Multicomponent Atmospheric Aerosol-Water Interactions

该项目将实验室和现场测量与建模相结合，以研究控制水与多组分大气气溶胶相互作用的过程。减少当前云凝结核（CCN）活动的不确定性可能对获得对城市和区域大气以及全球气候变化的更深入了解产生深远影响。研究人员将描述不同环境条件下的大气气溶胶吸水性，包括考虑无机和有机形态，并进一步研究水合初级和次级有机气溶胶的颗粒老化效应。涉及两个研究要素，第一个是使用他们自己设计的仪器使用环境测量来调查亚饱和和接近饱和时气溶胶的吸水性，第二个实验室研究旨在表征CCN的主要和次要来源。本研究的广泛影响包括更好地理解在代表性环境条件下，二次有机气溶胶如何改变CCN活性和控制气溶胶-水相互作用，这是对能见度、辐射转移和气候变化至关重要的过程。该项目包括支持两名研究生的研究培训。

This project integrates laboratory and field measurements with modeling to investigate processes that control water interactions with multicomponent atmospheric aerosols. Reducing the current uncertainty in cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity has potentially a profound influence on gaining a more informed understanding the urban and regional atmosphere, as well as global climate change. The investigators will characterize ambient aerosol water uptake under varying environmental conditions, including consideration of both inorganic and organic speciation, and further investigate particle-aging effects of hydrated primary and secondary organic aerosols. Two research elements are involved, the first investigating aerosol water uptake at sub- and near-saturation using ambient measurements with an instrument of their own design, and the second laboratory studies aimed at characterization of primary and secondary sources of CCN. The broader impacts of this research include a better understanding as to how secondary organic aerosols under representative ambient conditions might modify CCN activity and control aerosol-water interactions, processes fundamentally important for visibility, radiative transfer and climate change. The project includes support for the research training of two graduate students.