Hochschule für Technik und Umwelt FHNW

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  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    EUCAARI ion spectrometer measurements at 12 European sites – analysis of new particle formation events
    (Copernicus, 25.08.2010) Manninen, Hanna E.; Nieminen, Tuomo; Asmi, Eija; Gagné, Stéphanie; Häkkinen, Silja; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Aalto, Pasi Pekka; Vana, Marko; Mirme, Aadu; Mirme, Sander; Hõrrak, Urmas; Plass-Dülmer, Christian; Stange, Gert; Kiss, Gyula; Hoffer, András; Törő, N.; Moerman, Marcel; Henzing, Bas; de Leeuw, Gerrit; Brinkenberg, Marcel; Kouvarakis, Giorgos N.; Bougiatioti, Aikaterini; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; O'Dowd, Colin D.; Ceburnis, Darius; Arneth, Almut; Svenningsson, Brigitta; Swietlicki, Erik; Tarozzi, Leone; Decesari, Stefano; Facchini, Maria Cristina; Birmili, Wolfram; Sonntag, André; Wiedensohler, Alfred; Boulon, Julien; Sellegri, Karine; Laj, Paolo; Gysel, Martin; Bukowiecki, Nicolas; Weingartner, Ernest; Wehrle, Günther; Laaksonen, Ari; Hamed, Amar; Joutsensaari, Jorma; Petäjä, Tuukka; Kerminen, Veli-Matti; Kulmala, Markku
    We present comprehensive results on continuous atmospheric cluster and particle measurements in the size range ~1–42 nm within the European Integrated project on Aerosol Cloud Climate and Air Quality interactions (EUCAARI) project. We focused on characterizing the spatial and temporal variation of new particle formation events and relevant particle formation parameters across Europe. Different types of air ion and cluster mobility spectrometers were deployed at 12 field sites across Europe from March 2008 to May 2009. The measurements were conducted in a wide variety of environments, including coastal and continental locations as well as sites at different altitudes (both in the boundary layer and the free troposphere). New particle formation events were detected at all of the 12 field sites during the year-long measurement period. From the data, nucleation and growth rates of newly formed particles were determined for each environment. In a case of parallel ion and neutral cluster measurements, we could also estimate the relative contribution of ion-induced and neutral nucleation to the total particle formation. The formation rates of charged particles at 2 nm accounted for 1–30% of the corresponding total particle formation rates. As a significant new result, we found out that the total particle formation rate varied much more between the different sites than the formation rate of charged particles. This work presents, so far, the most comprehensive effort to experimentally characterize nucleation and growth of atmospheric molecular clusters and nanoparticles at ground-based observation sites on a continental scale.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    Widening the gap between measurement and modelling of secondary organic aerosol properties?
    (Copernicus, 2010) Good, Nicholas; Topping, D. O.; Duplissy, Jonathan; Gysel, Martin; Meyer, Nic K.; Metzger, Axel; Turner, S. F.; Baltensperger, Urs; Ristovski, Zoran; Weingartner, Ernest; Coe, Hugh; McFiggans, Gordan
    The link between measured sub-saturated hygroscopicity and cloud activation potential of secondary organic aerosol particles produced by the chamber photo-oxidation of α-pinene in the presence or absence of ammonium sulphate seed aerosol was investigated using two models of varying complexity. A simple single hygroscopicity parameter model and a more complex model (incorporating surface effects) were used to assess the detail required to predict the cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) activity from the sub-saturated water uptake. Sub-saturated water uptake measured by three hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyser (HTDMA) instruments was used to determine the water activity for use in the models. The predicted CCN activity was compared to the measured CCN activation potential using a continuous flow CCN counter. Reconciliation using the more complex model formulation with measured cloud activation could be achieved widely different assumed surface tension behavior of the growing droplet; this was entirely determined by the instrument used as the source of water activity data. This unreliable derivation of the water activity as a function of solute concentration from sub-saturated hygroscopicity data indicates a limitation in the use of such data in predicting cloud condensation nucleus behavior of particles with a significant organic fraction. Similarly, the ability of the simpler single parameter model to predict cloud activation behaviour was dependent on the instrument used to measure sub-saturated hygroscopicity and the relative humidity used to provide the model input. However, agreement was observed for inorganic salt solution particles, which were measured by all instruments in agreement with theory. The difference in HTDMA data from validated and extensively used instruments means that it cannot be stated with certainty the detail required to predict the CCN activity from sub-saturated hygroscopicity. In order to narrow the gap between measurements of hygroscopic growth and CCN activity the processes involved must be understood and the instrumentation extensively quality assured. It is impossible to say from the results presented here due to the differences in HTDMA data whether: i) Surface tension suppression occurs ii) Bulk to surface partitioning is important iii) The water activity coefficient changes significantly as a function of the solute concentration.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    13-month climatology of the aerosol hygroscopicity at the free tropospheric site Jungfraujoch (3580 m a.s.l.)
