors for organic vapors from wood burning. Intermediate-volatility organic compounds constituted a significant fraction of emissions in solid fuel combustion. Statistical tests identified unique potential markers. Our insights benefit air quality, climate, and health, aiding accurate emission assessments.
Ye Kuang, Jiangchuan Tao, Hanbing Xu, Li Liu, Pengfei Liu, Wanyun Xu, Weiqi Xu, Yele Sun, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1163–1174, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1163-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1163-2025, 2025
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This study presents a novel optical framework to measure supersaturation, a fundamental parameter in cloud physics, by observing the scattering properties of particles that have or have not grown into cloud droplets. The technique offers high-resolution measurements, capturing essential fluctuations in supersaturation necessary for understanding cloud physics.
Hongyi Li, Ting Yang, Lars Nerger, Dawei Zhang, Di Zhang, Guigang Tang, Haibo Wang, Yele Sun, Pingqing Fu, Hang Su, and Zifa Wang
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 8495–8519, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8495-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8495-2024, 2024
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To accurately characterize the spatiotemporal distribution of particulate matter <2.5 µm chemical components, we developed the Nested Air Quality Prediction Model System with the Parallel Data Assimilation Framework (NAQPMS-PDAF) v2.0 for chemical components with non-Gaussian and nonlinear properties. NAQPMS-PDAF v2.0 has better computing efficiency, excels when used with a small ensemble size, and can significantly improve the simulation performance of chemical components.
Wei Yuan, Ru-Jin Huang, Chao Luo, Lu Yang, Wenjuan Cao, Jie Guo, and Huinan Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13219–13230, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13219-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13219-2024, 2024
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We characterized water-soluble oxidative potential (OP) levels in wintertime PM2.5 in the south and north of Beijing. Our results show that the volume-normalized dithiothreitol (DTTv) in the north was comparable to that in the south, while the mass-normalized dithiothreitol (DTTm) in the north was almost twice that in the south. Traffic-related emissions and biomass burning were the main sources of DTTv in the south, and traffic-related emissions contributed the most to DTTv in the north.
Xinya Liu, Diego Alves Gouveia, Bas Henzing, Arnoud Apituley, Arjan Hensen, Danielle van Dinther, Rujin Huang, and Ulrike Dusek
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9597–9614, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9597-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9597-2024, 2024
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The vertical distribution of aerosol optical properties is important for their effect on climate. This is usually measured by lidar, which has limitations, most notably the assumption of a lidar ratio. Our study shows that routine surface-level aerosol measurements are able to predict this lidar ratio reasonably well within the lower layers of the atmosphere and thus provide a relatively simple and cost-effective method to improve lidar measurements.
Weiqi Xu, Ye Kuang, Wanyun Xu, Zhiqiang Zhang, Biao Luo, Xiaoyi Zhang, Jiangchuang Tao, Hongqin Qiao, Li Liu, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9387–9399, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9387-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9387-2024, 2024
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We deployed an advanced aerosol–fog sampling system at a rural site in the North China Plain to investigate impacts of aerosol hygroscopic growth and activation on the physicochemical properties of submicron aerosols. Observed results highlighted remarkably different aqueous processing of primary and secondary submicron aerosol components under distinct ambient relative humidity (RH) conditions and that RH levels significantly impact aerosol sampling through the aerosol swelling effect.
Jiangchuan Tao, Biao Luo, Weiqi Xu, Gang Zhao, Hanbin Xu, Biao Xue, Miaomiao Zhai, Wanyun Xu, Huarong Zhao, Sanxue Ren, Guangsheng Zhou, Li Liu, Ye Kuang, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9131–9154, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9131-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9131-2024, 2024
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Using simultaneous measurements of DMA–CCNC, H(/V)TDMA, and DMA–SP2, impacts of primary emissions and secondary aerosol formations on changes in aerosol physicochemical properties were comprehensively investigated. It was found that intercomparisons among aerosol mixing-state parameters derived from different techniques can help us gain more insight into aerosol physical properties which, in turn, will aid the investigation of emission characteristics and secondary aerosol formation pathways.
Zijun Zhang, Weiqi Xu, Yi Zhang, Wei Zhou, Xiangyu Xu, Aodong Du, Yinzhou Zhang, Hongqin Qiao, Ye Kuang, Xiaole Pan, Zifa Wang, Xueling Cheng, Lanzhong Liu, Qingyan Fu, Douglas R. Worsnop, Jie Li, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8473–8488, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8473-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8473-2024, 2024
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We investigated aerosol composition and sources and the interaction between secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and clouds at a regional mountain site in southeastern China. Clouds efficiently scavenge more oxidized SOA; however, cloud evaporation leads to the production of less oxidized SOA. The unexpectedly high presence of nitrate in aerosol particles indicates that nitrate formed in polluted areas has undergone interactions with clouds, significantly influencing the regional background site.
Hongfei Hao, Kaicun Wang, Chuanfeng Zhao, Guocan Wu, and Jing Li
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3233–3260, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3233-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3233-2024, 2024
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In this study, we employed a machine learning technique to derive daily aerosol optical depth from hourly visibility observations collected at more than 5000 airports worldwide from 1959 to 2021 combined with reanalysis meteorological parameters.
Jing Duan, Ru-Jin Huang, Ying Wang, Wei Xu, Haobin Zhong, Chunshui Lin, Wei Huang, Yifang Gu, Jurgita Ovadnevaite, Darius Ceburnis, and Colin O'Dowd
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7687–7698, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7687-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7687-2024, 2024
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The chemical composition of atmospheric particles has shown significant changes in recent years. We investigated the potential effects of changes in inorganics on aerosol water uptake and, thus, secondary organic aerosol formation in wintertime haze based on the size-resolved measurements of non-refractory fine particulate matter (NR-PM2.5) in Xi’an, northwestern China. We highlight the key role of aerosol water as a medium to link inorganics and organics in their multiphase processes.
Ming Chu, Xing Wei, Shangfei Hai, Yang Gao, Huiwang Gao, Yujiao Zhu, Biwu Chu, Nan Ma, Juan Hong, Yele Sun, and Xiaohong Yao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6769–6786, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6769-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6769-2024, 2024
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We used a 20-bin WRF-Chem model to simulate NPF events in the NCP during a three-week observational period in the summer of 2019. The model was able to reproduce the observations during June 29–July 6, which was characterized by a high frequency of NPF occurrence.
