Hygroscopic properties of aerosol particles in the northeastern Atlantic during ACE-2

Measurements of the hygroscopic properties of sub-micrometer atmospheric aerosol particles were performed with hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analysers (H-TDMA) at 5 sites in the subtropical north-eastern Atlantic during the second Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-2) from 16 June to 25 July 1997. Four of the sites were in the marine boundary layer and one was, at least occasionally, in the lower free troposphere. The hygroscopic diameter growth factors of individual aerosol particles in the dry particle diameter range 10−440 nm were generally measured for changes in relative humidity (RH) from <10% to 90%. In the marine boundary layer, growth factors at 90% RH were dependent on location, air mass type and particle size. The data was dominated by a unimodal growth distribution of more-hygroscopic particles, although a bimodal growth distribution including less-hygroscopic particles was observed at times, most often in the more polluted air masses. In clean marine air masses the more-hygroscopic growth factors ranged from about 1.6 to 1.8 with a consistent increase in growth factor with increasing particle size. There was also a tendency toward higher growth factors as sodium to sulphate molar ratio increased with increasing sea-salt contribution at higher wind speeds. During outbreaks of European pollution in the ACE-2 region, the growth factors of the largest particles were reduced, but only slightly. Growth factors at all sizes in both clean and polluted air masses were markedly lower at the Sagres, Portugal site due to more proximate continental influences. The frequency of occurrence of less-hygroscopic particles with a growth factor of ca. 1.15 was greatest during polluted conditions at Sagres. The free tropospheric 50 nm particles were predominately less-hygroscopic, with an intermediate growth factor of 1.4, but more-hygroscopic particles with growth factors of about 1.6 were also frequent. While these particles probably originate from within the marine boundary layer, the less-hygroscopic particles are probably more characteristic of lower free tropospheric air masses. For those occasions when measurements were made at 90% and an intermediate 60% or 70% RH, the growth factor G(RH) of the more-hygroscopic particles could be modelled empirically by a power law expression. For the ubiquitous more-hygroscopic particles, the expressions G(RH)=(1-RH/100)-0.210 for 50 nm Aitken mode particles and G(RH)=(1-RH/100)-0.233 for 166 nm accumulation mode particles are recommended for clean marine air masses in the north-eastern Atlantic within the range 0<RH<95%, and for wind speeds for which the local sea-salt production is small (<ca. 8 m s-1)

Sources of increase in lowermost stratospheric sulphurous and carbonaceous aerosol background concentrations during 1999–2008 derived from CARIBIC flights

This study focuses on sulphurous and carbonaceous aerosol, the major constituents of particulate matter in the lowermost stratosphere (LMS), based on in situ measurements from 1999 to 2008. Aerosol particles in the size range of 0.08–2 µm were collected monthly during intercontinental flights with the CARIBIC passenger aircraft, presenting the first long-term study on carbonaceous aerosol in the LMS. Elemental concentrations were derived via subsequent laboratory-based ion beam analysis. The stoichiometry indicates that the sulphurous fraction is sulphate, while an O/C ratio of 0.2 indicates that the carbonaceous aerosol is organic. The concentration of the carbonaceous component corresponded on average to approximately 25% of that of the sulphurous, and could not be explained by forest fires or biomass burning, since the average mass ratio of Fe to K was 16 times higher than typical ratios in effluents from biomass burning. The data reveal increasing concentrations of particulate sulphur and carbon with a doubling of particulate sulphur from 1999 to 2008 in the northern hemisphere LMS. Periods of elevated concentrations of particulate sulphur in the LMS are linked to downward transport of aerosol from higher altitudes, using ozone as a tracer for stratospheric air. Tropical volcanic eruptions penetrating the tropical tropopause are identified as the likely cause of the particulate sulphur and carbon increase in the LMS, where entrainment of lower tropospheric air into volcanic jets and plumes could be the cause of the carbon increase

