MRI-R2: Acquisition of a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) for Analyses of Black Carbon in the Environment

Kaspari0957935该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)资助的。该MRI-R2奖项将资助购买一台用于黑碳分析的颗粒烟尘光度计(SP2)。SP2系统允许测量黑碳颗粒的质量、混合状态和光学尺寸。与传统的热光方法相比，它具有更低的检测下限和更少的样品改变。气体样品可以直接进样，而液体样品(例如冰芯部分)在进样前被雾化。黑碳是由不完全燃烧产生的，来自生物质、煤炭和化石燃料的燃烧。它吸收大气中的光，导致温度升高。在冰或雪中，黑碳可以减少表面反照率，导致融化增加。它被认为在全球变暖中扮演着重要角色。将对冰芯中的黑碳进行分析，为古气候重建提供替代数据。SP2系统对于在非常小的样本量上获得高分辨率测量至关重要。采样将集中在几个区域系统，包括喜马拉雅山脉、北喀斯喀斯特、格陵兰、南极洲和其他北美遗址。将确定黑碳对冰雪反照率的影响，并评估对气候强迫的影响。这些数据将与其他衡量积雪融化和气候梯度的指标联系起来。该分析仪还将用于更好地了解人为和自然气溶胶。使用新仪器进行的研究，其核心将具有巨大的社会相关性，因为黑碳及其相关的热强迫可能会在估计全球气候变化的不确定性中占据相当大的比例。SP2将纳入华威大学的2门研究生课程和4门本科课程。建立了针对代表性不足的群体的大学科学计划。该仪器将被安置在新装修的实验室空间内。毗邻的空间拥有清洁的实验室和冰芯处理设施。PI将负责仪器的采购、安装、维护、校准和培训。PI作为博士后管理了这一工具。该部门有两名全职工程技术人员。消耗品将通过研究补助金和向外部用户收取的实验室费用购买。***

Kaspari0957935This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This MRI-R2 award will fund the purchase of a particle soot photometer (SP2) for black carbon analysis. The SP2 system allows measuring mass, mixing state, and optical size of black carbon particles. It does so with lower detection limits and less sample alteration than traditional thermal-optical methods. Gaseous samples can be introduced directly while liquid samples (ice core sections, for example) are nebulized before introduction. Black carbon is produced from incomplete combustion and derives from biomass, coal and fossil-fuel burning. It absorbs light in the atmosphere and leads to increased temperature. In ice or snow, black carbon can reduce surface albedo leading to increased melting. It is thought to play a major role in global warming. Black carbon will be analyzed in ice cores to provide proxy data for paleoclimatological reconstructions. The SP2 system will be critical to obtaining high-resolution measurements on very small sample quantities. Sampling will focus on several regional systems including the Himalayas, the North Cascades, Greenland, Antarctica and other North American sites. Black carbon impacts on snow and ice albedo will be determined and the impact on climate forcing assessed. These data will be placed into context with other measures of snowmelt and climate gradients. The analyzer will also be used to better understand anthropogenic and natural aerosols. Research conducted with the new instrument will, at its core, have tremendous societal relevance as black carbon and its associated heat forcing may account for a considerable portion of the uncertainty in estimating global climate change. The SP2 will be incorporated into 2 graduate and 4 undergraduate courses at CWU. University science programs are established which target underrepresented groups. The instrument will be housed in newly renovated laboratory space. The adjacent spaces house clean laboratories and ice core processing facilities. The PI will be responsible for instrument purchase, installation, maintenance, calibration and training. The PI has managed this instrumentation as a post-doc. Two full-time engineering technicians are available through the department. Consumables will be purchased through research grants and laboratory fees charged to outside users. ***