Zhiqiang Zhang, Ying Li, Haiyan Ran, Junling An, Yu Qu, Wei Zhou, Weiqi Xu, Weiwei Hu, Hongbin Xie, Zifa Wang, Yele Sun, and Manabu Shiraiwa
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4809–4826, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4809-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4809-2024, 2024
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Secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) can exist in liquid, semi-solid, or amorphous solid states, which are rarely accounted for in current chemical transport models. We predict the phase state of SOA particles over China and find that in northwestern China SOA particles are mostly highly viscous or glassy solid. Our results indicate that the particle phase state should be considered in SOA formation in chemical transport models for more accurate prediction of SOA mass concentrations.
Xinya Liu, Bas Henzing, Arjan Hensen, Jan Mulder, Peng Yao, Danielle van Dinther, Jerry van Bronckhorst, Rujin Huang, and Ulrike Dusek
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 3405–3420, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3405-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3405-2024, 2024
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We evaluated the time-of-flight aerosol chemical speciation monitor (TOF-ACSM) following the implementation of the PM2.5 aerodynamic lens and a capture vaporizer (CV). The results showed that it significantly improved the accuracy and precision of ACSM in the field observations. The paper elucidates the measurement outcomes of various instruments and provides an analysis of their biases. This comprehensive evaluation is expected to benefit the ACSM community and other aerosol field measurements.
Yu-Kai Tong, Zhijun Wu, Min Hu, and Anpei Ye
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2937–2950, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2937-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2937-2024, 2024
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The interplay between aerosols and moisture is one of the most crucial atmospheric processes. However, to date, literature results on the influence of phase separation on water diffusion in aerosols are divergent. This work directly unveiled the water diffusion process in single suspended phase-separated microdroplets and quantitatively analyzed the diffusion rate and extent. The results show that diffusion limitations and certain molecule clusters existed in the phase-separated aerosols.
Xiangxinyue Meng, Zhijun Wu, Jingchuan Chen, Yanting Qiu, Taomou Zong, Mijung Song, Jiyi Lee, and Min Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2399–2414, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2399-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2399-2024, 2024
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Our study revealed that particles predominantly exist in a semi-solid or solid state during clean winter days with RH below 30 %. However, a non-liquid to a liquid phase transition occurred when the aerosol liquid water (ALW) mass fraction surpassed 15 % (dry mass) at transition RH thresholds ranging from 40 % to 60 %. We also provide insights into the increasingly important roles of particle phase state variation and ALW in secondary particulate growth during haze formation in Beijing, China.
Feifan Yan, Hang Su, Yafang Cheng, Rujin Huang, Hong Liao, Ting Yang, Yuanyuan Zhu, Shaoqing Zhang, Lifang Sheng, Wenbin Kou, Xinran Zeng, Shengnan Xiang, Xiaohong Yao, Huiwang Gao, and Yang Gao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2365–2376, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2365-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2365-2024, 2024
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PM2.5 pollution is a major air quality issue deteriorating human health, and previous studies mostly focus on regions like the North China Plain and Yangtze River Delta. However, the characteristics of PM2.5 concentrations between these two regions are studied less often. Focusing on the transport corridor region, we identify an interesting seesaw transport phenomenon with stagnant weather conditions, conducive to PM2.5 accumulation over this region, resulting in large health effects.
Shuzheng Guo, Chunxiang Ye, Weili Lin, Yi Chen, Limin Zeng, Xuena Yu, Jinhui Cui, Chong Zhang, Jing Duan, Haobin Zhong, Rujin Huang, Xuguang Chi, Wei Nie, and Aijun Ding
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-262, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-262, 2024
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@Tibet field campaigns 2021 discovered surprisingly high levels and activity contributions of oxygenated volatile organic compounds on the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau, which suggests that OVOCs may play a larger role in the chemical reactions that occur in high-altitude regions than previously thought.
Xinlei Ge, Yele Sun, Justin Trousdell, Mindong Chen, and Qi Zhang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 423–439, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-423-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-423-2024, 2024
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This study aims to enhance the application of the Aerodyne high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-AMS) in characterizing organic nitrogen (ON) species within aerosol particles and droplets. A thorough analysis was conducted on 75 ON standards that represent a diverse spectrum of ambient ON types. The results underscore the capacity of the HR-AMS in examining the concentration and chemistry of atmospheric ON compounds, thereby offering insights into their sources and environmental impacts.
Can Ye, Keding Lu, Xuefei Ma, Wanyi Qiu, Shule Li, Xinping Yang, Chaoyang Xue, Tianyu Zhai, Yuhan Liu, Xuan Li, Yang Li, Haichao Wang, Zhaofeng Tan, Xiaorui Chen, Huabin Dong, Limin Zeng, Min Hu, and Yuanhang Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15455–15472, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15455-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15455-2023, 2023
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In this study, combining comprehensive field measurements and a box model, we found NO2 conversion on the ground surface was the most important source for HONO production among the proposed heterogeneous and gas-phase HONO sources. In addition, HONO was found to evidently enhance O3 production and aggravate O3 pollution in summer in China. Our study improved our understanding of the relative importance of different HONO sources and the crucial role of HONO in O3 formation in polluted areas.
Yuquan Gong, Ru-Jin Huang, Lu Yang, Ting Wang, Wei Yuan, Wei Xu, Wenjuan Cao, Yang Wang, and Yongjie Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15197–15207, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15197-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15197-2023, 2023
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This study reveals the large day–night differences in brown carbon (BrC) chromophore composition, which was not known previously. The results provide insights into the effects of atmospheric processes and emissions on BrC composition.
Aodong Du, Jiaxing Sun, Hang Liu, Weiqi Xu, Wei Zhou, Yuting Zhang, Lei Li, Xubing Du, Yan Li, Xiaole Pan, Zifa Wang, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13597–13611, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13597-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13597-2023, 2023
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We characterized the impacts of emission controls on particle mixing state and density during the Beijing Olympic Winter Games using a SPAMS in tandem with a DMA and an AAC. OC and sulfate-containing particles increased, while those from primary emissions decreased. The effective particle densities increased and varied largely for different particles, highlighting the impacts of aging and formation processes on the changes of particle density and mixing state.
