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Physical, Chemical and Optical Aerosol Properties

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Atmospheric Aerosols

Abstract

This chapter provides the tools to describe aerosol properties qualitatively and quantitatively. It introduces a number of characteristic radii of the aerosol size distribution and different possible expressions for the size distribution. The main chemical (inorganic, organic and mineral) species composing the atmospheric aerosols are reviewed and the concepts of aerosol mixture (external and internal), hygroscopic growth, deliquescence and efflorescence are introduced. Aerosol optics is first discussed for a single spherical particle, introducing the concepts of refractive index, scattering and absorption cross sections, phase function, upscatter fraction. Optical properties for an aerosol population are also presented leading to the definitions of aerosol mass and volume extinction efficiency, extinction coefficient, optical depth and Ånsgtröm coefficient. Nonspherical particles and the link between aerosol extinction and visibility are briefly mentioned at the end of the chapter.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    These quantities are sometimes called volume (or mass) scattering and absorption cross sections.

  2. 2.

    The zenith refers to an imaginary point directly “above” a given location.

  3. 3.

    Mie theory is also referred to as Lorenz–Mie or Lorenz–Mie–Debye theory from the names of other physicists who developed the solution independently.

  4. 4.

    Strictly speaking there is a distinction between the two quantities. The AOD represents a vertical coordinate, while the AOT refers to the integral from the surface to the top of atmosphere. However in practice the term AOD is often used to mean AOT and we follow this practice in this textbook.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Tour 45–55, 3e étage, Case courrier 99 Université Pierre et Marie Curie 4 place Jussieu, 75252, Cedex 05, Paris, France

    Olivier Boucher

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Boucher, O. (2015). Physical, Chemical and Optical Aerosol Properties. In: Atmospheric Aerosols. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9649-1_3

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