The University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) was founded in 1909.
Ubiquitous influence of wildfire emissions and secondary organic aerosol on summertime atmospheric aerosol in the forested Great Lakes region
Title | Ubiquitous influence of wildfire emissions and secondary organic aerosol on summertime atmospheric aerosol in the forested Great Lakes region |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2018 |
Authors | Gunsch MJ, May NW, Wen M, Bottenus CLH, Gardner DJ, VanReken TM, Bertman SB, Hopke PK, Ault AP, Pratt KA |
Journal | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
Volume | 18 |
Pagination | 3701 - 3715 |
Date Published | Jan-01-2018 |
Abstract | Long-range aerosol transport affects locations hundreds of kilometers from the point of emission, leading to distant particle sources influencing rural environments that have few major local sources. Source apportionment was conducted using real-time aerosol chemistry measurements made in July 2014 at the forested University of Michigan Biological Station near Pellston, Michigan, a site representative of the remote forested Great Lakes region. Size-resolved chemical composition of individual 0.5–2.0 µm particles was measured using an aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ATOFMS), and non-refractory aerosol mass less than 1 µm (PM1) was measured with a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-AMS). The field site was influenced by air masses transporting Canadian wildfire emissions and urban pollution from Milwaukee and Chicago. During wildfireinfluenced periods, 0.5–2.0 µm particles were primarily aged biomass burning particles (88 % by number). These particles were heavily coated with secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed during transport, with organics (average O/C ratio of 0.8) contributing 89 % of the PM1 mass. During urban-influenced periods, organic carbon, elemental carbon– organic carbon, and aged biomass burning particles were identified, with inorganic secondary species (ammonium, sulfate, and nitrate) contributing 41 % of the PM1 mass, indicative of atmospheric processing. With current models underpredicting organic carbon in this region and biomass burning being the largest combustion contributor to SOA by mass, these results highlight the importance for regional chemical transport models to accurately predict the impact of longrange transported particles on air quality in the upper Midwest, United States, particularly considering increasing intensity and frequency of Canadian wildfires. |
URL | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/3701/2018/https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/3701/2018/acp-18-3701-2018.pdfhttps://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/3701/2018/acp-18-3701-2018-supplement.pdf |
DOI | 10.5194/acp-18-3701-201810.5194/acp-18-3701-2018-supplement |