Tao Wang, Hang Liu, Jie Li, Shuai Wang, Youngseob Kim, Yele Sun, Wenyi Yang, Huiyun Du, Zhe Wang, and Zifa Wang
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 5585–5599, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5585-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5585-2023, 2023
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This paper developed a two-way coupled module in a new version of a regional urban–street network model, IAQMS-street v2.0, in which the mass flux from streets to background is considered. Test cases are defined to evaluate the performance of IAQMS-street v2.0 in Beijing by comparing it with that simulated by IAQMS-street v1.0 and a regional model. The contribution of local emissions and the influence of on-road vehicle control measures on air quality are evaluated by using IAQMS-street v2.0.
Xiaodong Xie, Jianlin Hu, Momei Qin, Song Guo, Min Hu, Dongsheng Ji, Hongli Wang, Shengrong Lou, Cheng Huang, Chong Liu, Hongliang Zhang, Qi Ying, Hong Liao, and Yuanhang Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10563–10578, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10563-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10563-2023, 2023
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The atmospheric age of particles reflects how long particles have been formed and suspended in the atmosphere, which is closely associated with the evolution processes of particles. An analysis of the atmospheric age of PM2.5 provides a unique perspective on the evolution processes of different PM2.5 components. The results also shed lights on how to design effective emission control actions under unfavorable meteorological conditions.
Yong Zhang, Jie Tian, Qiyuan Wang, Lu Qi, Manousos Ioannis Manousakas, Yuemei Han, Weikang Ran, Yele Sun, Huikun Liu, Renjian Zhang, Yunfei Wu, Tianqu Cui, Kaspar Rudolf Daellenbach, Jay Gates Slowik, André S. H. Prévôt, and Junji Cao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9455–9471, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9455-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9455-2023, 2023
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PM2.5 pollution still frequently occurs in northern China during winter, and it is necessary to figure out the causes of air pollution based on intensive real-time measurement. The findings elaborate the chemical characteristics and source contributions of PM2.5 in three pilot cities, reveal potential formation mechanisms of secondary aerosols, and highlight the importance of controlling biomass burning and inhibiting generation of secondary aerosol for air quality improvement.
Taomou Zong, Zhijun Wu, Junrui Wang, Kai Bi, Wenxu Fang, Yanrong Yang, Xuena Yu, Zhier Bao, Xiangxinyue Meng, Yuheng Zhang, Song Guo, Yang Chen, Chunshan Liu, Yue Zhang, Shao-Meng Li, and Min Hu
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3679–3692, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3679-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3679-2023, 2023
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This study developed and characterized an indoor chamber system (AIR) to simulate atmospheric multiphase chemistry processes. The AIR chamber can accurately control temperature and relative humidity (RH) over a broad range and simulate diurnal variation of ambient atmospheric RH. The aerosol generation unit can generate organic-coating seed particles with different phase states. The AIR chamber demonstrates high-quality performance in simulating secondary aerosol formation.
Hejun Hu, Haichao Wang, Keding Lu, Jie Wang, Zelong Zheng, Xuezhen Xu, Tianyu Zhai, Xiaorui Chen, Xiao Lu, Wenxing Fu, Xin Li, Limin Zeng, Min Hu, Yuanhang Zhang, and Shaojia Fan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8211–8223, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8211-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8211-2023, 2023
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Nitrate radical chemistry is critical to the degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and secondary organic aerosol formation. This work investigated the level, seasonal variation, and trend of nitrate radical reactivity towards volatile organic compounds (kNO3) in Beijing. We show the key role of isoprene and styrene in regulating seasonal variation in kNO3 and rebuild a long-term record of kNO3 based on the reported VOC measurements.
Hao Fan, Xingchuan Yang, Chuanfeng Zhao, Yikun Yang, and Zhenyao Shen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7781–7798, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7781-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7781-2023, 2023
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Using 20-year multi-source data, this study shows pronounced regional and seasonal variations in fire activities and emissions. Seasonal variability of fires is larger with increasing latitude. The increase in temperature in the Northern Hemisphere's middle- and high-latitude forest regions was primarily responsible for the increase in fires and emissions, while the changes in fire occurrence in tropical regions were more influenced by the decrease in precipitation and relative humidity.
Hang Liu, Xiaole Pan, Shandong Lei, Yuting Zhang, Aodong Du, Weijie Yao, Guiqian Tang, Tao Wang, Jinyuan Xin, Jie Li, Yele Sun, Junji Cao, and Zifa Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7225–7239, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7225-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7225-2023, 2023
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We provide the average vertical profiles of black carbon (BC) concentration, size distribution and coating thickness at different times of the day in an urban area based on 112 vertical profiles. In addition, it is found that BC in the residual layer generally has a thicker coating, higher absorption enhancement and hygroscopicity than on the surface. Such aged BC could enter into the boundary layer and influence the BC properties in the early morning.
Lei Kong, Xiao Tang, Jiang Zhu, Zifa Wang, Yele Sun, Pingqing Fu, Meng Gao, Huangjian Wu, Miaomiao Lu, Qian Wu, Shuyuan Huang, Wenxuan Sui, Jie Li, Xiaole Pan, Lin Wu, Hajime Akimoto, and Gregory R. Carmichael
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6217–6240, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6217-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6217-2023, 2023
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A multi-air-pollutant inversion system has been developed in this study to estimate emission changes in China during COVID-19 lockdown. The results demonstrate that the lockdown is largely a nationwide road traffic control measure with NOx emissions decreasing by ~40 %. Emissions of other species only decreased by ~10 % due to smaller effects of lockdown on other sectors. Assessment results further indicate that the lockdown only had limited effects on the control of PM2.5 and O3 in China.
