Deposition Velocity Research Articles

Plant gross primary production, plant respiration and carbonyl sulfide emissions over the globe inferred by atmospheric inverse modelling

Abstract. Carbonyl sulfide (COS), a trace gas showing striking similarity to CO2 in terms of biochemical diffusion pathway into leaves, has been recognized as a promising indicator of the plant gross primary production (GPP), the amount of carbon dioxide that is absorbed through photosynthesis by terrestrial ecosystems. However, large uncertainties about the other components of its atmospheric budget prevent us from directly relating the atmospheric COS measurements to GPP. The largest uncertainty comes from the closure of its atmospheric budget, with a source component missing. Here, we explore the benefit of assimilating both COS and CO2 measurements into the LMDz atmospheric transport model to obtain consistent information on GPP, plant respiration and COS budget. To this end, we develop an analytical inverse system that optimizes biospheric fluxes for the 15 plant functional types (PFTs) defined in the ORCHIDEE global land surface model. Plant uptake of COS is parameterized as a linear function of GPP and of the leaf relative uptake (LRU), which is the ratio of COS to CO2 deposition velocities in plants. A possible scenario for the period 2008–2019 leads to a global biospheric sink of 800 GgS yr−1, with higher absorption in the high latitudes and higher oceanic emissions between 400 and 600 GgS yr−1 most of which is located in the tropics. As for the CO2 budget, the inverse system increases GPP in the high latitudes by a few GtC yr−1 without modifying the respiration compared to the ORCHIDEE fluxes used as a prior. In contrast, in the tropics the system tends to weaken both respiration and GPP. The optimized components of the COS and CO2 budgets have been evaluated against independent measurements over North America, the Pacific Ocean, at three sites in Japan and at one site in France. Overall, the posterior COS concentrations are in better agreement with the COS retrievals at 250 hPa from the MIPAS satellite and with airborne measurements made over North America and the Pacific Ocean. The system seems to have rightly corrected the underestimated GPP over the high latitudes. However, the change in seasonality of GPP in the tropics disagrees with solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) data. The decline in biospheric sink in the Amazon driven by the inversion also disagrees with MIPAS COS retrievals at 250 hPa, highlighting the lack of observational constraints in this region. Moreover, the comparison with the surface measurements in Japan and France suggests misplaced sources in the prior anthropogenic inventory, emphasizing the need for an improved inventory to better partition oceanic and continental sources in Asia and Europe.

Localized and Whole-Room Effects of Portable Air Filtration Units on Aerosol Particle Deposition and Concentration in a Classroom Environment.

In indoor environments with limited ventilation, recirculating portable air filtration (PAF) units may reduce COVID-19 infection risk via not only the direct aerosol route (i.e., inhalation) but also via an indirect aerosol route (i.e., contact with the surface where aerosol particles deposited). We systematically investigated the impact of PAF units in a mock classroom, as a supplement to background ventilation, on localized and whole-room surface deposition and particle concentration. Fluorescently tagged particles with a volumetric mean diameter near 2 μm were continuously introduced into the classroom environment via a breathing simulator with a prescribed inhalation–exhalation waveform. Deposition velocities were inferred on >50 horizontal and vertical surfaces throughout the classroom, while aerosol concentrations were spatially monitored via optical particle spectrometry. Results revealed a particle decay rate consistent with expectations based upon the reported clean air delivery rates of the PAF units. Additionally, the PAF units reduced peak concentrations by a factor of around 2.5 compared to the highest concentrations observed and led to a statistically significant reduction in deposition velocities for horizontal surfaces >2.5 m from the aerosol source. Our results not only confirm that PAF units can reduce particle concentrations but also demonstrate that they may lead to reduced particle deposition throughout an indoor environment when properly positioned with respect to the location of the particle source(s) within the room (e.g., where the largest group of students sit) and the predominant air distribution profile of the room.

