Collaborative Research: Chemical, Physical, and Radiative Properties of North Atlantic Free Tropospheric Aerosol after Long-range Transport

该项目将加强位于北大西洋中部、亚速尔群岛皮科岛上海拔2.2公里的皮科山大气观测站正在进行的气溶胶和共同污染物测量。天文台位于海洋边界层上方，在大多数时候接收低层自由对流层的空气特征。该网站已被发现是非常有价值的研究大陆外流，没有受到海洋和当地的排放影响，因为离开大陆长达三个星期前。因此，这个网站是一个理想的位置，调查污染传输事件源于人类活动在北美，从火灾在北方地区，偶尔从撒哈拉沙漠灰尘入侵。以前对扩散和化学输送的测量和模拟研究了北美外流对北大西洋上空对流层臭氧及其前体的影响。在该项目中，将在目前测量的参数中增加新的测量值，以解决气溶胶及其共同污染物的辐射特性。这些数据将有助于研究远距离迁移的气溶胶的光学特性和组成。将通过三维化学-输送和化学-气候模式以及弥散模拟相结合的方法，确定在皮科观测站监测的经历远距离输送的气团中的光吸收碳及其伴生污染物的辐射强迫，其结果将有助于了解与远距离输送和气溶胶老化有关的气溶胶化学、物理和辐射特性。它将首次提供北大西洋自由对流层浮质的详细多年化学和光学测量。在皮科山，将发展一个长距离传输的光吸收气溶胶的频率和发生的气候学。观测、模拟的化学输送和辐射强迫模拟将为进一步研究全球吸光气溶胶特性及其分布、改进遥感数据解释提供基础。该项目将汇集来自三所美国大学和一所葡萄牙大学的研究人员。来自密歇根理工大学教师教育部的两名与会者将参与其中。这些实习教师将参与皮科的实地研究，并为高中生制定新的教育计划。通过一个新的皮科山研究网页和在皮科山国家公园游客中心的展览，将有可能进一步推广。

This project will augment ongoing measurements of aerosols and co-pollutants at the Pico Mountain Atmospheric Observatory in the central North Atlantic, at 2.2 kilometers above sea level on Pico Island in the Azores archipelago. The Observatory resides well above the marine boundary layer and receives air characteristic of the lower free troposphere during most times. The site has been found to be highly valuable for studying continental outflow that has not been affected by the ocean and local emissions since leaving the continent up to three weeks earlier. Consequently, this site is an ideal location to investigate pollution transport events originating from human activities in North America, from fires in the boreal regions, and occasionally from Saharan dust intrusions. Previous measurements and simulations of dispersion and chemical transport have examined the impacts of outflow from North America on tropospheric ozone and its precursors over the North Atlantic Ocean. In this project, new measurements will be added to the parameters presently measured to address the radiative properties of aerosols and its co-pollutants. These data will allow study of the optical properties and composition of long-range transported aerosols. Radiative forcing of light-absorbing carbon and its co-pollutants in air masses undergoing long-range transport and monitored at the Pico Observatory will be determined by a combination of 3-dimensional chemistry-transport and chemistry-climate models and dispersion modeling.The results will contribute to understanding of aerosol chemical, physical and radiative properties with respect to long-range transport and aerosol aging. It will provide the first detailed multi-year chemical and optical measurements of North Atlantic free tropospheric aerosol. A climatology of the frequency and occurrence of long-range transported light absorbing aerosol at Pico Mountain will be developed. The observations, modeled chemical transport, and radiative forcing simulations will provide a foundation for further research on global light-absorbing aerosol properties and on its distribution, for improved remote sensing data interpretations. The project will bring together investigators from three U.S. universities and one Portuguese university. Two participants from the Teachers Education Division at Michigan Technological University will be involved. These student teachers will participate in the field research at Pico and develop new education plans for high school students. Further outreach will be possible with a new Pico Mountain research web page and a display in the Pico Mountain National Park visitor center.