Change in global aerosol composition since preindustrial times

K. Tsigaridis (1) , M. Krol (2) , F. J. Dentener (3) , Yves Balkanski (4, 5) , J. Lathière (4, 5) , S. Metzger (6) , D. A. Hauglustaine (4, 5) , M. Kanakidou (1)

1 ECPL - Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory [Heraklion]
2 SRON - SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research
3 IES - JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability
4 LSCE - Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette]
5 MERMAID - Modelling the Earth Response to Multiple Anthropogenic Interactions and Dynamics
6 MPIC - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry

To elucidate human induced changes of aerosol load and composition in the atmosphere, a coupled aerosol and gas-phase chemistry transport model of the troposphere and lower stratosphere has been used. The present 3-D modeling study focuses on aerosol chemical composition change since preindustrial times considering the secondary organic aerosol formation together with all other main aerosol components including nitrate. In particular, we evaluate non-sea-salt sulfate (nss-SO₄⁼), ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrate (NO₃^-), black carbon (BC), sea-salt, dust, primary and secondary organics (POA and SOA) with a focus on the importance of secondary organic aerosols. Our calculations show that the aerosol optical depth (AOD) has increased by about 21% since preindustrial times. This enhancement of AOD is attributed to a rise in the atmospheric load of BC, nss-SO₄⁼, NO₃

Domaines: Océan, Atmosphère

K. Tsigaridis, M. Krol, F. J. Dentener, Yves Balkanski, J. Lathière, et al.. Change in global aerosol composition since preindustrial times. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2006, 6 (12), pp.5162. ⟨10.5194/acp-6-5143-2006⟩. ⟨hal-00328466⟩