L/O/G/O

Aerosol Chemistry

BS-SS-09
Fall-22

Dr. Mujtaba Hassan

Assistant Professor

Department of Space Science IST,

Islamabad
 Atmosphere and Ocean
L/O/G/O

Infrared

From: http://www.sonoma.edu/users/f/freidel/global/. What’s missing?

Earth’s Surface Temperature

 
1/4
2
Te T Rs 2 (1 a)

s

Rse 2(1t)




t  0, Te  303K (Greenhouse Max)

t 1, Te  255 K (No Atmosphere)
t  0.2, Te  289 K (Just Right)
Te Earth’s radiative temperature
Ts Sun’s radiative temperature
Rs Sun’s radius
Rse Sun to Earth distance
a Earth’s surface solar reflectance
Univ NV Reno
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t IR transmittance of Earth’s atmosphere.
Spectrum of Solar Radiation Flux

• The sun emits 41% of its radiation in the visible spectrum,

• 9% in the ultraviolet spectrum

• 50% in the near infrared spectrum

Sourfe: Univ NV Reno
www.themegallery.com
Spectrum of Solar Radiation Flux

O3

O2
H2O

H2O ,CO2

.1 . 3 .5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
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From Cunningham & Cunningham, 2004,
 ( m) 
 What are Aerosols?
 Definition;
Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in air, either in solid phase or liquid
phase or both .
Concentrations;
The highest concentrations are usually found in urban areas, reaching up
to 108 and 109 particles per cc (Seinfeld and Pandis, 1998).
 Size;
Aerosols range in size from around .001µm(molecular cluster) to 100
µm(small rain drop)

10µm
2.5µm
Human Hair(65 µm
diameter)

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Source; Thermo electron corporation
Aerosol Sources
 Primary and Secondary
Primary particles – introduced directly into the
atmosphere (e.g. smoke from combustion)
Secondary particles – formed by chemical reactions in
the atmosphere (e.g. gas-to-particle conversion)

 Natural and Anthropogenic Aerosol

Sulfates, Soot • Natural – dominates in rural (remote) areas
• Anthropogenic – dominates in urban areas

Sea Salt
Biomass Burning
Sourfe: Univ NV Reno
www.themegallery.com
 Chemical Composition
The bimodal nature of the size-number distribution of atmospheric particles suggests at
least two distinct mechanisms of formation, and the chemical composition of the particles
reflects their origins.

Fine particles have a diameter smaller than about 2.5 mm, and are produced by the
condensation of vapors, accumulation, and coagulation. They have a chemical composition
that reflects the condensable trace gases in the atmosphere: SO 2, NH3, HNO3, VOC’s, and
H2O. The chemical composition is water with SO4-2, NO3-, NH 4+, Pb, Cl-, Br-, C(soot), and
organic matter; where biomass burning is prevalent, K+.

Coarse Particles have a diameter greater than about 2.5 mm, are produced by
mechanical weathering of surface materials. Their lifetimes, controlled by fallout and
washout, are generally short. The composition of particles in this size range reflects that of
the earth's surface - silicate (SiO2), iron and aluminum oxides, CaCO3 and MgCO3; over the
oceans , NaCl.

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 ORIGIN OF THE ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL
Aerosol: dispersed condensed matter suspended in a gas
Size range: 0.001 mm (molecular cluster) to 100 mm (small raindrop)

Soil dust
Sea salt

Environmental importance: health (respiration), visibility, radiative balance,

cloud formation, heterogeneous reactions, delivery of nutrients…
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 Atmospheric Aerosols

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 Aerosol Distributions
Number
• cloud formation
Surface
• visibility
Volume
• mass

Mass & Number

• human health

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 Sources of Atmospheric Aerosol
Amount, Tg/yr [106 metric tons/yr]
NATURAL Range Best estimate

Soil dust 1000 - 3000 1500

Sea salt 1000 - 10000 1300
Botanical debris 26 - 80 50
Volcanic dust 4 - 10000 30
Forest fires 3 - 150 20
Gas-to-particle conversion 100 - 260 180
Photochemical 40 - 200 60
Total for natural sources 2200 - 24000 3100
ANTHROPOGENIC

Direct emissions 50 - 160 120

Gas-to-particle conversion 260 - 460 330
Photochemical 5 - 25 10
Total for anthropogenic
320 - 640 460
sources

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(Data from: W.C. Hinds, Aerosol Technology, 2nd Edition, Wiley Interscience)
 Effects Of Aerosol

 Direct effect —Scattering and absorption of radiation

 Indirect effect —Roles in cloud micro physics

Clean cloud Polluted cloud

Large cloud droplets Small Cloud droplets
Low albedo High albedo
Efficient precipitation Suppressed precipitation

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