    (Copernicus, 16.11.2010) Kammermann, Lukas; Gysel, Martin; Weingartner, Ernest; Baltensperger, Urs
    A hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) was operated at the high-alpine site Jungfraujoch in order to characterize the hygroscopic diameter growth factors of the free tropospheric Aitken and accumulation mode aerosol. More than ~5000 h of valid data were collected for the dry diameters D0 = 35, 50, 75, 110, 165, and 265 nm during the 13-month measurement period from 1 May 2008 through 31 May 2009. No distinct seasonal variability of the hygroscopic properties was observed. Annual mean hygroscopic diameter growth factors (D/D0) at 90% relative humidity were found to be 1.34, 1.43, and 1.46 for D0 = 50, 110, and 265 nm, respectively. This size dependence can largely be attributed to the Kelvin effect because corresponding values of the hygroscopicity parameter κ are nearly independent of size. The mean hygroscopicity of the Aitken and accumulation mode aerosol at the free tropospheric site Jungfraujoch was found to be κ≈0.24 with little variability throughout the year. The impact of Saharan dust events, a frequent phenomenon at the Jungfraujoch, on aerosol hygroscopicity was shown to be negligible for D0<265 nm. Thermally driven injections of planetary boundary layer (PBL) air, particularly observed in the early afternoon of summer days with convective anticyclonic weather conditions, lead to a decrease of aerosol hygroscopicity. However, the effect of PBL influence is not seen in the annual mean hygroscopicity data because the effect is small and those conditions (weather class, season and time of day) with PBL influence are relatively rare. Aerosol hygroscopicity was found to be virtually independent of synoptic wind direction during advective weather situations, i.e. when horizontal motion of the atmosphere dominates over thermally driven convection. This indicates that the hygroscopic behavior of the aerosol observed at the Jungfraujoch can be considered representative of the lower free troposphere on at least a regional if not continental scale.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    Impact of aftertreatment devices on primary emissions and secondary organic aerosol formation potential from in-use diesel vehicles: results from smog chamber experiments
    (Copernicus, 06.12.2010) Chirico, Roberto; DeCarlo, Peter F.; Heringa, Maarten F.; Tritscher, Torsten; Richter, René; Prévôt, André S. H.; Dommen, Josef; Weingartner, Ernest; Wehrle, Günther; Gysel, Martin; Laborde, Marie; Baltensperger, Urs
    Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is a significant source of aerosol in urban areas and has been linked to adverse health effects. Although newer European directives have introduced increasingly stringent standards for primary PM emissions, gaseous organics emitted from diesel cars can still lead to large amounts of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in the atmosphere. Here we present results from smog chamber investigations characterizing the primary organic aerosol (POA) and the corresponding SOA formation at atmospherically relevant concentrations for three in-use diesel vehicles with different exhaust aftertreatment systems. One vehicle lacked exhaust aftertreatment devices, one vehicle was equipped with a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and the third vehicle used both a DOC and diesel particulate filter (DPF). The experiments presented here were obtained from the vehicles at conditions representative of idle mode, and for one car in addition at a speed of 60 km/h. An Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) was used to measure the organic aerosol (OA) concentration and to obtain information on the chemical composition. For the conditions explored in this paper, primary aerosols from vehicles without a particulate filter consisted mainly of black carbon (BC) with a low fraction of organic matter (OM, OM/BC < 0.5), while the subsequent aging by photooxidation resulted in a consistent production of SOA only for the vehicles without a DOC and with a deactivated DOC. After 5 h of aging ~80% of the total organic aerosol was on average secondary and the estimated "emission factor" for SOA was 0.23–0.56 g/kg fuel burned. In presence of both a DOC and a DPF, only 0.01 g SOA per kg fuel burned was produced within 5 h after lights on. The mass spectra indicate that POA was mostly a non-oxidized OA with an oxygen to carbon atomic ratio (O/C) ranging from 0.10 to 0.19. Five hours of oxidation led to a more oxidized OA with an O/C range of 0.21 to 0.37.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    Ground-based and airborne in-situ measurements of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic aerosol plume in Switzerland in spring 2010