Study on thermophoretic deposition of micron-sized aerosol particles by direct numerical simulation and experiments

Thermophoresis is of common interest due to its influence on the deposition of particles. Present research on thermophoretic deposition mainly focused on the sub-micron particles, whereas the particle size during the radioactive aerosol monitoring process usually exceeds the range. In order to study the effect of thermophoresis on the deposition characteristics of aerosols ranging from 1 to 10 µm, direct numerical simulation (DNS) and experiments of particle deposition are performed in this paper aiming at still and turbulent flow respectively. The results obtained by DNS coupled with Lagrangian particle tracking (LPT) are validated by the experimental data and the theoretical values. The results indicate that thermophoresis has an influence on the deposition of micron-sized particles, and the effect of thermophoresis on deposition velocity depends on particle size. In the still air, when the temperature gradient is 3000 K/m, the deposition velocity of 1 and 10 µm particles will be increased by 87% and 4.8% respectively when compared with gravitational deposition velocity. In the turbulent flow, the motion of particles is dominated by turbulent motion. In the region near the wall, thermophoresis can increase the deposition rate on the cold wall.

10-Years assessment of 7Be and 210Pb in atmospheric bulk depositions in Cienfuegos (Cuba)

10-years records of monthly bulk atmospheric fluxes of 7Be and 210Pb (wet + dry, n = 119 samples) at a coastal station in Cienfuegos (Cuba) between 2010 and 2019 were reported and assessed in function of their temporal variability and meteorological influence. Fluxes of 7Be and 210Pb ranged from 120 to 15617 and from 29 to 911 mBq m−2 day−1, respectively. Both radionuclides exhibited a similar seasonal trend with highest values during wet months and minimum values during dry months. The removal of 7Be and 210Pb from the atmosphere was mainly controlled by wet depositions, while dry deposition was estimated to be more important for 210Pb (29% of the total bulk deposition) than for 7Be (12%). The 210Pb/7Be ratios (average of 0.10) showed low variability during wet months with abrupt peaks in the driest months with low temperatures and the highest wind speed and pressure, which was mainly attributed to contributions from soil resuspension. The calculated total deposition velocity of aerosols derived from 7Be (average of 0.48 cm s−1) and 210Pb (average of 0.47 cm s−1) was in agreement with values reported in the literature. Multiple linear regression models for the monthly fluxes of 7Be and 210Pb based on precipitation, temperature and pressure and explaining about 60% of their variances were derived, highlighting the preponderant role of the local and regional conditions on the variability of these radionuclides. The annual fluxes of 7Be (209–1901 Bq m−2 y−1) and 210Pb (35–123 Bq m−2 y−1) were in the range of variations observed in other coastal stations worldwide, showing fluctuations affected by changes in the amount of precipitation during the wet periods. 7Be annual variability also evidenced a significant modulation with the solar activity.

Bulk Aerosol Trace Element Concentrations and Deposition Fluxes During the U.S. GEOTRACES GP15 Pacific Meridional Transect

AbstractAtmospheric deposition of aerosols transported from the continents is an important source of nutrient and pollutant trace elements (TEs) to the surface ocean. During the U.S. GEOTRACES GP15 Pacific Meridional Transect between Alaska and Tahiti (September–November 2018), aerosol samples were collected over the North Pacific and equatorial Pacific and analyzed for a suite of TEs, including Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb. Sampling coincided with the annual minimum in dust transport from Asia, providing an opportunity to quantify aerosol TE concentrations and deposition during the low dust season. Nevertheless, peak concentrations of “crustal” TEs measured at ∼40–50°N (∼145 pmol/m3 Fe) were associated with transport from northern Asia, with lower concentrations (36 ± 14 pmol/m3 Fe) over the equatorial Pacific. Relative to crustal abundances, equatorial Pacific aerosols typically had higher TE enrichment factors than North Pacific aerosols. In contrast, aerosol V was more enriched over the North Pacific, presumably due to greater supply to this region from oil combustion products. Bulk deposition velocity (Vbulk) was calculated along the transect using the surface ocean decay inventory of the naturally occurring radionuclide, 7Be, and aerosol 7Be activity. Deposition velocities were significantly higher (4,570 ± 1,146 m/d) within the Intertropical Convergence Zone than elsewhere (1,764 ± 261 m/d) due to aerosol scavenging by intense rainfall. Daily deposition fluxes to the central Pacific during the low dust season were calculated using Vbulk and aerosol TE concentration data, with Fe fluxes ranging from 19 to 258 nmol/m2/d.

