Combustion Carbonaceous Aerosols in the Atmosphere: Implications for Ice Core Studies

  • Hélène Cachier
Conference paper
Part of the NATO ASI Series book series (volume 30)

Abstract

Combustion aerosols are ubiquitously identified in the global troposphere where they form one of the main components of the atmospheric accumumation particulate phase. Hese particles are primarily composed of a carbonaceous (organic and/or soot carbon) core which has been rapidly coated by hydrophilic substances formed by numerous interactions with other gaseous airborne substances; the most important of such reactions is the oxidative conversion of gaseous sulfur dioxide into particulate sulfate.

Due to their important surface properties, these aerosols have the potential to alter the chemical and radiative balance of the atmosphere. They are also easily incorporated into hydrometeors and hence wet deposition constitutes their main atmospheric sink. Preliminary ice-core studies have shown that, due to their exceptional chemical inertia, soot particles provide a reliable record of past combustions.

Keywords

combustion carbonaceous aerosols organic carbon soot carbon black carbon elemental carbon smoke biomass burning sulfate aerosol ice core ice record Abstract 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1995

Authors and Affiliations

  • Hélène Cachier
    • 1
  1. 1.Centre des Faibles RadioactivitésLaboratoire mixte CNRS-CEAGif sur YvetteFrance

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