One year measurements of aerosol optical properties over an urban coastal site: Effect on local direct radiative forcing

We present results of direct aerosol radiative forcing over a French Mediterranean coastal zone based on one year of continuous observations of aerosol optical properties during 2005–2006. Monthly-mean aerosol optical depth at 440 nm ranged between 0.1 and 0.34, with high Angstrom coefficient (α > 1.2). The single scattering albedo (at 525 nm) estimated at the surface ranged between 0.7 and 0.8, indicating significant absorption. The presence of aerosols over the Mediterranean zone during summer decreases the shortwave radiation reaching the surface by as much as 26 ± 3.9 W m^− 2, and increases the top of the atmosphere reflected radiation by as much as 5.2 ± 1.0 W m^− 2. The shortwave atmospheric absorption translates to an atmospheric heating of 2.5 to 4.6 K day^− 1. Concerted efforts are needed for investigating the possible impact of the increase in heating rate on the maintenance of heat-waves frequently occurring over this coastal region during summer time.     

Black carbon relationships with emissions and meteorology in Xi'an, China

Aerosol black carbon (BC) was measured every 5 min at Xi'an, China from September 2003 to August 2005. Daily BC concentrations ranged from 2 to 65 μg m^− 3, averaging 14.7 ± 9.5 μg m^− 3 and displayed clear summer minima and winter maxima. BC typically peaked between 0800 and 1000 LST and again between 2000 and 2200 LST, corresponding with morning and evening traffic combined with nighttime residential cooking and heating. The nocturnal peak was especially evident in winter, when more domestic heating is used and pollutant-trapping surface-inversions form earlier than in summer. BC frequency distributions the most commonly occurring concentrations occurred between 5 and 10 μg m^− 3 in all four seasons. BC ranged from 1.6% and 15.6%, and averaged 8.3% of PM_2.5. A clear inverse relationship between BC and wind speed (WS) was found when WS was below 2.5 to 3.0 m s^− 1, implying a local origin for BC. Mixed layer depths (MLDs) were shallower during BC episodes compared to cleaner conditions.     

Deposition of atmospheric particulate PCBs in suburban site of Turkey

Dry deposition and air concentration samples were collected from July 2004 to May 2005 at a suburban site in Turkey. A water surface sampler (WSS) was used to measure directly the dry deposition flux of particulate polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) while a high volume air sampler (HVAS) was employed to collect air samples. Particulate PCB concentrations accounted for 15% of total PCBs (gas + particle phase) at the site. The overall particulate phase PCB flux ranged from 2 to 160 ng m^− 2 d^− 1 with an average of 46.3 ± 40.6 ng m^− 2 d^− 1. Forty one PCB congeners were targeted in the samples while twenty one congeners were found to be higher than detection limits in deposition samples. Fluxes for homolog groups ranged between 0.9 (7-CBs) and 21.0 (3-CBs) ng m^− 2 d^− 1. Measured dry deposition fluxes were lower than the ones usually reported for urban sites. Average PCB dry deposition velocity, calculated using flux values and concurrently measured atmospheric concentrations, was 1.26 ± 1.86 cm s^− 1 depended on size distribution of particles, atmospheric PCB concentrations and meteorological conditions.     

Carbonaceous materials in size-segregated atmospheric aerosols from urban and coastal-rural areas at the Western European Coast

A high-volume cascade impactor, equipped with a PM10 inlet, was used to collect size-segregated aerosol samples during the summer of 2004 at two Portuguese locations: a coastal-rural area (Moitinhos) and an urban area (Oporto). Concentrations of airborne particulate matter (PM), total carbon (TC), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) were determined for the following particle size ranges: < 0.49, 0.49–0.95, 0.95–3.0, and 3.0–10 µm. The total PM mass concentrations at the urban and coastal-rural sites ranged from 22.8 to 79.6 μg m^− 3 and 19.9 to 28.2 μg m^− 3, respectively, and more than 56% of the total aerosol mass was found in the fractions below 3.0 μm. At both locations the highest concentrations of OC and EC were found in the submicrometer size range. The regional variability for the OC and EC concentrations, with the highest concentrations being found in the urban area, was related to the contribution of local primary sources (mostly traffic emissions). It was also verified an enrichment of the small size particles in WSOC, representing on average 37.3(± 12.4)% and 59.7(± 18.0)% of OC in the very fine aerosol at the coastal-rural and urban areas, respectively. The amount of secondary OC calculated by the minimum OC/EC ratio method indicates that secondary organic aerosol formation was important throughout the study at both sites. The obtained results suggest that long-range transport and favourable summer conditions for photochemical oxidation are key factors determining secondary OC formation in the coastal-rural and urban areas. The ultraviolet absorption properties of the chromophoric constituents of the WSOC fractions were also different among the different particle size ranges and also between the two sampling locations, thus suggesting the strong impact of the diverse emission sources into the composition of the size-segregated organic aerosol.     

