Linkage between [|#11#|]morphology and optical properties of soot
Abstract
Black Carbon (BC) containing aerosols that are generally hydrophobic upon emission become increasingly mixed with other aerosol material through condensation and coagulation. In polluted urban air, BC becomes internally mixed with organics and sulfate on a time scale of about 12 hours. Recent studies have indicated that the photo-absorption by BC is enhanced as a consequence of the internal mixing of BC with these other aerosol materials. To estimate this absorption enhancement, we have undertaken laboratory studies involving the mixing of initially uncoated BC produced from the combustion of a methane diffusion flame with inorganic and organic compounds. Particle size distributions are used as a first indicator of coating. We use Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to characterize the fractal and shape factors of the generated uncoated and coated BC (see Fig.1 and Fig.2). We create modeled aggregates with the same characteristics as those analyzed at the SEM and we initialize a radiation transfer model (ddscatt) to estimate optical properties of uncoated and coated BC. We quantify absorption enhancement due to coating as a function of aggregate morphology. We use Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to determine the mixing state and to aid in distinguishing between absorption enhancement caused by fractal collapse and surface coating. This paper will show the relationships between soot morphology, coating and optical properties. SEM and TEM imaged of uncoated and coated soot a will be presented.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFM.A52A..05S
- Keywords:
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- 0305 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Aerosols and particles;
- 0360 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Radiation: transmission and scattering