Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The impact of atmospheric oxidation on hygroscopicity and cloud droplet activation of inorganic sea spray aerosol

Rosati, Bernadette ; Christiansen, Sigurd ; Dinesen, Anders ; Roldin, Pontus LU ; Massling, Andreas ; Nilsson, E. Douglas and Bilde, Merete (2021) In Scientific Reports 11.
Abstract

Sea spray aerosol (SSA) contributes significantly to natural aerosol particle concentrations globally, in marine areas even dominantly. The potential changes of the omnipresent inorganic fraction of SSA due to atmospheric ageing is largely unexplored. In the atmosphere, SSA may exist as aqueous phase solution droplets or as dried solid or amorphous particles. We demonstrate that ageing of liquid NaCl and artificial sea salt aerosol by exposure to ozone and UV light leads to a substantial decrease in hygroscopicity and cloud activation potential of the dried particles of the same size. The results point towards surface reactions on the liquid aerosols that are more crucial for small particles and the formation of salt structures with... (More)

Sea spray aerosol (SSA) contributes significantly to natural aerosol particle concentrations globally, in marine areas even dominantly. The potential changes of the omnipresent inorganic fraction of SSA due to atmospheric ageing is largely unexplored. In the atmosphere, SSA may exist as aqueous phase solution droplets or as dried solid or amorphous particles. We demonstrate that ageing of liquid NaCl and artificial sea salt aerosol by exposure to ozone and UV light leads to a substantial decrease in hygroscopicity and cloud activation potential of the dried particles of the same size. The results point towards surface reactions on the liquid aerosols that are more crucial for small particles and the formation of salt structures with water bound within the dried aerosols, termed hydrates. Our findings suggest an increased formation of hydrate forming salts during ageing and the presence of hydrates in dried SSA. Field observations indicate a reduced hygroscopic growth factor of sub-micrometre SSA in the marine atmosphere compared to fresh laboratory generated NaCl or sea salt of the same dry size, which is typically attributed to organic matter or sulphates. Aged inorganic sea salt offers an additional explanation for such a measured reduced hygroscopic growth factor and cloud activation potential.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scientific Reports
volume
11
article number
10008
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85105767585
  • pmid:33976276
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/s41598-021-89346-6
project
Continental Biosphere Aerosol Cloud climate feedback loop during the Anthropocene
Modelling atmospheric new particle formation from first principles – The role of Highly Oxygenated organic Molecules in clean and polluted air
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
774d4e1c-99d3-4de9-805a-9c60488fad95
date added to LUP
2021-05-25 12:11:48
date last changed
2024-06-15 11:28:58
@article{774d4e1c-99d3-4de9-805a-9c60488fad95,
  abstract     = {{<p>Sea spray aerosol (SSA) contributes significantly to natural aerosol particle concentrations globally, in marine areas even dominantly. The potential changes of the omnipresent inorganic fraction of SSA due to atmospheric ageing is largely unexplored. In the atmosphere, SSA may exist as aqueous phase solution droplets or as dried solid or amorphous particles. We demonstrate that ageing of liquid NaCl and artificial sea salt aerosol by exposure to ozone and UV light leads to a substantial decrease in hygroscopicity and cloud activation potential of the dried particles of the same size. The results point towards surface reactions on the liquid aerosols that are more crucial for small particles and the formation of salt structures with water bound within the dried aerosols, termed hydrates. Our findings suggest an increased formation of hydrate forming salts during ageing and the presence of hydrates in dried SSA. Field observations indicate a reduced hygroscopic growth factor of sub-micrometre SSA in the marine atmosphere compared to fresh laboratory generated NaCl or sea salt of the same dry size, which is typically attributed to organic matter or sulphates. Aged inorganic sea salt offers an additional explanation for such a measured reduced hygroscopic growth factor and cloud activation potential.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rosati, Bernadette and Christiansen, Sigurd and Dinesen, Anders and Roldin, Pontus and Massling, Andreas and Nilsson, E. Douglas and Bilde, Merete}},
  issn         = {{2045-2322}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Scientific Reports}},
  title        = {{The impact of atmospheric oxidation on hygroscopicity and cloud droplet activation of inorganic sea spray aerosol}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89346-6}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41598-021-89346-6}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}