    (Copernicus, 04.10.2011) Bukowiecki, Nicolas; Zieger, Paul; Weingartner, Ernest; Jurányi, Zsófia; Gysel, Martin; Neininger, Bruno; Schneider, Boris; Hueglin, Christoph; Ulrich, Andrea; Wichser, Adrian; Henne, Stephan; Brunner, Dominik; Kaegi, Ralf; Schwikowski, Margit; Tobler, Leonhard; Wienhold, Frank G.; Engel, Ilana; Buchmann, Brigitte; Peter, Thomas; Baltensperger, Urs
    The volcanic aerosol plume resulting from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland in April and May 2010 was detected in clear layers above Switzerland during two periods (17–19 April 2010 and 16–19 May 2010). In-situ measurements of the airborne volcanic plume were performed both within ground-based monitoring networks and with a research aircraft up to an altitude of 6000 m a.s.l. The wide range of aerosol and gas phase parameters studied at the high altitude research station Jungfraujoch (3580 m a.s.l.) allowed for an in-depth characterization of the detected volcanic aerosol. Both the data from the Jungfraujoch and the aircraft vertical profiles showed a consistent volcanic ash mode in the aerosol volume size distribution with a mean optical diameter around 3 ± 0.3 μm. These particles were found to have an average chemical composition very similar to the trachyandesite-like composition of rock samples collected near the volcano. Furthermore, chemical processing of volcanic sulfur dioxide into sulfate clearly contributed to the accumulation mode of the aerosol at the Jungfraujoch. The combination of these in-situ data and plume dispersion modeling results showed that a significant portion of the first volcanic aerosol plume reaching Switzerland on 17 April 2010 did not reach the Jungfraujoch directly, but was first dispersed and diluted in the planetary boundary layer. The maximum PM10 mass concentrations at the Jungfraujoch reached 30 μgm−3 and 70 μgm−3 (for 10-min mean values) duri ng the April and May episode, respectively. Even low-altitude monitoring stations registered up to 45 μgm−3 of volcanic ash related PM10 (Basel, Northwestern Switzerland, 18/19 April 2010). The flights with the research aircraft on 17 April 2010 showed one order of magnitude higher number concentrations over the northern Swiss plateau compared to the Jungfraujoch, and a mass concentration of 320 (200–520) μgm−3 on 18 May 2010 over the northwestern Swiss plateau. The presented data significantly contributed to the time-critical assessment of the local ash layer properties during the initial eruption phase. Furthermore, dispersion models benefited from the detailed information on the volcanic aerosol size distribution and its chemical composition.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    Measured and modelled cloud condensation nuclei number concentration at the high alpine site Jungfraujoch
    (Copernicus, 25.08.2010) Jurányi, Zsófia; Gysel, Martin; Weingartner, Ernest; DeCarlo, Peter F.; Kammermann, Lukas; Baltensperger, Urs
    Atmospheric aerosol particles are able to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and are therefore important for the climate and the hydrological cycle, but their properties are not fully understood. Total CCN number concentrations at 10 different supersaturations in the range of SS=0.12–1.18% were measured in May 2008 at the remote high alpine research station, Jungfraujoch, Switzerland (3580 m a.s.l.). In this paper, we present a closure study between measured and predicted CCN number concentrations. CCN predictions were done using dry number size distribution (scanning particle mobility sizer, SMPS) and bulk chemical composition data (aerosol mass spectrometer, AMS, and multi-angle absorption photometer, MAAP) in a simplified Köhler theory. The predicted and the measured CCN number concentrations agree very well and are highly correlated. A sensitivity study showed that the temporal variability of the chemical composition at the Jungfraujoch can be neglected for a reliable CCN prediction, whereas it is important to know the mean chemical composition. The exact bias introduced by using a too low or too high hygroscopicity parameter for CCN prediction was further quantified and shown to be substantial for the lowest supersaturation. Despite the high average organic mass fraction (~45%) in the fine mode, there was no indication that the surface tension was substantially reduced at the point of CCN activation. A comparison between hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA), AMS/MAAP, and CCN derived κ values showed that HTDMA measurements can be used to determine particle hygroscopicity required for CCN predictions if no suitable chemical composition data are available.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    Measured and predicted aerosol light scattering enhancement factors at the high alpine site Jungfraujoch