Improvement of stomatal resistance and photosynthesis mechanism of Noah-MP-WDDM (v1.42) in simulation of NO<sub>2</sub> dry deposition velocity in forests

Abstract. Rapid urbanisation and economic development in China have led to a dramatic increase in nitrogen oxide (NO2) emissions, causing serious atmospheric nitrogen pollution and relatively high levels of nitrogen deposition. However, despite the importance of nitrogen deposition, dry deposition processes in forested areas are still insufficiently represented in current global and regional atmospheric chemistry models, which constrains our understanding and prediction of spatial and temporal patterns of nitrogen transport in forest ecosystems in southern China. The offline 1-D community Noah land surface model with multi-parameterisation options (Noah-MP) is coupled with the WRF-Chem dry deposition module (WDDM) and is applied to further understand and identify the key processes that affect forest canopy dry deposition. The canopy stomatal resistance mechanism and the nitrogen-limiting scheme for photosynthesis in Noah-MP-WDDM are modified to improve the simulation of reactive nitrogen oxide dry deposition velocity. This study finds that the combined improved stomatal resistance mechanism and nitrogen-limiting scheme for photosynthesis (BN-23) agree better with the observed NO2 dry deposition velocity, with the mean bias being reduced by 50.1 %. At the same time, by comparing the different mechanisms of the two processes of canopy stomatal resistance and leaf nitrogen-limiting factors, this study also finds that the diurnal changes in dry deposition velocity simulated by each regional model present four sets of distributions. This is mainly due to the different ways that each integrated mechanism handles the opening and closing of stomata at noon and the way the nitrogen-limiting factor acts.

Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part I: Measuring temporal dynamics

Abstract. Long-term dry deposition flux measurements of reactive nitrogen based on the eddy covariance or the aerodynamic gradient method are scarce. Due to the large diversity of reactive nitrogen compounds and high technical requirements for the measuring devices, simultaneous measurements of individual reactive nitrogen compounds are not affordable. Hence, we examined the exchange patterns of total reactive nitrogen (ΣNr) and determined annual dry deposition budgets based on measured data at a mixed forest exposed to low air pollution levels located in the Bavarian Forest National Park (NPBW), Germany. Flux measurements of ΣNr were carried out with the Total Reactive Atmospheric Nitrogen Converter (TRANC) coupled to a chemiluminescence detector (CLD) for 2.5 years. The average ΣNr concentration was 3.1 µg N m−3. Denuder measurements with DELTA samplers and chemiluminescence measurements of nitrogen oxides (NOx) have shown that NOx has the highest contribution to ΣNr (∼51.4 %), followed by ammonia (NH3) (∼20.0 %), ammonium (NH4+) (∼15.3 %), nitrate NO3- (∼7.0 %), and nitric acid (HNO3) (∼6.3 %). Only slight seasonal changes were found in the ΣNr concentration level, whereas a seasonal pattern was observed for the contribution of NH3 and NOx. NH3 showed highest contributions to ΣNr in spring and summer, NOx in autumn and winter. We observed deposition fluxes at the measurement site with median fluxes ranging from −15 to −5 ngNm-2s-1 (negative fluxes indicate deposition). Median deposition velocities ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 cm s−1. In general, highest deposition velocities were recorded during high solar radiation, in particular from May to September. Our results suggest that seasonal changes in composition of ΣNr, global radiation (Rg), and other drivers correlated with Rg were most likely influencing the deposition velocity (vd). We found that from May to September higher temperatures, lower relative humidity, and dry leaf surfaces increase vd of ΣNr. At the measurement site, ΣNr concentration did not emerge as a driver for the ΣNrvd. No significant influence of temperature, humidity, friction velocity, or wind speed on ΣNr fluxes when using the mean-diurnal-variation (MDV) approach for filling gaps of up to 5 days was found. Remaining gaps were replaced by a monthly average of the specific half-hourly value. From June 2016 to May 2017 and June 2017 to May 2018, we estimated dry deposition sums of 3.8 and 4.0 kgNha-1a-1, respectively. Adding results from the wet deposition measurements, we determined 12.2 and 10.9 kgNha-1a-1 as total nitrogen deposition in the 2 years of observation. This work encompasses (one of) the first long-term flux measurements of ΣNr using novel measurements techniques for estimating annual nitrogen dry deposition to a remote forest ecosystem.

