Abstract. Recently, the aerosol microphysics submodel MADE3 (Modal Aerosol Dynamics model for Europe, adapted for global applications, third generation) was introduced as a successor to MADE and MADE-in. It includes nine aerosol species and nine lognormal modes to represent aerosol particles of three different mixing states throughout the aerosol size spectrum. Here, we describe the implementation of the most recent version of MADE3 into the ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) general circulation model, including a detailed evaluation of a 10-year aerosol simulation with MADE3 as part of EMAC. We compare simulation output to station network measurements of near-surface aerosol component mass concentrations, to airborne measurements of aerosol mass mixing ratio and number concentration vertical profiles, to ground-based and airborne measurements of particle size distributions, and to station network and satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth. Furthermore, we describe and apply a new evaluation method, which allows a comparison of model output to size-resolved electron microscopy measurements of particle composition. Although there are indications that fine-mode particle deposition may be underestimated by the model, we obtained satisfactory agreement with the observations. Remaining deviations are of similar size to those identified in other global aerosol model studies. Thus, MADE3 can be considered ready for application within EMAC. Due to its detailed representation of aerosol mixing state, it is especially useful for simulating wet and dry removal of aerosol particles, aerosol-induced formation of cloud droplets and ice crystals as well as aerosol–radiation interactions. Besides studies on these fundamental processes, we also plan to use MADE3 for a reassessment of the climate effects of anthropogenic aerosol perturbations.
Abstract. We introduce MADE3 (Modal Aerosol Dynamics model for Europe, adapted for global applications, 3rd generation; version: MADE3v2.0b), an aerosol dynamics submodel for application within the MESSy framework (Modular Earth Submodel System). MADE3 builds on the predecessor aerosol submodels MADE and MADE-in. Its main new features are the explicit representation of coarse mode particle interactions both with other particles and with condensable gases, and the inclusion of hydrochloric acid (HCl) / chloride (Cl) partitioning between the gas and condensed phases. The aerosol size distribution is represented in the new submodel as a superposition of nine lognormal modes: one for fully soluble particles, one for insoluble particles, and one for mixed particles in each of three size ranges (Aitken, accumulation, and coarse mode size ranges).In order to assess the performance of MADE3 we compare it to its predecessor MADE and to the much more detailed particle-resolved aerosol model PartMC-MOSAIC in a box model simulation of an idealised marine boundary layer test case. MADE3 and MADE results are very similar, except in the coarse mode, where the aerosol is dominated by sea spray particles. Cl is reduced in MADE3 with respect to MADE due to the HCl / Cl partitioning that leads to Cl removal from the sea spray aerosol in our test case. Additionally, the aerosol nitrate concentration is higher in MADE3 due to the condensation of nitric acid on coarse mode particles. MADE3 and PartMC-MOSAIC show substantial differences in the fine particle size distributions (sizes 2 µm) that could be relevant when simulating climate effects on a global scale. Nevertheless, the agreement between MADE3 and PartMC-MOSAIC is very good when it comes to coarse particle size distributions (sizes 2 µm), and also in terms of aerosol composition. Considering these results and the well-established ability of MADE in reproducing observed aerosol loadings and composition, MADE3 seems suitable for application within a global model.
Abstract.Using the particle-resolved aerosol model PartMC-MOSAIC, we simulate the heterogeneous oxidation of a monolayer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on soot particles in an urban atmosphere. We focus on the interaction of the major atmospheric oxidants (O 3 , NO 2 , OH, and NO 3 ) with PAHs and include competitive co-adsorption of water vapour for a range of atmospheric conditions. For the first time detailed heterogeneous chemistry based on the Pöschl-Rudich-Ammann (PRA) framework is modelled on soot particles with a realistic size distribution and a continuous range of chemical ages. We find PAH half-lives, τ 1/2 , on the order of seconds during the night, when the PAHs are rapidly oxidised by the gas-surface reaction with NO 3 . During the day, τ 1/2 is on the order of minutes and determined mostly by the surface layer reaction of PAHs with adsorbed O 3 . Such short half-lives of surface-bound PAHs may lead to efficient conversion of hydrophobic soot into more hygroscopic particles, thus increasing the particles' aerosol-cloud interaction potential. Despite its high reactivity OH appears to have a negligible effect on PAH degradation which can be explained by its very low concentration in the atmosphere. An increase of relative humidity (RH) from 30 % to 80 % increases PAH half-lives by up to 50 % for daytime degradation and by up to 100 % or more for nighttime degradation. Uptake coefficients, averaged over the particle population, are found to be relatively constant over time for O 3 (∼ 2 × 10 −7 to ∼ 2×10 −6 ) and NO 2 (∼ 5×10 −6 to ∼ 10 −5 ) at the different levels of NO x emissions and RH considered in this study. In contrast, those for OH and NO 3 depend strongly on the surface concentration of PAHs. We do not find a significantCorrespondence to: N. Riemer (nriemer@illinois.edu) influence of heterogeneous reactions on soot particles on the gas phase composition. The derived half-lives of surfacebound PAHs and the time and particle population averaged uptake coefficients for O 3 and NO 2 presented in this paper can be used as parameterisations for the treatment of heterogeneous chemistry in large-scale atmospheric chemistry models.
We simulate the heterogeneous oxidation of condensed phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on soot particles in an urban atmosphere using the particle-resolved aerosol model PartMC-MOSAIC. We focus on the interaction of the major atmospheric oxidants (O<sub>3</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>, OH, and NO<sub>3</sub>) with PAHs and include competitive co-adsorption of water vapour for a range of atmospheric conditions. For the first time detailed heterogeneous chemistry based on the Pöschl-Rudich-Ammann (PRA) framework is modelled on soot particles with a realistic size distribution and a continuous range of chemical ages. We find PAH half-lives τ<sub>1/2</sub> on the order of seconds during the night, when the PAHs are rapidly oxidized by the gas-surface reaction with NO<sub>3</sub>. During the day, τ<sub>1/2</sub> is on the order of minutes and determined mostly by the surface layer reaction of PAHs with adsorbed O<sub>3</sub>. Such short PAH half-lives may lead to efficient conversion of hydrophobic soot into more hygroscopic particles, thus increasing the particles' aerosol-cloud interaction potential. Despite its high reactivity appears to have a negligible effect on PAH degradation which can be explained by its very low concentration in the atmosphere. An increase of relative humidity from 30% to 80% increases PAH half-lives by up to 50% for daytime degradation and by up to 100% or more for nighttime degradation. Uptake coefficients, averaged over the particle population, are found to be relatively constant over time for O<sub>3</sub> (~2×10<sup>−7</sup> to ~2×10<sup>−6</sup>) and NO<sub>2</sub> (~5×10<sup>−6</sup> to ~10<sup>−5</sup>) at the different levels of NO<sub>x</sub> emissions and RH considered in this study. In contrast, those for OH and NO<sub>3</sub> depend strongly on the surface concentration of PAhs. We do not find a significant influence of heterogeneous reactions on soot particles on the gas phase composition. The PAH half-lives presented in this paper can be used as parameterisations for the treatment of heterogeneous chemistry in large-scale atmospheric chemistry models
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