AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
Contribution of Biomass Burning to the Total Organic Aerosol in the Eastern Mediterranean
AIKATERINI BOUGIATIOTI, Iasonas Stavroulas, Evangelia Kostenidou, Francesco Canonaco, Spyros Pandis, Athanasios Nenes, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Georgia Institute of Technology
Abstract Number: 334 Working Group: Biomass Burning Aerosol: From Emissions to Impacts
Abstract The contribution of biomass burning to the total organic aerosol was studied at the remote background site of Finokalia, Crete for a period of 16 months (June 2012 to December 2013). The study is based on measurements performed using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) and the resulting organic components identified by Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis of the organic mass spectra. Different factors and subsequently different sources are identified depending on the season, each factor having varying contribution to the total organic aerosol (OA). Based on PMF analysis, long-range transport of biomass burning from Southeastern Europe and countries surrounding the Black Sea influences the site during two periods (April-May and July-September). The contribution of the fresh BBOA factor during these periods is on average 17.1±2.2% to the total OA. A distinct regional source of olive tree branches burning, which is a common agricultural waste management practice in the Mediterranean area after the annual pruning of olive trees, is also identified from November to February (not included in the aforementioned BBOA). The main difference between the mass spectrum of the olive tree branches burning and other published biomass burning spectra is the almost equal intensities of m/z 43 and 44 and the lower intensity of m/z 60. The olive tree branches burning factor may contribute up to 48% to the total identified OA during wintertime. This source can be regarded as an important during this season in the Mediterranean area, as the olive tree branches burning mainly takes place when there is no rainfall or high wind speeds, which could scavenge the produced particulate matter.