Characterization of the Mixing State of Aerosols in the Amazon Basin

 

Authors

Ryan Moffet — Sonoma Technology Inc.

Bingbing Wang — Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Harder Tristan — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Peter A Alpert — Stony Brook University
Daniel Knopf — Stony Brook University
Mary Gilles — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Alexander Laskin — Purdue University

Category

GoAmazon – Clouds and aerosols in Amazonia

Description

Aerosol radiative forcing through the direct and indirect effect remains a major source of uncertainty in predicting future climate. Tropical regions are particularly important due to the large amount of solar radiation and extensive cloud formation that takes place at the equator. In this study, the aerosol mixing state and detailed morphological properties of individual atmospheric particles are being examined. Samples collected during the GoAmazon campaign are being used to characterize the urban outflow from the city of Manaus. Elemental mixing state from clean and pristine samples is quantified using a variety of chemical imaging techniques, highlighting the differing characteristics of urban emissions from the background tropical aerosol. New interactive single particle analysis approaches highlight pitfalls and new insights into soot properties obtained using chemical imaging. Properties such as core and coating morphology, size, and chemical composition will be presented. This study provides valuable constraints that can be used to guide continuing modeling and measurement efforts. As the amazon region continues to develop, it will become ever more important to document changes in the atmospheric aerosol and how they drive changes in the overall radiation budget in the tropics.