    (Copernicus, 05.03.2010) Fierz-Schmidhauser, Rahel; Zieger, Paul; Gysel, Martin; Kammermann, Lukas; DeCarlo, Peter F.; Baltensperger, Urs; Weingartner, Ernest
    Ambient relative humidity (RH) determines the water content of atmospheric aerosol particles and thus has an important influence on the amount of visible light scattered by particles. The RH dependence of the particle light scattering coefficient (σsp) is therefore an important variable for climate forcing calculations. We used a humidification system for a nephelometer which allows for the measurement of σsp at a defined RH in the range of 20–95%. In this paper we present measurements of light scattering enhancement factors f(RH)=σsp(RH)/σsp(dry) from a 1-month campaign (May 2008) at the high alpine site Jungfraujoch (3580 m a.s.l.), Switzerland. Measurements at the Jungfraujoch are representative for the lower free troposphere above Central Europe. For this aerosol type hardly any information about the f(RH) is available so far. At this site, f(RH=85%) varied between 1.2 and 3.3. Measured f(RH) agreed well with f(RH) calculated with Mie theory using measurements of the size distribution, chemical composition and hygroscopic diameter growth factors as input. Good f(RH) predictions at RH<85% were also obtained with a simplified model, which uses the Ångström exponent of σsp(dry) as input. RH influences further intensive optical aerosol properties. The backscatter fraction decreased by about 30% from 0.128 to 0.089, and the single scattering albedo increased on average by 0.05 at 85% RH compared to dry conditions. These changes in σsp, backscatter fraction and single scattering albedo have a distinct impact on the radiative forcing of the Jungfraujoch aerosol.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    Volatility and hygroscopicity of aging secondary organic aerosol in a smog chamber
    (Copernicus, 18.11.2011) Tritscher, Torsten; Dommen, Josef; DeCarlo, Peter F.; Gysel, Martin; Barmet, Peter B.; Praplan, Arnaud P.; Weingartner, Ernest; Prévôt, Andre S.H.; Riipinen, Ilona; Donahue, Neil M.; Baltensperger, Urs
    The evolution of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) during (photo-)chemical aging processes was investigated in a smog chamber. Fresh SOA from ozonolysis of 10 to 40 ppb α-pinene was formed followed by aging with OH radicals. The particles' volatility and hygroscopicity (expressed as volume fraction remaining (VFR) and hygroscopicity parameter κ) were measured in parallel with a volatility and hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (V/H-TDMA). An aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) was used for the chemical characterization of the aerosol. These measurements were used as sensitive parameters to reveal the mechanisms possibly responsible for the changes in the SOA composition during aging. A change of VFR and/or κ during processing of atmospheric aerosols may occur either by addition of SOA mass (by condensation) or by a change of SOA composition leading to different aerosol properties. The latter may occur either by heterogeneous reactions on the surface of the SOA particles, by condensed phase reactions like oligomerization or by an evaporation – gas-phase oxidation – recondensation cycle. The condensation mechanism showed to be dominant when there is a substantial change in the aerosol mass by addition of new molecules to the aerosol phase with time. Experiments could be divided into four periods based on the temporal evolution (qualitative changes) of VFR, κ and organic mass: O3 induced condensation, ripening, and OH induced chemical aging first with substantial mass gain and then without significant mass gain. During the O3 induced condensation the particles' volatility decreased (increasing VFR) while the hygroscopicity increased. Thereafter, in the course of ripening volatility continued to decrease, but hygroscopicity stayed roughly constant. After exposing the SOA to OH radicals an OH induced chemical aging with substantial mass gain started resulting in the production of at least 50 % more SOA mass. This new SOA mass was highly volatile and oxidized. This period was then followed by further OH induced chemical aging without significant mass gain leading to a decrease of volatility while hygroscopicity and SOA mass stayed roughly constant.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Publikation
