Brown carbon aerosol in two megacities in the Sichuan Basin of southwestern China: Light absorption properties and implications

Abstract

The light absorption of brown carbon (BrC) makes a significant contribution to aerosol light absorption (Abs) and affects the radiative forcing. In this study, we analyzed and evaluated the light absorption and radiative forcing of BrC samples collected from December 2016 to January 2017 in Chongqing and Chengdu in the Sichuan Basin of Southwest China. Based on a two-component model, we estimated that BrC light absorption at 405 nm was 19.9 ± 17.1 Mm−1 and 19.2 ± 12.3 Mm−1 in Chongqing and Chengdu, contributing 19.0 ± 5.0% and 17.8 ± 3.7% to Abs respectively. Higher Abs405,BrC, MAE405,BrC, and AAE405–980 values were observed during the pollution period over the clean period in both cities. The major sources of BrC were biomass burning (BB) and secondary organic aerosol in Chongqing, and coal combustion (CC) and secondary organic aerosol in Chengdu. During the pollution period, aged BrC formed from anthropogenic precursors via its aqueous reactions with NH4+ and NOx had impacts on BrC absorption in both cities. BB led to higher Abs405,BrC, MAE405,BrC, and AAE405–980 values in Chongqing than Chengdu during the pollution period. The fractional contribution of radiation absorbed by BrC relative to BC in the wavelengths of 405–445 nm was 60.2 ± 17.0% and 64.2 ± 11.6% in Chongqing and Chengdu, significantly higher than that in the range of 405–980 nm (26.2 ± 6.7% and 27.7 ± 4.6% respectively) (p < 0.001). This study is useful for understanding the characterization, sources, and impacts of BrC in the Sichuan Basin.