Assessment of stochastic models for predicting particle transport and deposition in turbulent pipe flows

Particle dispersion and deposition in turbulent pipe flows were studied numerically. The mean flow solution was calculated via a Reynolds Stress Model. Three different stochastic models were used to evaluate the effect of instantaneous fluctuations on entrained particles including the standard Discrete Random Walk (DRW) model available in Ansys-Fluent and two Continuous Random Walk (CRW) schemes that solve a normalized Langevin equation to better account for the effects of inhomogeneous turbulence on particle entrainment. Special attention is paid to the inconsistent directional vector resulting from solving the Langevin equation in non-rectangular geometries in location-specific coordinate systems. Concentration, axial distributions of deposition velocity, and deposition velocity versus particle relaxation time were compared with existing experiments and direct numerical simulation (DNS) using two different geometries. The validity of DNS data for near wall corrections were discussed. A third geometry representative of the hot section of a gas turbine was employed to study the capability of DRW and CRW on modeling spatially-developing flows. Comparisons were drawn between different stochastic models with an all-stick condition and experimental results. It was shown that the classical DRW model tends to overpredict the effect of entrance and does not yield good agreement in the deposition statistics. The CRW model shows a promising capability of modeling particle dispersion and deposition. However, the accuracy of CRW relies heavily upon the fidelity of the underlying mean flow solution and root-mean-square turbulence statistics.

Radiological impact and emergency zones for small iPWR with different approaches for source term calculation

Assessment of the potential radiological impact and emergency zones for small Integral Pressurized Water Reactors (iPWR) is very important for their employment in the near term. In this work, an attempt is made to provide an analysis and estimation of the envelope of the potential impact from a severe accident in an iPWR. The source term is calculated from the solution of the lumped aerosol concentration equation in the containment, by using different approaches for estimating the various parameters. The first approach comprises a straightforward use of the methodology and parameters used for large reactors differing only in the lower power level of an iPWR. To account for the anticipated enhanced aerosol retention in the containment and the slower core damage progression in case of iPWRs, two additional approaches are then used. The values of the deposition velocities required are specified using relevant data from available detailed computational and experimental studies. Conservative, yet representative, accidental conditions in the containment are specified, based on insights offered by available analyses with severe accident codes available in the open literature and disclosed regulatory safety assessments. The radiological impact is assessed using a Gaussian plume model, whereas the exposure is assessed against the latest reference levels and dose criteria. Fetus exposure was found to determine the level of the radiological impact during the plume phase. The radioactive releases and the associated radiological impact may differ decisively depending on the approach used to estimate the source term. Consideration of the enhanced safety attributes of iPWRs (namely, enhanced radioactivity retention in the containment and slower accident progression) leads to a reduction of more than one order of magnitude, from about 75TBq to 4TBq and 6TBq to 0.3TBq, in terms of I131 and Cs137 releases to the atmosphere, respectively. Correspondingly, emergency distances are estimated to span from about 4 km - a level commensurate with the generic distances suggested in international standards for low power nuclear reactors - to a distance as low as 600 m if the favorable characteristics of iPWRs are considered, thus implying that no significant measures are required off-site.

Application of Milankovitch cycles in the restoration of high-resolution deposition velocity of Neogene strata in Kutei Basin, Indonesia

Restoring the deposition velocity during evolution in basin analysis is an important aspect. The restoration of high-resolution deposition velocity—the deposition velocity over a short geological period—can improve the precision of basin analysis and research. However, the prerequisite for the restoration is to establish an accurate chronostratigraphic framework based on precise stratigraphic dating. Conventional methods for stratigraphic dating can only be used to determine the epochs of large stratigraphic intervals rather than accurate geological time. It is also difficult to establish a fine geological time scale with dating methods requiring sample testing such as isotopic dating due to their limitations in sample collection. In contrast, the Milankovich cycle-based dating possesses the advantages of high precision and high operability and can be used to restore high-resolution deposition velocity. Based on the identification and extraction of Milankovich cycles, this study restores the high-resolution deposition velocity of the Middle Miocene and later strata in the abyssal area of the Kutei Basin in Indonesia. The results show that the restored deposition velocity coincides well with lithological sections. This indicates that the Milankovitch cycle-based dating can be used to effectively restore reliable curves of high-resolution deposition velocity. Therefore, this study provides a methodological basis and data guarantee for studying the accumulation cycles and distribution patterns of oil and gas in the abyssal area of the Kutei Basin using wave analysis technology and can also serve as a reference for similar research in other basins.