Joanna E. Dyson, Lisa K. Whalley, Eloise J. Slater, Robert Woodward-Massey, Chunxiang Ye, James D. Lee, Freya Squires, James R. Hopkins, Rachel E. Dunmore, Marvin Shaw, Jacqueline F. Hamilton, Alastair C. Lewis, Stephen D. Worrall, Asan Bacak, Archit Mehra, Thomas J. Bannan, Hugh Coe, Carl J. Percival, Bin Ouyang, C. Nicholas Hewitt, Roderic L. Jones, Leigh R. Crilley, Louisa J. Kramer, W. Joe F. Acton, William J. Bloss, Supattarachai Saksakulkrai, Jingsha Xu, Zongbo Shi, Roy M. Harrison, Simone Kotthaus, Sue Grimmond, Yele Sun, Weiqi Xu, Siyao Yue, Lianfang Wei, Pingqing Fu, Xinming Wang, Stephen R. Arnold, and Dwayne E. Heard
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5679–5697, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5679-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5679-2023, 2023
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The hydroxyl (OH) and closely coupled hydroperoxyl (HO2) radicals are vital for their role in the removal of atmospheric pollutants. In less polluted regions, atmospheric models over-predict HO2 concentrations. In this modelling study, the impact of heterogeneous uptake of HO2 onto aerosol surfaces on radical concentrations and the ozone production regime in Beijing in the summertime is investigated, and the implications for emissions policies across China are considered.
Yifang Gu, Ru-Jin Huang, Jing Duan, Wei Xu, Chunshui Lin, Haobin Zhong, Ying Wang, Haiyan Ni, Quan Liu, Ruiguang Xu, Litao Wang, and Yong Jie Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5419–5433, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5419-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5419-2023, 2023
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Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) can be produced by various pathways, but its formation mechanisms are unclear. Observations were conducted in the North China Plain during a highly oxidizing atmosphere in summer. We found that fast photochemistry dominated SOA formation during daytime. Two types of aqueous-phase chemistry (nocturnal and daytime processing) take place at high relative humidity. The potential transformation from primary organic aerosol (POA) to SOA was also an important pathway.
Lizi Tang, Min Hu, Dongjie Shang, Xin Fang, Jianjiong Mao, Wanyun Xu, Jiacheng Zhou, Weixiong Zhao, Yaru Wang, Chong Zhang, Yingjie Zhang, Jianlin Hu, Limin Zeng, Chunxiang Ye, Song Guo, and Zhijun Wu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4343–4359, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4343-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4343-2023, 2023
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There was an evident distinction in the frequency of new particle formation (NPF) events at Nam Co station on the Tibetan Plateau: 15 % in pre-monsoon season and 80 % in monsoon season. The frequent NPF events in monsoon season resulted from the higher frequency of southerly air masses, which brought the organic precursors to participate in the NPF process. It increased the amount of aerosol and CCN compared with those in pre-monsoon season, which may markedly affect earth's radiation balance.
Shixian Zhai, Daniel J. Jacob, Drew C. Pendergrass, Nadia K. Colombi, Viral Shah, Laura Hyesung Yang, Qiang Zhang, Shuxiao Wang, Hwajin Kim, Yele Sun, Jin-Soo Choi, Jin-Soo Park, Gan Luo, Fangqun Yu, Jung-Hun Woo, Younha Kim, Jack E. Dibb, Taehyoung Lee, Jin-Seok Han, Bruce E. Anderson, Ke Li, and Hong Liao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4271–4281, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4271-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4271-2023, 2023
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Anthropogenic fugitive dust in East Asia not only causes severe coarse particulate matter air pollution problems, but also affects fine particulate nitrate. Due to emission control efforts, coarse PM decreased steadily. We find that the decrease of coarse PM is a major driver for a lack of decrease of fine particulate nitrate, as it allows more nitric acid to form fine particulate nitrate. The continuing decrease of coarse PM requires more stringent ammonia and nitrogen oxides emission controls.
Jingye Ren, Lu Chen, Jieyao Liu, and Fang Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4327–4342, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4327-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4327-2023, 2023
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The density of black carbon (BC) is linked to its morphology and mixing state and could cause uncertainty in evaluating cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity. A method for retrieving the mixing state and density of BC in the urban atmosphere is developed. The mean retrieval density of internally mixed BC was lower, assuming void-free spherical structures. Our study suggests the importance of accounting for variable BC density in models when assessing its climate effect in urban atmosphere.
Chunshui Lin, Ru-Jin Huang, Haobin Zhong, Jing Duan, Zixi Wang, Wei Huang, and Wei Xu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3595–3607, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3595-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3595-2023, 2023
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The complex interaction between O3 and PM2.5, coupled with the topology of the Fenwei Plain and the evolution of the boundary layer height, highlights the challenges in further reducing particulate pollution in winter despite years of efforts to reduce emissions. Through scenario analysis in a chemical box model constrained by observation, we show the co-benefits of reducing NOx and VOCs simultaneously in reducing ozone and SOA.
Huanhuan Zhang, Rui Li, Chengpeng Huang, Xiaofei Li, Shuwei Dong, Fu Wang, Tingting Li, Yizhu Chen, Guohua Zhang, Yan Ren, Qingcai Chen, Ru-jin Huang, Siyu Chen, Tao Xue, Xinming Wang, and Mingjin Tang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3543–3559, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3543-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3543-2023, 2023
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This work investigated the seasonal variation of aerosol Fe solubility for coarse and fine particles in Xi’an, a megacity in northwestern China severely affected by anthropogenic emission and desert dust aerosol. In addition, we discussed in depth what controlled aerosol Fe solubility at different seasons for coarse and fine particles.
Shujun Zhong, Shuang Chen, Junjun Deng, Yanbing Fan, Qiang Zhang, Qiaorong Xie, Yulin Qi, Wei Hu, Libin Wu, Xiaodong Li, Chandra Mouli Pavuluri, Jialei Zhu, Xin Wang, Di Liu, Xiaole Pan, Yele Sun, Zifa Wang, Yisheng Xu, Haijie Tong, Hang Su, Yafang Cheng, Kimitaka Kawamura, and Pingqing Fu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2061–2077, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2061-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2061-2023, 2023
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This study investigated the role of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) loading on the molecular composition of wintertime urban aerosols by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. Results demonstrate that the SOA loading is an important factor associated with the oxidation degree, nitrate group content, and chemodiversity of nitrooxy–organosulfates. Our study also found that the hydrolysis of nitrooxy–organosulfates is a possible pathway for the formation of organosulfates.