Ship measurements of submicron aerosol size distributions over the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea

During the spring of 2005, the total particle concentrations and the submicron aerosol size distributions were measured on board the research vessel over the south sea of Korea and the Korean sector of the Yellow Sea. Similar measurements were made over the East China Sea in autumn 2005. The aerosol properties varied dynamically according to the meteorological conditions, the proximity to the land masses and the air mass back trajectories. The average total particle concentration was the lowest over the East China Sea, 4335 ± 2736 cm^− 3, but the instantaneous minimum, 837 cm^− 3, for the entire ship measurement was recorded during the Yellow Sea cruise. There was also a long (more than 6 h) stretch of low total particle concentrations that fell as low as 1025 cm^− 3 during the East China Sea cruise when the ship was the farthest from the shores and the air mass back trajectories resided long hours over the sea. These observations lead to the suggestion of ~ 1000 cm^− 3 as the background total particle concentration over the marine boundary layer in the studied region of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, implying significant anthropogenic influence even for the background value. In the mean time, average aerosol size distributions were unimodal and the mode diameter ranged between 52 and 86 nm, excluding the fog periods, which suggests that the aerosols measured in this study experienced relatively less aging processes within the marine boundary layer.     

Cloud contribution to the daily and annual radiation budget in a mountainous valley

An automated-ventilated radiation station has been set up in a mountainous valley at the Logan Airport in northern Utah, USA, since mid-1995, to evaluate the daily and annual radiation budget components, and develop an algorithm to study cloudiness and its contribution to the daily and annual radiation. This radiation station (composed of pyranometers, pyrgeometers and a net radiometer) provides continuous measurements of downward and upward shortwave, longwave and net radiation throughout the year. The surface temperature and pressure, the 2-m air temperature and humidity, precipitation, and wind at this station were also measured. A heated rain gauge provided precipitation information. Using air temperature and moisture and measured downward longwave (atmospheric) radiation, appropriate formula (among four approaches) was chosen for computation of cloudless-skies atmospheric emissivity. Considering the additional longwave radiation during the cloudy skies coming from the cloud in the waveband which the gaseous emission lacks (from 8–13 μm), an algorithm was developed which provides continuous 20-min cloud information (cloud base height, cloud base temperature, percent of skies covered by cloud, and cloud contribution to the radiation budget) over the area during day and night. On the partly-cloudy day of 3 February, 2003, for instance, cloud contributed 1.34 MJ m^− 2 d^− 1 out of 26.92 MJ m^− 2 d^− 1 to the daily atmospheric radiation. On the overcast day of 18 December, 2003, this contribution was 5.77 MJ m^− 2 d^− 1 out of 29.38 MJ m^− 2 d^− 1. The same contribution for the year 2003 amounted to 402.85 MJ m^− 2 y^− 1 out of 9976.08 MJ m^− 2 y^− 1. Observations (fog which yielded a zero cloud base height and satellite cloud imaging data) throughout the year confirmed the validity of the computed data. The nearby Bowen ratio station provided the downward radiation and net radiation data. If necessary, these data could be substituted for the missing data at the radiation station. While the automated surface observing systems (ASOS) ceilometer at the Logan airport provides only the overhead cloud information, the proposed algorithm provides this information over the valley. The proposed algorithm is a promising approach for evaluation of the cloud base temperature, cloud base height, percent of skies covered by cloud, and cloud contribution to the daily and annual radiation budget at local and regional scales.     

