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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1020
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1020
25 Apr 2025
 | 25 Apr 2025

Laboratory studies on the optical, physical, and chemical properties of fresh and aged biomass burning aerosols

Zheng Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, Jie Tian, Yaqing Zhou, Ge Xu, Miao Gao, Xiaoxian Zhou, Yang Zhang, Weikang Ran, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yunfei Wu, Junji Cao, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng

Abstract. Atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) plays a significant role in global warming, yet the evolution of its optical properties during aging remains poorly understood, leading to substantial uncertainties in its climate effects. In this study, we investigate the aging process of BrC and its driving factors using laboratory-generated biomass burning emissions, including four types of straw and one type of wood. Upon OH oxidation, there exists a large increase in OA fraction after 2-day aging, followed by a minor increase during aging to 7 days. The particle growth is dominated by the change in OA content and thus shows a similar trend during aging. The mass absorption efficiency (MAE) of fresh BrC measured at 370 nm is 2.1–5.7 m2 g−1. A sharp decline in MAE is observed after 2-day aging, equally attributed to photobleaching and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, while the subsequent slight decrease during further aging to 7 days is dominated by SOA formation. Although a negative correlation is observed between particle size and MAE, the reduction in MAE is mainly driven by the decline in the imaginary part (k) of BrC, with particle size playing a minor role. Combined with positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis, the study reveals that oxygenated OA, characterized by higher O/C ratios but lower MAE, increases significantly with aging. In contrast, two hydrocarbon-like OA factors with lower O/C ratios and higher MAE, decrease over time. These results emphasize the importance of categorizing BrC based on its MAE and atmospheric behavior in climate models.

Competing interests: Some authors are members of the editorial board of journal

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

23 Sep 2025
Laboratory studies on the optical, physical, and chemical properties of fresh and aged biomass burning aerosols
Zheng Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, Jie Tian, Yaqing Zhou, Ge Xu, Miao Gao, Xiaoxian Zhou, Yang Zhang, Weikang Ran, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yunfei Wu, Junji Cao, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 11051–11065, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11051-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11051-2025, 2025
Short summary
Zheng Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, Jie Tian, Yaqing Zhou, Ge Xu, Miao Gao, Xiaoxian Zhou, Yang Zhang, Weikang Ran, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yunfei Wu, Junji Cao, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1020', Anonymous Referee #2, 02 May 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1020', Anonymous Referee #1, 02 May 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1020', Anonymous Referee #2, 02 May 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1020', Anonymous Referee #1, 02 May 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Qiaoqiao Wang on behalf of the Authors (01 Jul 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (01 Jul 2025) by Markus Petters
ED: Publish as is (16 Jul 2025) by Markus Petters
AR by Qiaoqiao Wang on behalf of the Authors (17 Jul 2025)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

23 Sep 2025
Laboratory studies on the optical, physical, and chemical properties of fresh and aged biomass burning aerosols
Zheng Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, Jie Tian, Yaqing Zhou, Ge Xu, Miao Gao, Xiaoxian Zhou, Yang Zhang, Weikang Ran, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yunfei Wu, Junji Cao, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 11051–11065, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11051-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-11051-2025, 2025
Short summary
Zheng Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, Jie Tian, Yaqing Zhou, Ge Xu, Miao Gao, Xiaoxian Zhou, Yang Zhang, Weikang Ran, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yunfei Wu, Junji Cao, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng
Zheng Yang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Qiyuan Wang, Nan Ma, Jie Tian, Yaqing Zhou, Ge Xu, Miao Gao, Xiaoxian Zhou, Yang Zhang, Weikang Ran, Ning Yang, Jiangchuan Tao, Juan Hong, Yunfei Wu, Junji Cao, Hang Su, and Yafang Cheng

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Short summary
Our results demonstrate that the reduction in mass absorption efficiency from biomass burning is mainly driven by the decline in the imaginary part, with particle size playing a minor role. And light absorption of oxygenated BrC increases significantly with aging, but hydrocarbon-like BrC decrease over time. These results emphasize the necessity to classify BrC into different groups based on their mass absorption efficiency and atmospheric behavior in climate models.
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