Yuying Wang, Rong Hu, Qiuyan Wang, Zhanqing Li, Maureen Cribb, Yele Sun, Xiaorui Song, Yi Shang, Yixuan Wu, Xin Huang, and Yuxiang Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14133–14146, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14133-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14133-2022, 2022
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The mixing state of size-resolved soot particles and their influencing factors were investigated. The results suggest anthropogenic emissions and aging processes have diverse impacts on the mixing state of soot particles in different modes. Considering that the mixing state of soot particles is crucial to model aerosol absorption, this finding is important to study particle growth and the warming effect of black carbon aerosols.
Futing Wang, Ting Yang, Zifa Wang, Haibo Wang, Xi Chen, Yele Sun, Jianjun Li, Guigang Tang, and Wenxuan Chai
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6127–6144, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6127-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6127-2022, 2022
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We develop a new algorithm to get the vertical mass concentration profiles of fine aerosol components based on the synergy of ground-based remote sensing for the first time. The comparisons with in situ observations and chemistry transport models validate the performance of the algorithm. Uncertainties caused by input parameters are also assessed in this paper. We expected that the algorithm can provide a new idea for lidar inversion and promote the development of aerosol component profiles.
Ruiqi Man, Zhijun Wu, Taomou Zong, Aristeidis Voliotis, Yanting Qiu, Johannes Größ, Dominik van Pinxteren, Limin Zeng, Hartmut Herrmann, Alfred Wiedensohler, and Min Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12387–12399, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12387-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12387-2022, 2022
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Regional and total deposition doses for different age groups were quantified based on explicit hygroscopicity measurements. We found that particle hygroscopic growth led to a reduction (~24 %) in the total dose. The deposition rate of hygroscopic particles was higher in the daytime, while hydrophobic particles exhibited a higher rate at night and during rush hours. The results will deepen the understanding of the impact of hygroscopicity and the mixing state on deposition patterns in the lungs.
Chao Yan, Yicheng Shen, Dominik Stolzenburg, Lubna Dada, Ximeng Qi, Simo Hakala, Anu-Maija Sundström, Yishuo Guo, Antti Lipponen, Tom V. Kokkonen, Jenni Kontkanen, Runlong Cai, Jing Cai, Tommy Chan, Liangduo Chen, Biwu Chu, Chenjuan Deng, Wei Du, Xiaolong Fan, Xu-Cheng He, Juha Kangasluoma, Joni Kujansuu, Mona Kurppa, Chang Li, Yiran Li, Zhuohui Lin, Yiliang Liu, Yuliang Liu, Yiqun Lu, Wei Nie, Jouni Pulliainen, Xiaohui Qiao, Yonghong Wang, Yifan Wen, Ye Wu, Gan Yang, Lei Yao, Rujing Yin, Gen Zhang, Shaojun Zhang, Feixue Zheng, Ying Zhou, Antti Arola, Johanna Tamminen, Pauli Paasonen, Yele Sun, Lin Wang, Neil M. Donahue, Yongchun Liu, Federico Bianchi, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Douglas R. Worsnop, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Aijun Ding, Jingkun Jiang, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12207–12220, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12207-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12207-2022, 2022
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Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is a dominant source of atmospheric ultrafine particles. In urban environments, traffic emissions are a major source of primary pollutants, but their contribution to NPF remains under debate. During the COVID-19 lockdown, traffic emissions were significantly reduced, providing a unique chance to examine their relevance to NPF. Based on our comprehensive measurements, we demonstrate that traffic emissions alone are not able to explain the NPF in Beijing.
Mengying Li, Shaocai Yu, Xue Chen, Zhen Li, Yibo Zhang, Zhe Song, Weiping Liu, Pengfei Li, Xiaoye Zhang, Meigen Zhang, Yele Sun, Zirui Liu, Caiping Sun, Jingkun Jiang, Shuxiao Wang, Benjamin N. Murphy, Kiran Alapaty, Rohit Mathur, Daniel Rosenfeld, and John H. Seinfeld
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11845–11866, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11845-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11845-2022, 2022
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This study constructed an emission inventory of condensable particulate matter (CPM) in China with a focus on organic aerosols (OAs), based on collected CPM emission information. The results show that OA emissions are enhanced twofold for the years 2014 and 2017 after the inclusion of CPM in the new inventory. Sensitivity cases demonstrated the significant contributions of CPM emissions from stationary combustion and mobile sources to primary, secondary, and total OA concentrations.
Gang Zhao, Tianyi Tan, Shuya Hu, Zhuofei Du, Dongjie Shang, Zhijun Wu, Song Guo, Jing Zheng, Wenfei Zhu, Mengren Li, Limin Zeng, and Min Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10861–10873, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10861-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10861-2022, 2022
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Black carbon is the second strongest absorbing component in the atmosphere that exerts warming effects on climate. One critical challenge in quantifying the ambient black carbon's radiative effects is addressing the BC microphysical properties. In this study, the microphysical properties of the aged and fresh BC particles are synthetically analyzed under different atmospheres. The measurement results can be further used in models to help constrain the uncertainties of the BC radiative effects.
Zhiqiang Zhang, Yele Sun, Chun Chen, Bo You, Aodong Du, Weiqi Xu, Yan Li, Zhijie Li, Lu Lei, Wei Zhou, Jiaxing Sun, Yanmei Qiu, Lianfang Wei, Pingqing Fu, and Zifa Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10409–10423, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10409-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10409-2022, 2022
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We present a comprehensive characterization of water-soluble organic aerosol and the first mass spectral characterization of water-insoluble organic aerosol in the cold season in Beijing by integrating online and offline aerosol mass spectrometer measurements. WSOA comprised dominantly secondary OA and showed large changes during the transition season from autumn to winter. WIOA was characterized by prominent hydrocarbon ions series, low oxidation states, and significant day–night differences.