Cloud condensation nuclei measurements at Mace Head, Ireland, over the period 1994–2002

Analyses of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentrations (cm^− 3) measured at the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station, near Carna, County Galway, Ireland, using a DH Associates Model M1 static thermal diffusion cloud chamber over the period from March 1994 to September 2002 are presented in this work. Air masses are defined as being ‘marine’ if they originate from a wind direction of 180–300° and ‘continental’ air masses are defined as originating from a wind direction of 45–135°. Air masses without such filtering were classified as ‘undefined’ air masses. Air masses were found to be dominated by marine sector air, re-affirming Mace Head as a baseline atmospheric research station. CCN levels for specific air masses at Mace Head were found to be comparable with earlier studies both at Mace Head and elsewhere. Monthly averaged clean marine (wind direction of 180–300° and black carbon absorption coefficient < 1.425 Mm^− 1) CCN and marine CCN varied between 15–247 cm^− 3 and 54–670 cm^− 3, respectively. As expected, significant increases in number concentration were found in continentally sourced CCN over that of marine CCN and were found to follow a log-normal distribution significantly tighter than that of clean marine air masses. No significant trend was found for CCN over the 9-year period. While polluted continental air masses showed a slight increase in CCN concentrations over the winter months, most likely due to increased fuel usage and a lower mixed boundary layer, the dominance of marine sector air arriving at Mace Head, which generally consists of background CCN concentrations, reduced seasonal differences for polluted air. Marine air showed a distinct seasonal pattern, with elevated values occurring over the spring and summer seasons. This is thought to be due to enhanced biogenic aerosol production as a result of phytoplankton bloom activity in the North Atlantic.     

Temporal characteristics and fog water collection during summer in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)

The study of fog dynamics in the island of Tenerife began in 1993 at six sites. The analysis of the relationship between fog and several meteorological parameters was conducted at the site located at Anaga. Anaga is located at the summit of a mountain range, at an altitude of 842 m and 3.5 km away from the north-western coastline of the island. The study uses hourly data of the three summer months (June, July and August) that were collected over a period of nine years — from 1996 to 2005. The mean summer (June–August) rainfall was found to be 21.2 mm whilst the total volume of fog water collected was 879.9 l m^− 2; the daily average fog water collection was 9.5 l m^− 2 day^− 1, and the hourly average about 0.4 l m^− 2 h^− 1. Although these amounts were recorded with wind speeds of between 8 and 12 m s^− 1, the correlation between water collected and wind speed is not statistically significant. In spite of this, the volume of fog water collected and wind speed showed a very distinct daily behavioural pattern, their frequency and speed reaching their minimum at 12 a.m. and their maximum from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. GMT. The importance of this research is that it shows that the fog in the Canary Islands occurs more frequently and makes a more significant contribution to the growth of vegetation in the summer (the dry season) than in the winter, when fog accompanies rainfall.     

The climate of the coast and fog zone in the Tarapacá Region, Atacama Desert, Chile

In the Atacama Desert, the narrow littoral plain and the adjacent mountain range have a unique climate. This area is locally called the “coastal desert with abundant cloudiness”, and extends from the coastline up to an elevation of 1000 m. The climate is designated as being BWn according to Köppen's Climate Classification as adapted for Chile. In the original classification the acronym (Bn) is used for foggy environments. Toward the east a “normal desert” climate (BW) is found. This is known as one of the most extreme deserts of the world. In the BWn areas there are meteorological differences between low and high elevation zones. The climate of the coastal plains and the mountains is described in this paper in order to show that there is an area where the climate differs from those classified as BWn and BW in the Chilean Climate Classification. This area is located between 650 and 1200 m a.s.l. and contains several fog oases or lomas vegetation, rich in biodiversity and endemism.The weather is warmer near sea level, with an annual average temperature of 18 °C. At high elevation sites like Alto Patache, the temperature decreases at a rate of 0.7 °C for every 100-m increase in altitude. The average annual minimum temperature often approaches 1 °C in winter, while the mean annual temperature range is significant (8.3 °C in Los Cóndores). The mean monthly relative humidity in Alto Patache is over 80%, except during the summer months. During autumn, winter and spring high elevation fog is present in the study area at altitudes ranging from 650 m up to 1060 m, giving annual water yields of 0.8 to 7 L m^− 2 day^− 1. If vegetation is used as an indicator, the foggy zone lies between 650 m a.s.l. and 1200 m a.s.l. About 70% of the mountain range experiences the foggy climate, as opposed to the coastal plains that are characterized by a cloudy climate.     