    Subarctic atmospheric aerosol composition. 3. Measured and modeled properties of cloud condensation nuclei
    (Wiley, 19.02.2010) Kammermann, Lukas; Gysel, Martin; Weingartner, Ernest; Herich, Hanna; Cziczo, Daniel J.; Holst, Thomas; Svenningsson, Birgitta; Arneth, Almut; Baltensperger, Urs
    Aerosol particles can modify cloud properties by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Predicting CCN properties is still a challenge and not properly incorporated in current climate models. Atmospheric particle number size distributions, hygroscopic growth factors, and polydisperse CCN number concentrations were measured at the remote subarctic Stordalen mire, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden. The CCN number concentration was highly variable, largely driven by variations in the total number of sufficiently large particles, though the variability of chemical composition was increasingly important for decreasing supersaturation. The hygroscopicity of particles measured by a hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) was in agreement with large critical diameters observed for CCN activation (κ ≈ 0.07–0.21 for D = 50–200 nm). Size distribution and time‐ and size‐resolved HTDMA data were used to predict CCN number concentrations. Agreement of predictions with measured CCN within ±11% was achieved using parameterized Köhler theory and assuming a surface tension of pure water. The sensitivity of CCN predictions to various simplifying assumptions was further explored: We found that (1) ignoring particle mixing state did not affect CCN predictions, (2) averaging the HTDMA data in time with retaining the size dependence did not introduce a substantial bias, while individual predictions became more uncertain, and (3) predictions involving the hygroscopicity parameter recommended in literature for continental sites (κ ≈ 0.3 ± 0.1) resulted in a significant prediction bias. Future modeling studies should therefore at least aim at using averaged, size‐resolved, site‐specific hygroscopicity or chemical composition data for predictions of CCN number concentrations.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
  • Vorschaubild
    Publikation
    Relating hygroscopicity and composition of organic aerosol particulate matter
    (Copernicus, 10.02.2011) Duplissy, Jonathan; DeCarlo, Peter F.; Dommen, Josef; Alfarra, M. Rami; Metzger, Axel; Barmpadimos, Iakovos; Prevot, Andre S.H.; Weingartner, Ernest; Tritscher, Torsten; Gysel, Martin; Aiken, Allison C.; Jimenez, Jose L; Canagaratna, Manjula R.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Collins, Don R.; Tomlinson, Jason; Baltensperger, Urs
    A hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) was used to measure the water uptake (hygroscopicity) of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed during the chemical and photochemical oxidation of several organic precursors in a smog chamber. Electron ionization mass spectra of the non-refractory submicron aerosol were simultaneously determined with an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), and correlations between the two different signals were investigated. SOA hygroscopicity was found to strongly correlate with the relative abundance of the ion signal m/z 44 expressed as a fraction of total organic signal (f44). m/z 44 is due mostly to the ion fragment CO2+ for all types of SOA systems studied, and has been previously shown to strongly correlate with organic O/C for ambient and chamber OA. The analysis was also performed on ambient OA from two field experiments at the remote site Jungfraujoch, and the megacity Mexico City, where similar results were found. A simple empirical linear relation between the hygroscopicity of OA at subsaturated RH, as given by the hygroscopic growth factor (GF) or "ϰorg" parameter, and f44 was determined and is given by ϰorg = 2.2 × f44 − 0.13. This approximation can be further verified and refined as the database for AMS and HTDMA measurements is constantly being expanded around the world. The use of this approximation could introduce an important simplification in the parameterization of hygroscopicity of OA in atmospheric models, since f44 is correlated with the photochemical age of an air mass.
    01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift