Atmospheric measurements and modeling studies to improve understanding of organic and mineral dust aerosols in northern Canada

大气测量和建模研究，以提高对加拿大北部有机和矿物粉尘气溶胶的了解

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-05173
• 负责人: Hayes, Patrick
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: Université de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=748684
• 关键词: Atmospheric; measurements; modeling; studies; improve

Atmospheric aerosols, tiny airborne particles, have an important impact on air quality (AQ) and the Earth's climate. Exposure to aerosols causes increased rates of cardiac and respiratory disease and leads to millions of premature deaths globally each year. Aerosols also play an important role in climate change. For example, absorption of light by mineral dust warms the planet's atmosphere, and when deposited on snow or ice, mineral dust accelerates the melting of these reflective surfaces leading to warming of the Earth's surface. Models used by scientists to predict climate and AQ typically include modules for numerically simulating aerosols. However, the performance of these modules is often poor when used to predict aerosol composition and concentration due to the complexity of aerosol chemistry and missing aerosol sources. To address this challenge, the Hayes Group will pursue two research goals. First, mineral dust emitted from arctic and subarctic regions is a missing aerosol source in most climate and AQ models because of a lack of field measurements needed for model improvement. As Canada's north warms, it will likely become an increasingly important source of mineral dust aerosol due to reduced snow and ice cover, which exposes bare soils easily eroded by winds. My group will develop techniques and perform fieldwork to measure the concentrations and light-absorbing properties of mineral dust aerosol emitted in Canada's north in the Yukon and Nunavut. Our data will be used to constrain and inform the development of climate and AQ models, resulting in important research contributions towards better simulating emissions of mineral dust in arctic and subarctic regions. Another aerosol source that is uncertain in climate and AQ models is the photo-chemical oxidation of organic vapors to produce secondary organic aerosol (SOA). For example, field measurements in the Oil Sands show high concentrations of SOA similar to those found in Toronto, while Canadian AQ models predict much lower levels. The Hayes Group will organize, analyze and model extensive datasets already collected on SOA across Canada and near the Oil Sands to update the numerical aerosol simulation module in a Canadian AQ model. This work will not only improve AQ predictions but also provide a deeper understanding of the chemistry and sources producing SOA near the Oil Sands. The activities described above will be realized by students at Université de Montréal working in close collaboration with government scientists and researchers at other universities across Canada. The students will receive strong interdisciplinary training in analytical and atmospheric chemistry. There are also opportunities for group members to learn about computer programming, data science, and northern cultures and communities. These skills and experiences will all be valuable to have in the future Canadian workforce in both the public and private sectors.

大气气溶胶，微小的空气颗粒对空气质量（AQ）和地球的气候有重要影响。暴露于气雾剂会导致心脏和呼吸道疾病的发生率提高，并每年在全球范围内数百万人过早死亡。气溶胶在气候变化中也起着重要作用。例如，通过矿物粉尘抽象的光线会变暖地球的大气层，当沉积在雪或冰上时，矿物灰尘会加速这些反射表面的融化，从而导致地球表面变暖。科学家用来预测气候的模型和AQ通常包括用于数值模拟气溶胶的模块。然而，由于气溶胶化学的复杂性和缺失的气溶胶源，这些模块的性能通常用于预测气溶胶组成和浓度。为了应对这一挑战，海耶斯集团将追求两个研究目标。首先，由于模型改进所需的现场测量值，在大多数气候和AQ模型中，北极和亚北极区域发出的矿物灰尘是缺失的气溶胶来源。随着加拿大的北部温暖，由于冰雪覆盖的减少，它可能会成为越来越重要的矿物灰尘气溶胶来源，这会暴露于裸露的土壤中，很容易被风侵蚀。我的小组将开发技术并执行现场工作，以测量加拿大北部北部和努纳武特北部发射的矿物粉尘气溶胶的浓度和光吸收特性。我们的数据将用于限制和告知气候和AQ模型的发展，从而为更好地模拟北极和亚北极区域的矿物粉尘排放做出重要的研究贡献。在气候和AQ模型中不确定的另一个气溶胶来源是有机蒸气的光化学氧化以产生次级有机气溶胶（SOA）。例如，油砂中的现场测量结果显示出高浓度的SOA，类似于多伦多的SOA，而加拿大AQ模型则预测水平较低。 Hayes Group将组织，分析和模型已在加拿大和油砂附近收集的广泛数据集，以更新加拿大AQ模型中的数值气溶胶模拟模块。这项工作不仅可以改善AQ预测，而且还可以更深入地了解化学和来源，从而在油砂附近产生SOA。上述活动将由蒙特利尔大学的学生实现，与加拿大其他大学的政府科学家和研究人员密切合作。学生将在分析和大气化学方面接受强大的跨学科培训。小组成员也有机会了解计算机编程，数据科学以及北方文化和社区。这些技能和经验对于将来的公共部门和私营部门的加拿大劳动力都非常有价值。