Concentration and gas/particle partitioning of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at an industrial site at Bursa, Turkey

Gas and particle phase concentrations of atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured at an urban/industrial site in the city of Bursa, Turkey. PCB concentration levels were presented between July 2004 and May 2005. Average particle and gas phase concentrations of individual PCB congeners ranged from 0.08 (PCB-183) to 6.86 (PCB-49) pg m^− 3 and from 0.01 (PCB-209) to 47.2 (PCB-33) pg m^− 3, respectively. The mean concentration of total (gas + particle) PCBs varied between 24.27 and 666.21 pg m^− 3 with an average of 287.27 ± 174.80 pg m^− 3. PCB concentrations at the sampling site were higher than the concentrations reported at non-urban sites. PCBs partitioned between gas and particle phases and the partitioning was examined according to different approaches such as logK_p–logP_L^o, logK_p–logK_OA and the Junge–Pankow model. In order to present possible interactions, a correlation matrix based on PCB congeners and meteorological parameters was constructed. Application of the Clausius–Clapeyron equation yielded a low slope value indicating possible emissions from local and regional sources originating mainly from urban/industrial areas, landfill and waste incineration plant. Then, likely dry deposition fluxes were estimated depending on reported dry deposition velocity and atmospheric concentration values.     

Characteristic features of air ions at Mace Head on the west coast of Ireland

Coastal nucleation events and behavior of cluster ions were characterized through the measurements of air ion mobility distributions at the Mace Head research station on the west coast of Ireland in 2006. We measured concentrations of cluster ions and charged aerosol particles in the size range of 0.34–40 nm. These measurements allow us to characterize freshly nucleated charged particles with diameters smaller than 3 nm. The analysis shows that bursts of intermediate ions (1.6–7 nm) are a frequent phenomenon in the marine coastal environment. Intermediate ion concentrations were generally close to zero, but during some nucleation episodes the concentrations increased to several hundreds per cm³. Nucleation events occurred during most of the measurement days. We classified all days into one of seven classes according to the occurrence and type of new particle formation. Nucleation events were observed during 207 days in 2006, most prominently in the spring and summer months. Rain-induced events, in turn, were observed during 132 days. Particle formation and growth events mostly coincided with the presence of low tide. Also small cluster ions (0.34–1.6 nm) were characterized. Average concentrations of small ions were 440 cm^− 3 for the negative ions and 423 cm^− 3 for the positive ions. Average mean mobilities of small ions were 1.86 cm²V^− 1s^− 1 and 1.49 cm²V^− 1s^− 1 for the negative and positive polarities, respectively. Concentrations of small ions were observed to be strongly dependent on the variations of meteorological parameters including wind speed and direction.     

Characteristics of biomass burning aerosol and its impact on regional air quality in the summer of 2003 at Gwangju, Korea

The main objective of this study is to investigate the chemical characteristics of biomass burning aerosol and its impact on regional air quality during an agricultural waste burning period in early summer in the rural areas of Korea. A 12-h integrated intensive sampling of biomass burning aerosol in the fine and coarse modes was conducted on 2–20 June 2003 in Gwangju, Korea. The collected samples were analyzed for concentrations of mass, ionic, elemental, and carbonaceous species. Average concentrations of fine and coarse mass were measured to be 67.9 and 18.7 μg m^− 3 during the biomass burning period, 41.9 and 18.8 μg m^− 3 during the haze period, and 35.6 and 13.3 μg m^− 3 during the normal period, respectively. An exceptionally high PM_2.5 concentration of 110.3 μg m^− 3 with a PM_2.5/PM₁₀ ratio of 0.79 was observed on 6 June 2003 during the biomass burning period. The potassium ratio method was used to identify biomass burning samples. The average ratio of potassium in the fine mode to the coarse mode (FK/CK) was 23.8 during the biomass burning period, 6.0 during the haze period, and 4.7 during the normal period, respectively. A FK/CK ratio above 9.2 was considered a criterion for biomass burning event in this study. Particulate matter from the open field burning of agricultural waste has an adverse impact on visibility, human health, and regional air quality.     

