Work

Amplification of Light Absorption of Black Carbon by Organic Coating

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: Photo-absorption by black carbon (BC) aerosol is believed to be enhanced by the internal mixing of BC with volatile compounds. We investigate this effect quantitatively with laboratory experiments. Graphite particles are used as a surrogate for BC, with coatings of oleic acid and glycerol. The photo-absorption of coated graphite with known shell and core diameters are directly measured by a photo-acoustic technique. The size distribution and coating thickness are quantified using a single-particle soot photometer (SP2). The absorption is amplified by ∼30% even with a small coating thickness (shell/core diameter ratio (D p/D c) = 1.2). The amplification reaches as high as 2 at D p/D c = 2. We calculate the amplification of the absorption using a shell/core model of Mie theory. The model generally reproduces the measured amplification well.

Source: Aerosol Science and Technology

DOI: 10.1080/02786820903357686

Authors: M. Shiraiwa, Y. Kondo, T. Iwamoto, K. Kita

Institutions: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, The University of Tokyo, Ibaraki University

Language: English

Topic: Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

OpenAlex ID: W2141738333

FWCI: 3.848

Cites: 35

Cited by: 217

Related to: 10