Abstract View
A Searchable Database and Mass Spectral Comparison Tool for Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS)
SOHYEON JEON, Michael Walker, Donna Sueper, Anne Handschy, Douglas Day, Jose-Luis Jimenez, Brent Williams, Washington University in St. Louis
Abstract Number: 476
Working Group: Instrumentation and Methods
Abstract
The aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) is one of the most widely applied tools for analyzing the bulk composition of atmospheric particles. AMS observations from field and laboratory studies have generally been reported in text form in peer-reviewed literature. An AMS-users mass spectral database has been created and maintained on an open-access website, but with growing numbers of datasets from around the globe and higher mass resolution spectra, the database needs revisions to meet new demands and applications. One major limitation of the web-based database is the inability to automatically search the database and compare previous mass spectra with the researcher’s own data. In this study, a searchable database tool for the AMS spectral dataset was built to improve the efficiency of the data analysis process using Igor Pro, consistent with existing AMS software. The database incorporates the published mass spectra and sample information from source-specific ambient, laboratory, and factor analysis-derived data uploaded on the website. It compares the target mass spectrum with the existing mass spectra in the database, calculating cosine similarity, and provides a range of mass spectral comparison plots. The aim is to help AMS users efficiently analyze their own data for possible source or atmospheric processing contributions in comparison to previous studies. Furthermore, users are able to submit their data using an export panel to upload their data to further expand the database. The AMS database will be regularly updated and posted on the website including the newly submitted mass spectra.