Jing Duan, Ru-Jin Huang, Yifang Gu, Chunshui Lin, Haobin Zhong, Wei Xu, Quan Liu, Yan You, Jurgita Ovadnevaite, Darius Ceburnis, Thorsten Hoffmann, and Colin O'Dowd
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10139–10153, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10139-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10139-2022, 2022
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Biomass-burning-influenced oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA-BB), formed from the photochemical oxidation and aging of biomass burning OA (BBOA), was resolved in urban Xi’an. The aqueous-phase processed oxygenated OA (aq-OOA) concentration was more dependent on secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) content and aerosol liquid water content (ALWC). The increased aq-OOA contribution during SIA-enhanced periods likely reflects OA evolution due to the addition of alcohol or peroxide groups
Kai Song, Song Guo, Yuanzheng Gong, Daqi Lv, Yuan Zhang, Zichao Wan, Tianyu Li, Wenfei Zhu, Hui Wang, Ying Yu, Rui Tan, Ruizhe Shen, Sihua Lu, Shuangde Li, Yunfa Chen, and Min Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9827–9841, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9827-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9827-2022, 2022
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Emissions from four typical Chinese domestic cooking and fried chicken using four kinds of oils were investigated to illustrate the impact of cooking style and oil. Of the estimated SOA, 10.2 %–32.0 % could be explained by S/IVOC oxidation. Multiway principal component analysis (MPCA) emphasizes the importance of the unsaturated fatty acid-alkadienal volatile product mechanism (oil autoxidation) accelerated by the cooking and heating procedure.
Haobin Zhong, Ru-Jin Huang, Chunshui Lin, Wei Xu, Jing Duan, Yifang Gu, Wei Huang, Haiyan Ni, Chongshu Zhu, Yan You, Yunfei Wu, Renjian Zhang, Jurgita Ovadnevaite, Darius Ceburnis, and Colin D. O'Dowd
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 9513–9524, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9513-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-9513-2022, 2022
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To investigate the physico-chemical properties of aerosol transported from major pollution regions in China, observations were conducted ~200 m above the ground at the junction location of the two key pollution areas. We found that the formation efficiency, oxidation state and production rate of secondary aerosol were different in the transport sectors from different pollution regions, and they were largely enhanced by the regional long-distance transport.
Jiaxing Sun, Yele Sun, Conghui Xie, Weiqi Xu, Chun Chen, Zhe Wang, Lei Li, Xubing Du, Fugui Huang, Yan Li, Zhijie Li, Xiaole Pan, Nan Ma, Wanyun Xu, Pingqing Fu, and Zifa Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7619–7630, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7619-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7619-2022, 2022
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We analyzed the chemical composition and mixing state of BC-containing particles at urban and rural sites in winter in the North China Plain and evaluated their impact on light absorption enhancement. BC was dominantly mixed with organic carbon, nitrate, and sulfate, and the mixing state evolved significantly as a function of relative humidity (RH) at both sites. The absorption enhancement depended strongly on coated secondary inorganic aerosol and was up to ~1.3–1.4 during aging processes.
Cuiqi Zhang, Zhijun Wu, Jingchuan Chen, Jie Chen, Lizi Tang, Wenfei Zhu, Xiangyu Pei, Shiyi Chen, Ping Tian, Song Guo, Limin Zeng, Min Hu, and Zamin A. Kanji
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7539–7556, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7539-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7539-2022, 2022
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The immersion ice nucleation effectiveness of aerosols from multiple sources in the urban environment remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that the immersion ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentration increased dramatically during a dust event in an urban atmosphere. Pollutant aerosols, including inorganic salts formed through secondary transformation (SIA) and black carbon (BC), might not act as effective INPs under mixed-phase cloud conditions.
Lu Chen, Fang Zhang, Dongmei Zhang, Xinming Wang, Wei Song, Jieyao Liu, Jingye Ren, Sihui Jiang, Xue Li, and Zhanqing Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6773–6786, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6773-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6773-2022, 2022
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Aerosol hygroscopicity is critical when evaluating its effect on visibility and climate. Here, the size-resolved particle hygroscopicity at five sites in China is characterized using field measurements. We show the distinct behavior of hygroscopic particles during pollution evolution among the five sites. Moreover, different hygroscopic behavior during NPF events were also observed. The dataset is helpful for understanding the spatial variability in particle composition and formation mechanisms.
Junjun Deng, Hao Ma, Xinfeng Wang, Shujun Zhong, Zhimin Zhang, Jialei Zhu, Yanbing Fan, Wei Hu, Libin Wu, Xiaodong Li, Lujie Ren, Chandra Mouli Pavuluri, Xiaole Pan, Yele Sun, Zifa Wang, Kimitaka Kawamura, and Pingqing Fu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6449–6470, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6449-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6449-2022, 2022
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Light-absorbing brown carbon (BrC) plays an important role in climate change and atmospheric chemistry. Here we investigated the seasonal and diurnal variations in water-soluble BrC in PM2.5 in the megacity Tianjin in coastal China. Results of the source apportionments from the combination with organic molecular compositions and optical properties of water-soluble BrC reveal a large contribution from primary bioaerosol particles to BrC in the urban atmosphere.
Haoran Zhang, Nan Li, Keqin Tang, Hong Liao, Chong Shi, Cheng Huang, Hongli Wang, Song Guo, Min Hu, Xinlei Ge, Mindong Chen, Zhenxin Liu, Huan Yu, and Jianlin Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5495–5514, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5495-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5495-2022, 2022
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We developed a new algorithm with low economic/technique costs to identify primary and secondary components of PM2.5. Our model was shown to be reliable by comparison with different observation datasets. We systematically explored the patterns and changes in the secondary PM2.5 pollution in China at large spatial and time scales. We believe that this method is a promising tool for efficiently estimating primary and secondary PM2.5, and has huge potential for future PM mitigation.
Yun Lin, Yuan Wang, Bowen Pan, Jiaxi Hu, Song Guo, Misti Levy Zamora, Pengfei Tian, Qiong Su, Yuemeng Ji, Jiayun Zhao, Mario Gomez-Hernandez, Min Hu, and Renyi Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4951–4967, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4951-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4951-2022, 2022
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Severe regional haze events, which are characterized by exceedingly high levels of fine particulate matter (PM), occur frequently in many developing countries (such as China and India), with profound implications for human health, weather, and climate. Our work establishes a synthetic view for the dominant regional features during severe haze events, unraveling rapid in situ PM production and inefficient transport, both of which are amplified by atmospheric stagnation.
