Dissolved organic carbon fractionation in wet deposition and its potential impact on radiative forcing in the central Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

As an important component of carbonaceous matters, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) can absorb and scatter the solar radiation at ultraviolet and blue wavelengths. The wet deposition process has great impact on the concentration and light absorption ability of precipitation DOC, affecting the climatic effect caused by DOC in the atmosphere. In this study, light absorption and fluorescence characteristics of precipitation DOC was investigated in the central Tibetan Plateau (TP). The results showed that the mean DOC concentration and mass absorption cross-section measured at 365 nm (MAC365) in Tanggula (TGL) station were 0.59 ± 0.42 mg/L and 0.37 ± 0.19 m2/g, respectively, while both values showed much higher volatilities than those of aerosols. DOC concentrations had significant negative correlation with the precipitation amount, while MAC365 values increase with the precipitation amount in TGL station. Therefore, DOC with high light-absorbing ability was preferred to be retained in the atmosphere during wet deposition. In this study, precipitation DOC contained three fluorescent components (one humic-like component and two tyrosine-like components) mainly from local biomass burning sources. DOC concentration showed a negative relationship with MAC365 value in TGL station. The wet deposition of DOC with low light-absorbing ability can reduce the strong negative radiative forcing caused by secondary organic aerosol due to high proportion of DOC in secondary organic carbon. Similar phenomenon was also found in Nam Co, Lulang and Everest stations of previous study, which may have a potential impact on radiative forcing in the atmosphere of TP.