AAAR 35th Annual Conference October 17 - October 21, 2016 Oregon Convention Center Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Fluorescence and Sizing Properties of Individual Particles Associated with Dust and Non-Dust Events, Contrasting Cyprus and Barbados
NICOLE SAVAGE, Christopher Pöhlker, Jean Sciare, J. Alex Huffman, University of Denver, CO
Abstract Number: 518 Working Group: Bioaerosols
Abstract Bioaerosols can act as seeds for ice nucleation thus affecting cloud formation and precipitation. In recent years, advancements in chemical and physical detection of bioaerosols have allowed the characterization of airborne biological particles much more quickly and cost effectively than by previous techniques. One such instrument is the Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS) licensed by Droplet Measurement Technologies, which uses single particle fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize biological particles.
Cyprus is at the crossroads of 3 continents and sees aerosol events transported long distances from both natural and anthropogenic sources, including pollution from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, sea salt from the Mediterranean Sea, and dust from large deserts in Africa and the Middle East. The WIBS was used to investigate the properties of bioaerosols associated with dust events originating from various geographical locations. Initial fluorescence and sizing properties of individual particles observed by the WIBS will be reported. We will contrast the aerosol properties during dust and non-dust periods to estimate the amount of fluorescent biological material that may be lofted with the dust and transported across long distances. We will also discuss the interference the dust may introduce to fluorescent aerosol characterization.
The WIBS was also operated for several months at a coastal site in Barbados to observe long-range transport of dust. Approximately 800 Tg yr-1 of soil dust is transported from North Africa and brought west over the Atlantic Ocean, which may influence cloud formation properties in the region. We will show initial results and compare fluorescent particle properties between Cyprus and Barbados air masses.