Ion-beam thermography analysis of the H2SO4-(NH4)2SO4 system in aerosol samples

Ion-beam thermography (IBT) is used to determine the chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols. The aerosols are analyZed by a combination of four ion-beam techniques PIXE, PESA, pNRA and cPESA during thermography. These techniques monitor the concentrations of the available elements during the stepwise heating of the sample. For each element a thermogram, i.e., the concentration vs. temperature, is obtained. Vaporization of chemical compounds generated during heating will result in a decrease in concentration in the thermograms at temperatures that are characteristic for the compounds. The compounds are identified by the stoichiometric ratios and the characteristic vaporization temperatures (CVT). This paper deals with the analysis of five different laboratory-produced aerosols with the following compositions: (NH4)2SO4, (NH4)1.5H0.5SO4, NH4HSO4, (NH4)0.5H1.5SO4 and H2SO4. All compounds were readily separated with respect to response in IBT analysis and the amount of water bound to the two most acidic compounds could be quantified

Vaporisation characteristics and detection limits of ion beam thermography

Analytical properties of the chemical speciation method, Ion beam thermography (IBT), have been investigated. IBT combines the multi-elemental ion beam techniques PIXE, PESA, pNRA and cPESA with thermography. During thermography the sample temperature is gradually increased, causing vaporisation of chemical compounds at specific temperatures and the sample at the same time undergoes analysis by the above-mentioned techniques. The characteristic vaporisation temperature (CVT) and the stoichiometric relations between the elements vaporised at that temperature, identify the chemical compounds. This work describes the reproducibility of the method, the dependence of the rate of temperature increase, the dependence of the sample thickness and the influence from aerosol particle size on the CVT. In addition the minimum detectable mass changes for IBT analysis of marine and continental aerosols were estimated by calculation for major and minor elements

High sensitivity elemental analysis methodology for upper tropospheric aerosol

In this study, a sampling and analysis tool for aerosol particles has been developed. Its purpose is to characterize upper tropospheric aerosols, where concentrations are low. Since measurements will be made from an airplane, a time resolution of one hour is desirable. These conditions require efficient sampling and analysis with low detection limits. To accomplish this, our sampler uses impaction, concentrating the aerosol deposit on a small area. The impactor has 14 parallel sampling lines which are used sequentially to achieve the time resolution. The elemental analysis is done with Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), profiting from its high absolute sensitivity. The aerosol is expected to contains primarily sulphur (S) and emphasis is placed on this element, however the multi-elemental nature of PIXE is of course used. Several substrates have been investigated regarding minimum detection limits. Scanning Transmission Ion Macroscopy (STIM) analysis has been conducted on two outdoor aerosol samples, rendering three-dimensional images and mass distribution profiles. The setup was tested at ground level with high time resolution (5 min). Results show that the detection capabilities are excellent

[Telementoring in surgery]

Tele-mentoring is an interactive experimental method that allows young surgeons' education by distant learning tutoring of an expert surgeon. The problem about assessment of efficacy and quality of computer-assisted instruction is under evaluation today. Tele-mentoring is supported by videoconferencing system and it is not an exclusive methodology but an additional methodology to traditional didactic for clinicians and surgeons. It allows personal virtual trainings by computers and telecommunication systems. Videoconference allows tutoring for telemedicine, teletriage and telesurgery also

Fine mode particulate sulphur in the tropopause region measured from intercontinental flights (CARIBIC)

Here the first systematic study of the concentration of particulate sulphur in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere is presented. The measurements were undertaken in the CARIBIC programme during intercontinental flights from a commercial aircraft, which was equipped with an aerosol inlet and a research payload in the cargo bay. Aerosol samples were collected and analysed for elemental composition. The data set comprises 21 flights between Germany and Male/Colombo in the Indian Ocean. The average fine mode, particulate sulphur concentration was 14 ng/m3 STP, which is low compared to remote areas at the Earth's surface. A pronounced dependence with latitude with elevated concentrations occurring within the densely industrialised northern hemispheric mid latitudes was observed, thus suggesting anthropogenic influence on the climate from sulphate particles in the tropopause region