Jingnan Shi, Juan Hong, Nan Ma, Qingwei Luo, Yao He, Hanbing Xu, Haobo Tan, Qiaoqiao Wang, Jiangchuan Tao, Yaqing Zhou, Shuang Han, Long Peng, Linhong Xie, Guangsheng Zhou, Wanyun Xu, Yele Sun, Yafang Cheng, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4599–4613, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4599-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4599-2022, 2022
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In this study, we investigated the hygroscopicity of submicron aerosols at a rural site in the North China Plain during the winter of 2018, using a HTDMA and a CV-ToF-ACSM. We observed differences in aerosol hygroscopicity during two distinct episodes with different primary emissions and secondary aerosol formation processes. These results provide an improved understanding of the complex influence of sources and aerosol evolution processes on their hygroscopicity.
Lu Chen, Fang Zhang, Don Collins, Jingye Ren, Jieyao Liu, Sihui Jiang, and Zhanqing Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2293–2307, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2293-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2293-2022, 2022
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Understanding the volatility and mixing state of atmospheric aerosols is important for elucidating their formation. Here, the size-resolved volatility of fine particles is characterized using field measurements. On average, the particles are more volatile in the summer. The retrieved mixing state shows that black carbon (BC)-containing particles dominate and contribute 67–77 % toward the total number concentration in the winter, while the non-BC particles accounted for 52–69 % in the summer.
Jing Cai, Cheng Wu, Jiandong Wang, Wei Du, Feixue Zheng, Simo Hakala, Xiaolong Fan, Biwu Chu, Lei Yao, Zemin Feng, Yongchun Liu, Yele Sun, Jun Zheng, Chao Yan, Federico Bianchi, Markku Kulmala, Claudia Mohr, and Kaspar R. Daellenbach
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1251–1269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1251-2022, 2022
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This study investigates the connection between organic aerosol (OA) molecular composition and particle absorptive properties in autumn in Beijing. We find that the molecular properties of OA compounds in different episodes influence particle light absorption properties differently: the light absorption enhancement of black carbon and light absorption coefficient of brown carbon were mostly related to more oxygenated OA (low C number and four O atoms) and aromatics/nitro-aromatics, respectively.
Jiaxing Sun, Zhe Wang, Wei Zhou, Conghui Xie, Cheng Wu, Chun Chen, Tingting Han, Qingqing Wang, Zhijie Li, Jie Li, Pingqing Fu, Zifa Wang, and Yele Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 561–575, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-561-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-561-2022, 2022
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We analyzed 9-year measurements of BC and aerosol optical properties from 2012 to 2020 in Beijing, China. Our results showed large reductions in BC and light extinction coefficient due to the Clean Air Action Plan. As a response, both SSA and mass extinction efficiency (MEE) showed considerable increases, demonstrating a future challenge in visibility improvement. The primary and secondary BrC was also separated and quantified, and the changes in radiative forcing of BC and BrC were estimated.
Lixing Shen, Chuanfeng Zhao, Xingchuan Yang, Yikun Yang, and Ping Zhou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 419–439, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-419-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-419-2022, 2022
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Using multi-year data, this study reveals the slump of sea land breeze (SLB) at Brisbane during mega fires and investigates the impact of fire-induced aerosols on SLB. Different aerosols have different impacts on sea wind (SW) and land wind (LW). Aerosols cause the decrease of SW, partially offset by the warming effect of black carbon (BC). The large-scale cooling effect of aerosols on sea surface temperature (SST) and the burst of BC contribute to the slump of LW.
Gang Zhao, Tianyi Tan, Yishu Zhu, Min Hu, and Chunsheng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 18055–18063, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-18055-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-18055-2021, 2021
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In this study, the black carbon (BC) mixing state index (χ) is developed to quantify the dispersion of ambient black carbon aerosol mixing states based on binary systems of BC and other non-black carbon components. We demonstrate that the BC light absorption enhancement increases with χ for the same MR, which indicates that χ can be employed as a factor to constrain the light absorption enhancement of ambient BC.
Yuting Zhang, Hang Liu, Shandong Lei, Wanyun Xu, Yu Tian, Weijie Yao, Xiaoyong Liu, Qi Liao, Jie Li, Chun Chen, Yele Sun, Pingqing Fu, Jinyuan Xin, Junji Cao, Xiaole Pan, and Zifa Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17631–17648, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17631-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17631-2021, 2021
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In this study, the authors used a single-particle soot photometer (SP2) to characterize the particle size, mixing state, and optical properties of black carbon aerosols in rural areas of the North China Plain in winter. Relatively warm and high-RH environments (RH > 50 %, −4° < T < 4 °) were more favorable to rBC aging than dry and cold environments (RH < 60 %, T < −8°). The paper emphasizes the importance of meteorological parameters in the mixing state of black carbon.
Yue Sun and Chuanfeng Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 16555–16574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16555-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-16555-2021, 2021
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Using high-resolution multi-year warm season data, the influence of aerosol on precipitation time over the North China Plain (NCP), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Pearl River Delta (PRD) is investigated. Aerosol amount and type have significant influence on precipitation time: precipitation start time is advanced by 3 h in the NCP, delayed 2 h in the PRD, and negligibly changed in the YRD. Aerosol impact on precipitation is also influenced by precipitation type and meteorological conditions.
Zirui Zhang, Wenfei Zhu, Min Hu, Kefan Liu, Hui Wang, Rongzhi Tang, Ruizhe Shen, Ying Yu, Rui Tan, Kai Song, Yuanju Li, Wenbin Zhang, Zhou Zhang, Hongming Xu, Shijin Shuai, Shuangde Li, Yunfa Chen, Jiayun Li, Yuesi Wang, and Song Guo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15221–15237, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15221-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15221-2021, 2021
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We comprehensively investigated the mass growth potential, oxidation degree, formation pathway, and mass spectra features of typical urban-lifestyle secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) including vehicle SOAs and cooking SOAs. The mass spectra we acquired could provide necessary references to estimate the mass fractions of vehicle and cooking SOAs in the atmosphere, which would greatly decrease the uncertainty in air quality evaluation and health risk assessment in urban areas.