Comparative assessment of the dynamics of the average annual deposition velocity of 90Sr and 137Cs for a long term period after the Chornobyl accident for the cities of Ukraine, Kyiv and Chornobyl

A reliable assessment of the radioactive aerosol spread is an environmental safety task of current interest and high priority. An important parameter, used to calculate the transport of radioactive fallout, is the deposition velocity of radioactive aerosol. Fluctuations in the deposition velocity, which according to experimental data are within several orders of magnitude, depend on a number of factors (including time), which requires a detailed analysis of the patterns of radioactive pollution fields formation of air and the underlying surface. In this radio- ecological study, the dynamics of the average annual values of the deposition velocity of 90Sr and 137Cs were evaluated and analyzed, based on the experimental data of the measurements of the volume activity and the depositional fluxes obtained in Ukraine for the cities of Kyiv and Chornobyl after the Chornobyl nuclear power plant accident, during 1987–2019. The deposition rates for 90Sr and 137Cs estimated over a long period of time (33 years) show different trends. The total deposition velocity of 90Sr tends to increase, while for 137Cs the deposition velocity decreases over time. This pattern is characteristic of the two studied sites (Kyiv and Chornobyl). Relevant trends in the dynamics of deposition velocity may indicate the transformation of aerosol carriers of these radionuclides, their aerodynamic and migratory capabilities. This study could be of use for an empirical parameterization of deposition velocities in air quality models.

Structure, Morphology, Transport, and Mechanism of Oxygen Loss in YBa-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-Cu-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=-O-=SUB=-7-delta-=/SUB=- Thin Films Obtained by Pulsed Laser Deposition with Velocity Filtration in Erosion Plume

We report the study of YBa2Cu3O7-delta films, synthesized on SrTiO3(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition with velocity filtration, using X-ray diffractometry, transport measurements, and scanning electron microscopy. We have revealed the dependence of the structure of 100-200 nm thick YBa2Cu3O7-delta films on deposition time and velocity of particles in erosion plume, set by velocity filter. After deposition, the films, or their part, close to the substrate, consisted of 3-10-nm crystals with oxygen index delta=0.08, the same as in the target. For deposition time from 10 to 60 min, we observed the growth of regular pyramids with triangular and quadrangular bases from 20 to 500 nm in size at the base and spiral pyramids with polygonal bases on the film surface. The maximum oxygen loss up to delta=0.35 and T(R=0) up to 77.4 K coincided with the appearance of spiral pyramids up to 100 nm-high. These findings evidence in favor of oxygen depletion of the top layers of YBa2Cu3O7-delta thin films through the formation and growth of oxygen-deficient pyramids on their surface. The oxygen index in the range of delta=0.08-0.15 in both nanocrystals and regular pyramids of 20-300 nm in size provided T(R=0)=84-87 K and the width of superconducting transition Delta T=2.5-3.5 K. Keywords: pulsed laser deposition, surface morphology, film transport properties, film evolution, SrTiO3.

Структура, морфология, транспорт и механизм потери кислорода в тонких пленках YBa-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-Cu-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=-O-=SUB=-7-delta-=/SUB=-, полученных импульсным лазерным напылением со скоростной фильтрацией эрозионного факела

We report the study of YBa2Cu3O7‒delta films, synthesized on SrTiO3(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition with velocity filtration, using X-ray diffractometry, transport measurements, and scanning electron microscopy. We have revealed the dependence of the structure of 100-200 nm thick YBa2Cu3O7‒delta films on deposition time and velocity of particles in erosion plume, set by velocity filter. After deposition, the films, or their part, close to the substrate, consisted of 3‒10-nm crystals with oxygen index delta = 0.08, the same as in the target. For deposition time from 10 to 60 min, we observed the growth of regular pyramids with triangular and quadrangular bases from 20 to 500 nm in size at the base and spiral pyramids with polygonal bases on the film surface. The maximum oxygen loss up to delta = 0.35 and T (R = 0) up to 77.4 K coincided with the appearance of spiral pyramids up to 100 nm-high. These findings evidence in favor of oxygen depletion of the top layers of YBa2Cu3O7‒delta thin films through the formation and growth of oxygen-deficient pyramids on their surface. The oxygen index in the range of delta = 0.08‒0.15 in both nanocrystals and regular pyramids of 20‒300 nm in size provided T(R = 0) =84‒87 K and the width of superconducting transition DeltaT = 2.5‒3.5 K.

