1 research outputs found
Enhanced Light Scattering of Secondary Organic Aerosols by Multiphase Reactions
Secondary
organic aerosol (SOA) plays a pivotal role in visibility
and radiative forcing, both of which are intrinsically linked to the
refractive index (RI). While previous studies have focused on the
RI of SOA from traditional formation processes, the effect of multiphase
reactions on the RI has not been considered. Here, we investigate
the effects of multiphase processes on the RI and light-extinction
of <i>m</i>-xylene-derived SOA, a common type of anthropogenic
SOA. We find that multiphase reactions in the presence of liquid water
lead to the formation of oligomers from intermediate products such
as glyoxal and methylglyoxal, resulting in a large enhancement in
the RI and light-scattering of this SOA. These reactions will result
in increases in light-scattering efficiency and direct radiative forcing
of approximately 20%–90%. These findings improve our understanding
of SOA optical properties and have significant implications for evaluating
the impacts of SOA on the rapid formation of regional haze, global
radiative balance, and climate change