Combined Aerosol Mass Spectrometry in the Amazon

Abstract

Secondary aerosols (particulates) produced from the chemical oxidation of volatile organic compounds represents a major area of uncertainty in air quality, meteorology and climate science. Of particular interest are the aerosols formed form isoprene, produced naturally and in large quantities by tropical forests, and how this natural process is impacted by anthropogenic emissions. The region of Manaus is an ideal place to study this, as it is an area in the heart of the Amazon rainforest that is influenced by a major industrialized city. Many insights have been gained at this site, operated by the University of Sao Paulo, using Aerosol Mass Spectrometer and Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor measurements. A period of intensive measurements is taking place as part of the GOAMAZON project, however these present only generalized insights into the organic aerosols. We propose to perform measurements using the University of Manchester's new Filter Inlet for Gases and Aerosols Chemical Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (FIGAERO-TOF-CIMS). This instrument is capable of measuring organic species in the gas and particle phases simultaneous and with a high degree of selectivity, providing much more detail in the measurements and which will allow new insights to be made into the chemical processes taking place. While other university groups around the world have operated such instruments in boreal and temperate forest environments, this instrument has not been deployed in a tropical forest before and this exploratory work should pave the way for further studies by the Universities of Manchester and Sao Paulo to look at the chemical processes in this environment in more detail. Funding is sought to perform the measurements and to subsequently meet to discuss data analysis, publications and possibilities for further work. It is envisaged that this work will help promote the research of the Universities of Manchester and Sao Paulo to jointly explore new directions in atmospheric chemistry processes and in the properties of aerosols in tropical environments. (AU)