Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 16, 2025

Computation of Atmospheric Concentrations of Molecular Clusters from ab initio Thermochemistry
Published on: April 8, 2020
Atmospheric aging enhances the ice nucleation ability of biomass-burning aerosol
Lydia G Jahl1, Thomas A Brubaker1, Michael J Polen1
1Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Abstract:
Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) in biomass-burning aerosol (BBA) that affect cloud glaciation, microphysics, precipitation, and radiative forcing were recently found to be driven by the production of mineral phases. BBA experiences extensive chemical aging as the smoke plume dilutes, and we explored how this alters the ice activity of the smoke using simulated atmospheric aging of authentic BBA in a chamber reactor. Unexpectedly, atmospheric aging enhanced the ice activity for most types of fuels and aging schemes. The removal of organic carbon particle coatings that conceal the mineral-based ice-active sites by evaporation or oxidation then dissolution can increase the ice activity by greater than an order of magnitude. This represents a different framework for the evolution of INPs from biomass burning where BBA becomes more ice active as it dilutes and ages, making a larger contribution to the INP budget, resulting cloud microphysics, and climate forcing than is currently considered.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Global Climate Change
Atomic Spectroscopy: Effects of Temperature
At thermal equilibrium, the relative populations of excited and ground state atoms can be estimated using the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution. For example, an increase in temperature...
Effects of Air-entrainment in Concrete
Washing, Drying, and Ignition of Precipitates
Chemical Factors Affecting Respiration Centers
CO2 has a potent influence on respiration and is strictly regulated....
The Effect of Aging on Tissues

