10th International Aerosol Conference
September 2 - September 7, 2018
America's Center Convention Complex
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Abstract View


Fog Processing of Aerosols Studied using HR-ToF-AMS and a Size Resolved CCN Counter

JAMES SCHWAB, Jie Zhang, Joseph P. Marto, Sara Lance, Yele Sun, University at Albany, SUNY

     Abstract Number: 577
     Working Group: Aerosol Chemistry

Abstract
The effect of foggy conditions and aqueous processing on the characteristics of secondary aerosol was studied at Pinnacle State Park (PSP), NY in Sep. 2017, using an Aerodyne High Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and collocated instruments. The five day time period was marked by high relative humidity (>95%) for the five nights in the study, and radiation fog at the site on four of these nights. While thermodynamic and chemical conditions were largely favorable for new particle formation and growth, we believe that high RH and fog inhibited the potential occurrence of such events. At the same time, the high RH and fog conditions led to interesting and novel chemical interactions and signatures in the AMS organics. Three kinds of organic aerosols are identified through Positive Matrix Factorization of the aerosol mass fragment spectra. In particular, a biogenic secondary organic aerosol factor (BSOA) was evident, and this factor has been previously identified as associated with the gas-phase transfer though the reaction of biogenic volatile organic precursors with NO3. Different fog periods will be identified by association with different chemical markers, and the influence of these fog periods on the aerosol properties (aerosol composition, size distribution, hygroscopicity, etc.) will be presented and discussed.