Development of a global aerosol model using a two‐dimensional sectional method: 2. Evaluation and sensitivity simulations

Abstract

AbstractGlobal aerosol simulations are conducted by using the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 with the Aerosol Two‐dimensional bin module for foRmation and Aging Simulation version 2 (CAM5‐chem/ATRAS2) which was developed in part 1. The model uses a two‐dimensional (2‐D) section representation with 12 size bins from 1 nm to 10 μm and 8 black carbon (BC) mixing state bins, and it can calculate detailed aerosol processes and their interactions with radiation and clouds. The simulations have similar or better agreement with aerosol observations (e.g., aerosol optical depth, absorption aerosol optical depth (AAOD), aerosol number concentrations, mass concentrations of each species) compared with the simulations using the Modal Aerosol Model with three modes. Sensitivity simulations show that global mean AAOD is reduced by 15% by resolving BC mixing state as a result of two competing effects (optical and lifetime effects). AAOD is reduced by 10–50% at low and midlatitudes in the 2‐D sectional simulation because BC absorption enhancement by coating species is reduced by resolving pure BC, thinly coated BC, and BC‐free particles in the model (optical effect). In contrast, AAOD is enhanced by 5–30% at high‐latitudes because BC concentrations are enhanced by 40–200% over the regions by resolving less CCN active particles (lifetime effect). The simulations also suggest a model which resolves more than 3 BC categories (including BC‐free particles) is desirable to calculate the optical and lifetime effects accurately. The complexity of aerosol representation is shown to be especially important for simulations of BC and CCN concentrations and AAOD.