Aerosol light absorption and the role of extremely low volatility organic compounds

Abstract

A month-long set of summertime measurements in a remote area in the Mediterranean is used to quantify aerosol absorption and the role of black and brown carbon. The suite of instruments included a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), both coupled to a thermodenuder and an Aethalometer, a photoacoustic extinctiometer (PAX405), and a single particle soot photometer (SP2). The average refractory black carbon (rBC) concentration during the campaign was 0.14 µg m−3, representing 3 % of the fine aerosol mass. The measured light absorption was two or more times higher than that of fresh black carbon (BC). Mie theory indicated that the absorption enhancement due to the coating of BC cores by nonrefractory material could explain only part of this absorption enhancement. The role of brown carbon (BrC) and other non-BC light-absorbing material was then investigated. A good correlation (R2 = 0.76) between the unexplained absorption and the concentration of extremely low volatility organic compounds (ELVOCs) mass was found.