Wenfei Zhu, Song Guo, Zirui Zhang, Hui Wang, Ying Yu, Zheng Chen, Ruizhe Shen, Rui Tan, Kai Song, Kefan Liu, Rongzhi Tang, Yi Liu, Shengrong Lou, Yuanju Li, Wenbin Zhang, Zhou Zhang, Shijin Shuai, Hongming Xu, Shuangde Li, Yunfa Chen, Min Hu, Francesco Canonaco, and Andre S. H. Prévôt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 15065–15079, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15065-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-15065-2021, 2021
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The experiments of primary emissions and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from urban lifestyle sources (cooking and vehicles) were conducted. The mass spectral features of primary organic aerosol (POA) and SOA were characterized by using a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer. This work, for the first time, establishes the vehicle and cooking SOA source profiles and can be further used as source constraints in the OA source apportionment in the ambient atmosphere.
Sihui Jiang, Fang Zhang, Jingye Ren, Lu Chen, Xing Yan, Jieyao Liu, Yele Sun, and Zhanqing Li
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 14293–14308, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14293-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-14293-2021, 2021
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New particle formation (NPF) can be a large source of CCN and affect weather and climate. Here we show that the NPF contributes largely to cloud droplet number concentration (Nd) but is suppressed at high particle number concentrations in Beijing due to water vapor competition. We also reveal a considerable impact of primary sources on the evaluation in the urban atmosphere. Our study has great significance for assessing NPF-associated effects on climate in polluted regions.
Huan Song, Keding Lu, Can Ye, Huabin Dong, Shule Li, Shiyi Chen, Zhijun Wu, Mei Zheng, Limin Zeng, Min Hu, and Yuanhang Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13713–13727, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13713-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13713-2021, 2021
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Secondary sulfate aerosols are an important component of fine particles in severe air pollution events. We calculated the sulfate formation rates via a state-of-the-art multiphase model constrained to the observed values. We showed that transition metals in urban aerosols contribute significantly to sulfate formation during haze periods and thus play an important role in mitigation strategies and public health measures in megacities worldwide.
Hong Ren, Wei Hu, Lianfang Wei, Siyao Yue, Jian Zhao, Linjie Li, Libin Wu, Wanyu Zhao, Lujie Ren, Mingjie Kang, Qiaorong Xie, Sihui Su, Xiaole Pan, Zifa Wang, Yele Sun, Kimitaka Kawamura, and Pingqing Fu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 12949–12963, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12949-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-12949-2021, 2021
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This study presents vertical profiles of biogenic and anthropogenic secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) in the urban boundary layer based on a 325 m tower in Beijing in late summer. The increases in the isoprene and toluene SOAs with height were found to be more related to regional transport, whereas the decrease in those from monoterpenes and sesquiterpene were more subject to local emissions. Such complicated vertical distributions of SOA should be considered in future modeling work.
Yang Yang, Minqiang Zhou, Ting Wang, Bo Yao, Pengfei Han, Denghui Ji, Wei Zhou, Yele Sun, Gengchen Wang, and Pucai Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11741–11757, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11741-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11741-2021, 2021
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This study introduces the in situ CO2 measurement system installed in Beijing (urban), Xianghe (suburban), and Xinglong (rural) in North China for the first time. The spatial and temporal variations in CO2 mole fractions at the three sites between June 2018 and April 2020 are discussed on both seasonal and diurnal scales.
Qiaorong Xie, Sihui Su, Jing Chen, Yuqing Dai, Siyao Yue, Hang Su, Haijie Tong, Wanyu Zhao, Lujie Ren, Yisheng Xu, Dong Cao, Ying Li, Yele Sun, Zifa Wang, Cong-Qiang Liu, Kimitaka Kawamura, Guibin Jiang, Yafang Cheng, and Pingqing Fu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11453–11465, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11453-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11453-2021, 2021
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This study investigated the role of nighttime chemistry during Chinese New Year's Eve that enhances the formation of nitrooxy organosulfates in the aerosol phase. Results show that anthropogenic precursors, together with biogenic ones, considerably contribute to the formation of low-volatility nitrooxy OSs. Our study provides detailed molecular composition of firework-related aerosols, which gives new insights into the physicochemical properties and potential health effects of urban aerosols.
Benjamin A. Nault, Duseong S. Jo, Brian C. McDonald, Pedro Campuzano-Jost, Douglas A. Day, Weiwei Hu, Jason C. Schroder, James Allan, Donald R. Blake, Manjula R. Canagaratna, Hugh Coe, Matthew M. Coggon, Peter F. DeCarlo, Glenn S. Diskin, Rachel Dunmore, Frank Flocke, Alan Fried, Jessica B. Gilman, Georgios Gkatzelis, Jacqui F. Hamilton, Thomas F. Hanisco, Patrick L. Hayes, Daven K. Henze, Alma Hodzic, James Hopkins, Min Hu, L. Greggory Huey, B. Thomas Jobson, William C. Kuster, Alastair Lewis, Meng Li, Jin Liao, M. Omar Nawaz, Ilana B. Pollack, Jeffrey Peischl, Bernhard Rappenglück, Claire E. Reeves, Dirk Richter, James M. Roberts, Thomas B. Ryerson, Min Shao, Jacob M. Sommers, James Walega, Carsten Warneke, Petter Weibring, Glenn M. Wolfe, Dominique E. Young, Bin Yuan, Qiang Zhang, Joost A. de Gouw, and Jose L. Jimenez
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11201–11224, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11201-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11201-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is an important aspect of poor air quality for urban regions around the world, where a large fraction of the population lives. However, there is still large uncertainty in predicting SOA in urban regions. Here, we used data from 11 urban campaigns and show that the variability in SOA production in these regions is predictable and is explained by key emissions. These results are used to estimate the premature mortality associated with SOA in urban regions.
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Short summary
In this study, a new framework of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) prediction in polluted region has been developed and it achieves well prediction of hourly-to-yearly scale across North China Plain. The study reveals the machine learning model can largely reduce the uncertainty in simulating cloud radiative forcing, illustrating the high sensitivity of climate forcing to changes in CCN. This improvement of our new model would be helpful to aerosols climate effect assessment in models.
In this study, a new framework of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) prediction in polluted region...
