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SOURCES AND RADIATIVE PROPERTIES OF ORGANOSULFATES IN THE ATMOSPHERE
Impact/Purpose:
In this proposal, field measurements are designed to understand how secondary organic aerosol (SOA) forms in mixtures of biogenic and anthropogenic emissions and laboratory studies are proposed to evaluate its impacts on climate. The proposed study focuses on organosulfates that are significant components of ambient aerosol and unique to SOA formed under acidic conditions. Field-based measurements of organosulfates will be used to test the hypothesis that anthropogenic sulfur dioxide emissions impact SOA formation. Laboratory studies will further test the hypothesis that organosulfates are climate forcing agents. The primary objectives of the proposed work are to:
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i. Identify the anthropogenic and biogenic emission sources and atmospheric conditions that lead to organosulfate and SOA formation
ii. Evaluate the direct and indirect radiative properties of organosulfates, including their light absorption, hygroscopicity, and cloud condensation nuclei activity.
The proposed study will improve the understanding of SOA formation, advance the analytical tools to study particulate matter, provide the first measurements of the climatically-relevant properties of organosulfates, and make significant contributions to the upcoming Southern Oxidant & Aerosol Study (SOAS).
Description:
It is expected that these studies will provide mechanistic insight to how SOA forms under acidic conditions and how it impacts direct and indirect radiative forcing. Understanding the chemical and physical properties of SOA will lead to future advancements in the predictive capabilities of air quality and climate models.