Modelling of organic aerosols over Europe (2002–2007) using a volatility basis set (VBS) framework with application of different assumptions regarding the formation of secondary organic aerosol

Abstract

A new organic aerosol (OA) module has been implemented into the EMEP chemical transport model. Four different volatility basis set (VBS) schemes have been tested in long-term simulations for Europe, covering the six years 2002–2007. Different assumptions regarding partitioning of primary OA (POA) and aging of POA and secondary OA (SOA), have been explored. Model results are compared to filter measurements, AMS-data and source-apportionment studies, as well as to other model studies. The present study indicates that many different sources contribute significantly to OA in Europe. Fossil POA and oxidised POA, biogenic and anthropogenic SOA (BSOA and ASOA), residential burning of biomass fuels and wildfire emissions may all contribute more than 10% each over substantial parts of Europe. Simple VBS based OA models can give reasonably good results for summer OA but more observational studies are needed to constrain the VBS parameterisations and to help improve emission inventories. The volatility distribution of primary emissions is an important issue for further work. This study shows smaller contributions from BSOA to OA in Europe than earlier work, but relatively greater ASOA. BVOC emissions are highly uncertain and need further validation. We can not reproduce winter levels of OA in Europe, and there are many indications that the present emission inventories substantially underestimate emissions from residential wood burning in large parts of Europe

Verification of Chemical Transport Models for PM2.5 Chemical Composition Using Simultaneous Measurement Data over Japan

“…Bergstrom et al (2012) found that a VBS model reproduced observed OA concentrations over Europe in summer reasonably well. Matsui et al (2014) reported that OA concentrations were better reproduced by a VBS model in western Japan and the TMA because the model included SVOC aging processes.…”

“…Recently, a volatility basis set (VBS) model that can deal with direct emissions of semivolatile and intermediate-volatility organic compounds (SVOCs and IVOCs, respectively), with the oxidation of these compounds, and with SVOC aging was developed (Donahue et al, 2006;Robinson et al, 2007). The VBS model has been widely used in the United States (Lane et al, 2008;Murphy and Pandis, 2009;Tessum et al, 2015), Europe (Bergstrom et al, 2012;, and Asia (Matsui et al, 2014;Han et al, 2015;Morino et al, 2015), and has improved simulations of OA concentrations. Morino et al (2014) compared the results obtained with five SOA models over the TMA and found that the VBS model reproduced the observed SOA concentrations well, whereas other models, including SOA yield models, underestimated SOA.…”

General overview: European Integrated project on Aerosol Cloud Climate and Air Quality interactions (EUCAARI) – integrating aerosol research from nano to global scales

“…As discussed in more detail in Bergström et al (2011), the model performance varies between stations. It seems clear that the VBS-PAPS version overestimates OC in summer at most locations.…”

“…(see Sect. 3.1, Johansson et al, 2008;Denier van der Gon et al, 2011). The particle number emissions in Europe are dominated by sub-micron particles.…”

Regional Modeling of Aerosol Chemical Composition at the Puy de Dôme (France)

“…Cette thèse ouvre la voie à de nouvelles améliorations pouvant être apportées aux émissions de précurseurs gazeux d'AOS pris en compte dans les modèles. La procédure d'agrégation mise en application au cours de cette thèse est fondée sur un inventaire d'émission américain datant des années 1990 Bergström et al (2012) ont rapporté que lorsque les AOP émis sont partitionnés entre les phases gazeuse et particulaire et distribués entre les différentes classes de volatilité, les concentrations en aérosols organiques simulées sont plus élevées et en meilleur accord avec les observations. La prise en compte de la volatilité et du vieillissement chimique des AOP dans la paramétrisation VBS utilisée dans le cadre de cette thèse permettrait de décrire de manière plus réaliste les propriétés de l'aérosol organique et probablement de simuler des concentrations en aérosols organiques plus proches des observations.…”