Formation of Light Absorbing Secondary Organic Aerosol from Reactive Uptake of Isoprene Epoxydiols

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  • April 30, 2020
Creator
  • Chu, Kevin
    • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Abstract
  • Light­‐absorbing organic carbon, also known as brown carbon (BrC), is an important climate warming agent that contributes to positive radiative forcing, but to date it is generally not represented in current climate models in part due to lack of understanding in its sources and formation processes. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from the reactive uptake and multiphase chemistry of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX), which are major gas-­‐phase oxidation products from isoprene, has been found to substantially contribute to the fine organic aerosol mass over the southeastern U.S. region, and is significantly enhanced by anthropogenic emissions. Brown carbon (BrC) in rural areas in this region has been reported to be associated with secondary sources in summer when influences from biomass burning are low. This study demonstrates the formation of light­‐absorbing (290 nm<λ<700 nm) SOA constituents resulting from reactive uptake of trans­‐β­‐IEPOX onto preexisting sulfate aerosols as a potential source of regional BrC. These results illustrate a novel chemical process leading to BrC production from an atmospherically abundant carbon species. In light of recent developments on the contribution of BrC to the global climate budget, these results possess major implications for climate models and the role of secondary aerosols on the global climate system.
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Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Note
  • Funding: Summer undergraduate research fellowship, EPA Grant No. 83540401
Advisor
  • Surratt, Jason
Degree
  • Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Honors level
  • Highest Honors
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduation year
  • 2014
Language
  • English
Extent
  • 30
Date uploaded
  • April 25, 2014

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