Experimental study on aerosol dry deposition characteristics in wind tunnel simulation

The radioactive aerosols are produced during the operation of nuclear power plants will cause certain harm to human body. Dry deposition is one of the important factors affecting the aerosols deposition to the ground, and radioactive aerosols and common aerosols have similar properties in terms of dry deposition. Based on the similarity theory, with the help of the newly built environmental wind tunnel of the China Institute for Radiation Protection, with a part of a nuclear power plant site as a research object, and the wind tunnel simulation experiment of aerosol dry deposition characteristics was carried out in groups. The particle dynamic analyzer (PDA) was used to measure and calculate the dry deposition velocity of aerosol particles, and the results are grouped, analyzed and discussed. The research results show that when the variables are controlled, when the underlying surfaces are the same, compared with aerosol particles with particle sizes of 0-2 μm and 2-5 μm, the dry deposition velocity of aerosol particles greater than 5 μm is more likely to change with the increase of wind speed.

Study on indoor ozone removal by PRM under the influence of typical factors

Ozone exposure has been proven to be strongly associated with both morbidity and mortality. In addition, the reaction of ozone with human skin sebum, building materials and indoor other compounds can cause secondary pollution of indoor environment. Therefore, how to effectively control indoor ozone pollution and its induced secondary pollution is an important scientific problem that needs to be solved in the field of indoor air quality. PRM (passive removal materials) can passively remove indoor ozone without energy consumption. According to the mechanism of ozone removal on PRM surface, the effects of material area, reaction probability, transport-limited deposition velocity, outdoor ozone concentration, air change rate (ACH) and indoor reaction rate on ozone removal rate of PRM were analyzed in this study. The results show that the ozone removal rate of PRM is greatly influenced by the reaction probability, the ACH, the surface area and the transport-limited deposition velocity, while the indoor reaction rate and outdoor ozone concentration have no obvious influence. Therefore, in order to remove more indoor ozone by PRM, the position and area of PRM with different reaction probabilities should be chosen reasonably.

Characteristics of indoor ozone pollution in residential buildings based on outdoor air pollution

Ozone pollution can not only cause serious effects on human respiratory tract, lung, cardiovascular and immune system, but also lead to secondary pollution of indoor air environment by reacting with human surface sebum, building materials surface and other indoor compounds. As people stay indoors for more than 90% of their time, indoor ozone exposure is far more harmful than outdoor ozone exposure. Indoor ozone mainly comes from the outdoor environment. Therefore, it is an important prerequisite for controlling indoor ozone pollution to master the characteristics of indoor ozone pollution concentration under the influence of outdoor air pollution. The outdoor ozone concentration of 20 representative cities in the five climatic areas of China were investigated in this study. Meanwhile, indoor ozone concentration was predicted based on I/O ratio (indoor-outdoor concentration ratio). Furthermore, the indoor ozone pollution level affected by window opening time, air change rate and ozone deposition velocity was analyzed. The results show that the increase of air change rate and window opening time leads to the rise of indoor ozone pollution level. Moreover, the growing up of ozone deposition velocity may cause more ozone to be removed by the indoor surface, then the indoor ozone concentration decreases. In addition, indoor ozone pollution is the most serious in cold zone and the least serious in mild zone.

Systematic investigation of the conversion of asphaltenes during hydrothermal upgrading process of heavy crude oil in the presence of supercritical water

This study is devoted to investigating the transformation of asphaltenes of heavy oil in the supercritical water (SCW) with (water/oil of 1:2, 1:1 and 2:1) at 400°C. The results indicated that increasing the ratio of water/oil, the amount of maltenes increases from (78.39%-85.27%) to (82%-94.2%) and the asphaltenes decreases from 6.33% to 2.58% and 6.33% to 1.14%, respectively. FTIR spectroscopy and GC/MS showed that the maltenes yields increase because of a mechanism reactions of dealkylation of aromatic structures which took place, resulting an increase of aromaticity asphaltenes and alkyls structure (-CH3 and -CH2-) in maltenes fractions. Therefore, the optimal condition of upgrading are of (water/oil of 2:1), the time between 30-60 min with a significant decrease of asphaltenes. This average size of asphaltenes ranging from 79.48 nm to 72.97 nm can decreases the early deposition velocity on the equipment during the production and transporting process. [Received: July 21, 2021; Accepted: August 26, 2021]

Evaluating atmospheric mercury (Hg) uptake by vegetation in a chemistry-transport model.

