Description of the NCAR Community Atmosphere Model (CAM 3.0)

Chemical reactions and physical processes responsible for the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and soot in hydrocarbon flames are reviewed. The discussion is focused on major elements in the present understanding of the phenomena, clarification of concepts central to the present state of the art, and a summary of new results.

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Reaction mechanism of soot formation in flames

The Georgia Institute of Technology‐Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model is used to simulate the aerosol optical thickness t for major types of tropospheric aerosols including sulfate, dust, organic carbon (OC), black carbon (BC), and sea salt The GOCART model uses a dust emission algorithm that quantifies the dust source as a function of the degree of topographic depression, and a biomass burning emission source that includes seasonal and interannual variability based on satellite observations Results presented here show that on global average, dust aerosol has the highest t at 500 nm (0051), followed by sulfate (0040), sea salt (0027), OC (0017), and BC (0007) There are large geographical and seasonal variations of t, controlled mainly by emission, transport, and hygroscopic properties of aerosols The model calculated total ts at 500 nm have been compared with the satellite retrieval products from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) over both land and ocean and from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) over the ocean The model reproduces most of the prominent features in the satellite data, with an overall agreement within a factor of 2 over the aerosol source areas and outflow regions While there are clear differences among the satellite products, a major discrepancy between the model and the satellite data is that the model shows a stronger variation of t from source to remote regions Quantitative comparison of model and satellite data is still difficult, due to the large uncertainties involved in deriving the t values by both the model and satellite retrieval, and by the inconsistency in physical and optical parameters used between the model and the satellite retrieval The comparison of monthly averaged model results with the sun photometer network [Aerosol Robotics Network (AERONET)] measurements shows that the model reproduces the seasonal variations at most of the sites, especially the places where biomass burning or dust aerosol dominates

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Tropospheric Aerosol Optical Thickness from the GOCART Model and Comparisons with Satellite and Sun Photometer Measurements

Simulation results of global aerosol models have been assembled in the framework of the AeroCom intercomparison exercise. In this paper, we analyze the life cycles of dust, sea salt, sulfate, black carbon and particulate organic matter as simulated by sixteen global aerosol models. The differences among the results (model diversities) for sources and sinks, burdens, particle sizes, water uptakes, and spatial dispersals have been established. These diversities have large consequences for the calculated radiative forcing and the aerosol concentrations at the surface. Processes and parameters are identified which deserve further research. The AeroCom all-models-average emissions are dominated by the mass of sea salt (SS), followed by dust (DU), sulfate (SO 4 ), particulate organic matter (POM), and finally black carbon (BC). Interactive parameterizations of the emissions and contrasting particles sizes of SS and DU lead generally to higher diversities of these species, and for total aerosol. The lower diversity of the emissions of the fine aerosols, BC, POM, and SO 4 , is due to the use of similar emission inventories, and does therefore not necessarily indicate a better understanding of their sources. The diversity of SO 4 -sources is mainly caused by the disagreement on depositional loss of precursor gases and on chemical production. The diversities of the emissions are passed on to the burdens, but the latter are also strongly affected by the model-specific treatments of transport and aerosol processes. The burdens of dry masses decrease from largest to smallest: DU, SS, SO 4 , POM, and BC. The all-models-average residence time is shortest for SS with about half a day, followed by SO 4 and DU with four days, and POM and BC with six and seven days, respectively. The wet deposition rate is controlled by the solubility and increases from DU, BC, POM to SO 4 and SS. It is the dominant sink for SO 4 , BC, and POM, and contributes about one third to the total removal of SS and DU species. For SS and DU we find high diversities for the removal rate coefficients and deposition pathways. Models do neither agree on the split between wet and dry deposition, nor on that between sedimentation and other dry deposition processes. We diagnose an extremely high diversity for the uptake of ambient water vapor that influences the particle size and thus the sink rate coefficients. Furthermore, we find little agreement among the model results for the partitioning of wet removal into scavenging by convective and stratiform rain. Large differences exist for aerosol dispersal both in the vertical and in the horizontal direction. In some models, a minimum of total aerosol concentration is simulated at the surface. Aerosol dispersal is most pronounced for SO 4 and BC and lowest for SS. Diversities are higher for meridional than for vertical dispersal, they are similar for the individual species and highest for SS and DU. For these two components we do not find a correlation between vertical and meridional aerosol dispersal. In addition the degree of dispersals of SS and DU is not related to their residence times. SO 4 , BC, and POM, however, show increased meridional dispersal in models with larger vertical dispersal, and dispersal is larger for longer simulated residence times.

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Analysis and quantification of the diversities of aerosol life cycles within AeroCom

A size-segregated particle dry deposition scheme for an atmospheric aerosol module

a time as one year after leaving the Rehabilitation Unit, and about one quarter were not in competitive jobs but were in sheltered employment. Only just over one quarter were still working in ordinary jobs. Their average wage was £8 I is. 6d. Furthermore if one compares the type of work these patients were able to perform there was a definite decline from their premorbid position. The social class grouping before and after rehabilitation was Class II, i-i, Class III, 9-3, Class IV, 4-6, and Class V, IO-I4. Indeed the authors report that 'even the least handicapped of these patients presented continuous problems . . .' and it is noted that such a programme requires special personnel and a great deal of work. Comparing these results with the extra cost in personnel, time, and effort (which could be directed elsewhere) a Doctor Beeching of the psychiatric services would probably scrap such a rehabilitation service before it even started. But is this the right way of looking at it? The authors point out that such a programme, if applied throughout the country, would affect about 6,ooo patients. If the failure rate were the same as in this experiment, about I,500 would be rescued from a disabled life in a mental hospital and once more returned to an at least partially useful and, one assumes, more satisfying life. Obviously more is involved here than mere economics. We were interested to read that as regards behaviour at the Rehabilitation Centre and during the follow-up year 'There were no outstanding differences' between the schizophrenic and the non-schizophrenic rehabilitees. It appears that the group of schizophrenics had difficulties in social adjustment which were even greater than those of work adjustment. '. . . the men concerned had greater difficulty in living outside hospital, than in working outside hospital. If, however, adequate arrangements are made to cater for these various needs, there seems to be every reason to expect that a small selected group of long stay schizophrenic patients can be successfully resettled in work.' The experiment and the report show the high standards we have come so confidently to expect from Dr. Wing and his colleagues, and the publication will be read with interest, not only by psychiatrists, but by all those concemed with rehabilitation problems of chronically disabled patients. J. HOENIG

https://oem.bmj.com/content/oemed/23/2/161.2.full.pdf

W. H. Walton

Papers

The Mechanics of Aerosols