New Perspectives on Decades of SOA Formation Studies: A Comprehensive Laboratory Data Review from UCR
YANYU ZHANG, David R. Cocker III, University of California, Riverside
Abstract Number: 265
Working Group: Aerosol Chemistry
Abstract
From the early 2000s through 2025, researchers at Atmospheric Processes Laboratory (APL), University of California, Riverside, have conducted approximately 6000 experiments using their 100+ m3 environmental chambers, contributing extensively to the understanding of atmospheric processes for both anthropogenic and biogenic compounds. This study presents a comprehensive review of the over two decades of chamber-based research at APL, with a particular focus on the formation and evolution of secondary products including ozone and secondary organic aerosols (SOA), along with broader insights into aerosol physical and chemical properties. We examine several critical elements: (1) SOA yield — reevaluating the dataset with respect to current scientific understandings involving atmospheric reactivity (e.g., beta) and SOA formation; (2) particle wall loss — investigating the effect of particle wall loss on SOA formation, utilizing a new environmental chamber with a dramatic reduction in wall loss by an order of magnitude, to assess the impact of commonly applied correction methods, with additional considerations discussed as part of the broader analysis. Overall, this study will generate a long-term dataset that provides critical benchmarks for validating atmospheric models.