Mercury (Hg), a neurotoxic heavy metal, is transferred to marine and terrestrial ecosystems through atmospheric transport. Recent studies have highlighted the role of vegetation uptake as a sink for atmospheric elemental mercury (Hg0) and a source of Hg to soils. However, the global magnitude of the Hg0 vegetation uptake flux is highly uncertain, with estimates ranging 1000-4000 Mg per year. To constrain this sink, we compare simulations in the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem with a compiled database of litterfall, throughfall, and flux tower measurements from 93 forested sites. The prior version of GEOS-Chem predicts median Hg0 dry deposition velocities similar to litterfall measurements from Northern hemisphere temperate and boreal forests (∼0.03 cm s-1), yet it underestimates measurements from a flux tower study (0.04 cm s-1vs. 0.07 cm s-1) and Amazon litterfall (0.05 cm s-1vs. 0.17 cm s-1). After revising the Hg0 reactivity within the dry deposition parametrization to match flux tower and Amazon measurements, GEOS-Chem displays improved agreement with the seasonality of atmospheric Hg0 observations in the Northern midlatitudes. Additionally, the modelled bias in Hg0 concentrations in South America decreases from +0.21 ng m-3 to +0.05 ng m-3. We calculate a global flux of Hg0 dry deposition to land of 2276 Mg per year, approximately double previous model estimates. The Amazon rainforest contributes 29% of the total Hg0 land sink, yet continued deforestation and climate change threatens the rainforest's stability and thus its role as an important Hg sink. In an illustrative worst-case scenario where the Amazon is completely converted to savannah, GEOS-Chem predicts that an additional 283 Mg Hg per year would deposit to the ocean, where it can bioaccumulate in the marine food chain. Biosphere-atmosphere interactions thus play a crucial role in global Hg cycling and should be considered in assessments of future Hg pollution.

Size-segregated aerosol fluxes, deposition velocities, and chemical composition in an Alpine valley

The paper presents eddy covariance measurements of aerosol fluxes performed above an Alpine pasture in the Camonica Valley (Italian Alps) during summer 2019 and winter 2020. Vertical fluxes and deposition velocities (vds) were computed for nine aerosol size classes, with geometric mean diameters (GMDs) ranging from 10 nm to 0.76 μm, employing a fast-response electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI+, Dekati, FI). At the end of each campaign, the concentration of water-soluble ions was estimated from the ion chromatography chemical speciation performed on the multi-impactor filters. K+ concentrations tripled in winter, evidencing the impact of biomass burning emissions, while nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and sulphate were ascribed to secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) formation. During summer, classes characterized by downward net daily fluxes presented a high percentage of SIA (> 70%) deposited on the respective filters. Phenomena of growth or coagulation of particles were also detected from the steady increase in concentrations during the day in classes with GMD ≥ 20 nm. Turbulence favoured intense aerosol exchange during the day. During summer nights, low friction velocities (u∗) led to weaker fluxes, while a strong, stable stratification in winter determined aerosol trapping at ground level and non-negligible, mostly negative, fluxes during nighttime. The trends of vds versus aerosol GMDs showed prevailing deposition phenomena under stable atmospheric conditions, with relative humidity higher than or equal to 90%, friction velocity lower than 0.15 m s−1, or wind speed lower than 2 m s−1. Cluster analysis identified groups of days with or without nucleation events and highlighted a rainout effect in summer during a period characterized by intense precipitation.

Characterization of Mo-6Ta alloy targets and its magnetron sputtering deposited thin film

In this study, pure Mo and Mo-6Ta alloy targets were produced by a manufacturing method, which is called die pressing with a combination of cold isostatic pressing and hot-pressing sintering technology, and molybdenum thin films were deposited on corning glass substrates using a DC magnetron sputtering system. The effect of alloying with tantalum on the phase structure, grain size, orientation, thin film surface morphologies and electrochemical properties has been investigated by a variety of techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), four-probe resistivity tester, and electrochemical analyzer. The observation of the Mo targets reveals that this manufacturing technology with alloying of tantalum can reduce the target's grain size to lower than 50 μm with random grain orientation. The microstructure of the deposited Mo thin films indicates that the alloyed films have the higher deposition velocity with a dense fine grain structure and smoother surface. The sheet resistivity of the alloyed Mo film increases continuously with the increasing of the sputtering time, and eventually becomes higher than that of the pure Mo film. In electrochemical tests, both of the Mo films show capacitive reactance, and the capacitive arc radius of the alloyed Mo films are obviously larger than that of pure Mo films. The result of alloying with tantalum shows an increase in the corrosion potential of the Mo film from −0.5 V to −0.2 V, indicating improvement of the corrosion resistance of Mo films.