A dominant contribution to light absorption by methanol-insoluble brown carbon produced in the combustion of biomass fuels typically consumed in wildland fires in the United States

The light-absorption properties of brown carbon (BrC) are often estimated using offline, solvent-extraction methods. However, recent studies have found evidence of insoluble species of BrC which are unaccounted for in...

Particulate nitrate photolysis in the atmosphere

Multiphase and heterogeneous photochemistry is an emerging component of atmospheric and air pollution research. It is primarily driven by reactions of photochemically produced free radicals in the particle phase with...

Ice nucleating particles in the Canadian High Arctic during the fall with implications for climate feedback mechanisms in the region

Ice nucleating particles (INPs) are a small subset of atmospheric particles that can initiate the formation of ice in mixed-phase clouds. Here we report concentrations of INPs during October and...

Observationally constrained representation of brown carbon emissions from wildfires in a chemical transport model

The month of August 2015 featured extensive wildfires in the Northwestern U.S. and no significant fires in Alaska and Canada. With the majority of carbonaceous aerosols (CA), including black carbon...

Environmentally persistent free radicals in indoor particulate matter, dust, and on surfaces

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR) are an emerging class of constituents in particulate matter (PM). They are relatively stable with lifetimes of days to years in the condensed phase, influence...

Atmospheric effects of air pollution during dry and wet periods in São Paulo

Air pollutants reach high concentrations in developing countries, such as Brazil. The state of São Paulo is the economic and demographic center of Brazil and presents high levels of urbanization,...

Speech-generated aerosol settling times and viral viability can improve COVID-19 transmission prediction

Speech generates droplets averaged 6 μm in size. Their settling time and SARS-CoV-2 viral viability inside those droplets, both calculated from temperature and relative humidity, predict COVID transmission rates within one-sigma interval.

Environmental Science: Atmospheres at one year

Editor-in-chief Neil Donahue reflects on the first year of Environmental Science: Atmospheres and future plans.

Hygroscopicity of Polycatechol and Polyguaiacol Secondary Organic Aerosol in sub- and supersaturated water vapor environments

Polycatechol and polyguaiacol are light-absorbing and water-insoluble particles that efficiently form from iron-catalyzed reactions with aromatic compounds from biomass burning emissions. Little quantitative information is known about their water uptake...

Hygroscopicity of Internally Mixed Ammonium Sulfate and Secondary Organic Aerosol Particles Formed at Low and High Relative Humidity

Volatile organic matter that is suspended in the atmosphere such as α-Pinene and β-caryophyllene undergoes aging processes, as well as chemical and photooxidation reactions to create secondary organic aerosol (SOA),...