Aliphatic alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric PM10 aerosols from Baoji, China: Implications for coal burning

Normal alkanes and PAHs in atmospheric PM₁₀ aerosols collected during 2008 winter and spring in Baoji, a mid-scale inland city of China, were determined on a molecular level. Concentrations of n-alkanes ranged from 232 to 3583 ng/m³ with an average of 1733 ng/m³ in winter and from 124 to 1160 ng/m³ with an average of 449 ng/m³ in spring, while PAHs in the PM₁₀ samples were 594 ± 405 and 128 ± 82 ng/m³ in the two seasons. Molecular compositions showed that CPI (odd/even) values of n-alkanes were close to unity for all the samples especially in winter, and diagnostic ratios of PAHs (e.g., Phe/(Phe + Ant), CPAH/ΣPAHs and IcdP/(IcdP + BghiP)) were found similar to those in coal burning smoke with a strong linear relationship (R² ≥ 0.85) between PAHs and fossil fuel derived n-alkanes, demonstrating that coal burning is the main source of n-alkanes and PAHs in the city, especially in winter due to house heating. Concentrations of the determined compounds in Baoji are much higher than those in Chinese mega-cities, suggesting that air pollution in small cities in the country is more serious and need more attention.     

Impact of Saharan dust on PM10 concentration in the Mediterranean Tunisian coasts

This paper presents samples of Saharan dust outbreak affecting the Mediterranean Tunisian coasts and its impact on PM10 (Particles with an aerodynamic diameter below 10 µm) surface concentrations measured at seven monitoring stations during summer 2006. During the events, the daily PM10 levels at all stations exceeded EU and Tunisian air quality standard limits which are equal to 50 µg/m³. The maximum values ranged from 200 µg/m³ to 300 µg/m³ depending on the monitoring station. The impact is even more dramatic on PM10 hourly concentrations leading to maximum hourly peaks ranging from 400 µg/m³ to 850 µg/m³ again depending on the monitoring station (industrial or residential, traffic and commercial). Comparison between backward air masses trajectories reaching Tunisian coasts and satellite imageries vis-à-vis the PM10 hourly concentrations measured at the monitoring stations during 2006 evidenced the influence of the Saharan dust outbreaks on surface concentrations. The origin of the air masses is found to be from South-West direction under the influence of air masses from the Algerian Saharan desert.     

Numerical simulation of the relationship between electrification and microphysics in the prelightning stage of thunderstorms

To further investigate the influence of cloud base temperature, updraft velocity and precipitation particle constitution on cloud electrification, five thunderstorms in various regions of China were simulated by using the three-dimensional compressible hailstorm numerical model including inductive and non-inductive charging mechanisms. The results indicate that changes of cloud base temperature have an influence on the initial electrification. Comparison of the above cases shows that in the case of warm cloud base and moderate updraft velocity (< 20 m s^{−  1}), active electrification occurred below the − 10 °C level before moving upward to the − 20 °C level. In contrast, when cloud base is cold and updraft velocity is intensive, the main charging region is at the − 20 °C or even higher level. In that case, the vertical extent of the main negative charge region becomes larger with the increase of cloud base temperature. Apart from the main dipolar or tripolar charge structure, some smaller charge regions with relatively high values of charge density may also appear. Frozen drops, originating mainly from supercooled raindrops, mainly get electrified through charging interactions with snow at or below the − 20 °C level. They are responsible for the negative charge region near the melting level at the initial stage of precipitation if there is a large supercooled raindrop content. Non-inductive charging during hail-snow collisions is rather weak, resulting in the charge density on hail of no more than − 0.01 nC m^− 3.     

Major ionic composition of precipitation in the Nam Co region, Central Tibetan Plateau

A total of 48 precipitation samples have been collected from individual precipitation events at the Nam Co Monitoring and Research Station for Multisphere Interactions (Nam Co Station, 30°47′N, 90°58′E; 4730 m a.s.l) located in the central Tibetan Plateau from August 2005 to August 2006. All samples were analyzed for major cations (NH₄⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺) and anions (Cl⁻, NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻), conductivity and pH. Precipitation pH values ranged from 6.03 to 7.38 with an average value of 6.59. The high pH is due to large inputs of crustal aerosols in the atmosphere, which contain a large fraction of carbonate. Ca²⁺ is the dominant cation in precipitation with an average value of 65.58 μeq L^− 1 (4.91–301.41 μeq L^− 1), accounting for 54% of the total cations in precipitation. HCO₃⁻ is the predominant anion, accounting for 62% of the total anions. When compared with data from a snow pit in the Zhadang Glacier 50 km away (5800 m a.s.l), major ion concentration in precipitation at the Nam Co Station is much higher due to local aerosol inputs. Correlation and empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis indicate that regional crustal aerosols and species from combustion emissions of residents are the major sources for these ions, lake salt aerosols from the Nam Co nearby and regional mineral aerosols from dry lake sediments are secondary sources, and sea salt contribution is the least due to the long distance transport.     

Continuous scanning of the mobility and size distribution of charged clusters and nanometer particles in atmospheric air and the Balanced Scanning Mobility Analyzer BSMA

Measuring of charged nanometer particles in atmospheric air is a routine task in research on atmospheric electricity, where these particles are called the atmospheric ions. An aspiration condenser is the most popular instrument for measuring atmospheric ions. Continuous scanning of a mobility distribution is possible when the aspiration condenser is connected as an arm of a balanced bridge. Transfer function of an aspiration condenser is calculated according to the measurements of geometric dimensions, air flow rate, driving voltage, and electric current. The most complicated phase of the calibration is the estimation of the inlet loss of ions due to the Brownian deposition. The available models of ion deposition on the protective inlet screen and the inlet control electrofilter have the uncertainty of about 20%. To keep the uncertainty of measurements low the adsorption should not exceed a few tens of percent. The online conversion of the mobility distribution to the size distribution and a correct reduction of inlet losses are possible when air temperature and pressure are measured simultaneously with the mobility distribution. Two instruments called the Balanced Scanning Mobility Analyzers (BSMA) were manufactured and tested in routine atmospheric measurements. The concentration of atmospheric ions of the size of about a few nanometers is very low and a high air flow rate is required to collect enough of ion current. The air flow of 52 l/s exceeds the air flow in usual aerosol instruments by 2–3 orders of magnitude. The high flow rate reduces the time of ion passage to 60 ms and the heating of air in an analyzer to 0.2 K, which suppresses a possible transformation of ions inside the instrument. The mobility range of the BSMA of 0.032–3.2 cm² V^− 1 s^− 1 is logarithmically uniformly divided into 16 fractions. The size distribution is presented by 12 fractions in the diameter range of 0.4–7.5 nm. The measurement noise of a fraction concentration is typically about 5 cm^− 3 and the time resolution is about 10 min when measuring simultaneously both positive and negative ions in atmospheric air.     

Geochemistry of regional background aerosols in the Western Mediterranean

The chemical composition of regional background aerosols, and the time variability and sources in the Western Mediterranean are interpreted in this study. To this end 2002–2007 PM speciation data from an European Supersite for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (Montseny, MSY, located 40 km NNE of Barcelona in NE Spain) were evaluated, with these data being considered representative of regional background aerosols in the Western Mediterranean Basin. The mean PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and PM₁ levels at MSY during 2002–2007 were 16, 14 and 11 µg/m³, respectively. After compiling data on regional background PM speciation from Europe to compare our data, it is evidenced that the Western Mediterranean aerosol is characterised by higher concentrations of crustal material but lower levels of OM + EC and ammonium nitrate than at central European sites. Relatively high PM_2.5 concentrations due to the transport of anthropogenic aerosols (mostly carbonaceous and sulphate) from populated coastal areas were recorded, especially during winter anticyclonic episodes and summer midday PM highs (the latter associated with the transport of the breeze and the expansion of the mixing layer). Source apportionment analyses indicated that the major contributors to PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were secondary sulphate, secondary nitrate and crustal material, whereas the higher load of the anthropogenic component in PM_2.5 reflects the influence of regional (traffic and industrial) emissions. Levels of mineral, sulphate, sea spray and carbonaceous aerosols were higher in summer, whereas nitrate levels and Cl/Na were higher in winter. A considerably high OC/EC ratio (14 in summer, 10 in winter) was detected, which could be due to a combination of high biogenic emissions of secondary organic aerosol, SOA precursors, ozone levels and insolation, and intensive recirculation of aged air masses. Compared with more locally derived crustal geological dusts, African dust intrusions introduce relatively quartz-poor but clay mineral-rich silicate PM, with more kaolinitic clays from central North Africa in summer, and more smectitic clays from NW Africa in spring.     

The daily and annual effects of dew, frost, and snow on a non-ventilated net radiometer

The formation of dew, deposition of frost and accumulation of snow mainly on the upper domes of a non-ventilated net radiometer seriously affect the measurement of available energy (net radiation). Net radiometers measure radiation, and energy balances and are widely used for estimation of evapotranspiration throughout the world. To study the effects of dew, frost, and snow on a non-ventilated net radiometer, a radiation station was set up which uses 2 CM21 Kipp & Zonen pyranometers (one inverted), 2 CG1 Kipp & Zonen pyrgeometers (one inverted), along with a Q7.1 net radiometer (Radiation & Energy Balance Systems, Inc.; REBS) in a semi-arid mountainous valley in Logan, Utah, U.S.A. The pyranometers and pyrgeometers were ventilated using 4 CV2 Kipp & Zonen ventilation systems. The net radiometer was not ventilated. The ventilation of pyranometers and pyrgeometers prevents dew and frost deposition and snow accumulation which otherwise would disturb measurements. All sensors were installed at about 3.0 m above the ground, which was covered with natural vegetation during the growing season (May–September). The incoming and outgoing solar or shortwave radiation, the incoming (atmospheric) and outgoing (terrestrial) longwave radiation, and the net radiation have been continuously measured by pyranometers, pyrgeometers and a net radiometer, respectively, since 1995. These parameters have been measured every 2 s and averaged into 20 min. To evaluate the effects of dew, frost, and snow, three days were chosen: 26 April 2004 with early morning dew, 6 January 2005 with an early morning frost, and the snowy day of 24 February 2005. Dew formation, frost deposition, and snow accumulation occurred mainly on the upper dome of the non-ventilated Q7.1 net radiometer on the related days, while the ventilated Kipp & Zonen system was free of dew, frost and snow. Net radiation measured by the non-ventilated net radiometer R_n,unvent. during dew and frost periods of the above-mentioned days was greater than ventilated ones R_n,vent. (− 0.2 MJ m^− 2 vs. − 0.8 MJ m^− 2 during almost 4 h on 26 April 2004, and − 0.2 MJ m^− 2 vs. − 0.7 MJ m^− 2 during almost 6.5 h on 6 January 2005). The reason for higher reading by the non-ventilated net radiometer during dew and frost periods was due to emission of additional longwave radiation from water and ice crystals formed mainly on the upper dome of the Q7.1 net radiometer. In contrast, during the snowy day of 24 February 2005, the R_n,unvent. was less than R_n,vent. (− 4.00 MJ m^− 2 vs. 0.77 MJ m^− 2, mainly from sunrise to sunset). The extremely low R_n,unvent. measured by the non-ventilated net radiometer on 24 February 2005 is due to blocking of the incoming solar radiation (mainly diffuse radiation) by the snow-covered upper dome.     

Resources of the ionized atmosphere as an aerosol source

The potential resources on the ion-stimulated syntheses effects of aerosol particles of lower troposphere in test sites in the arctic, mountain, arid and forest areas as the function of irradiation time and gas-precursor concentration were experimentally and theoretically evaluated. The dust-free outdoor air was irradiated with an ionization current of 10^− 6 A by α-rays from isotope ²³⁹Pu. The total output of radiolytic aerosols (RA) with a diameter of 3–1000 nm was found to be 0.05–0.1 molecules per 1 eV of absorbed radiation, while the physical upper limit is 0.25–0.4 molecules/eV. In an interval of exposition time from 6 to 800 s (adsorbed energy is 3 · 10¹²–10¹⁴ eV/cm³) the RA mass concentration at different sites was increased from 1–10 to 50–500 μg/m³. According to the liquid chromatography data the major RA material is the H₂O/HNO₃ solution with acid concentration  25%. The used physical model presents new aerosols as a product from small and intermediate ion association through formation of neutral clusters and describes adequately some of the peculiarities in field experiment data. Introducing SO₂, NH₃, and also hydrochloric, nitric and sulphuric acid vapours with concentration 0.1–1 mg/m³ in the irradiated air stimulated an increase of mass aerosol concentration by a factor of 8–30. The mean size also decreased by a factor of 3–5. These facts allowed us to expect that the chemical composition of radiolytic aerosols generated in outdoor air would noticeably differ after addition of the gas-precursors.