Atmospheric aerosol has been a topic of increased scientific exploration with escalating concern regarding global climate change. Aerosol composition has a significant influence on climate due to the formation of “brown carbon,” or light-absorbing molecules. Reactions known to produce these brown carbon species include the reaction of ammonium sulfate with carbonyls such as glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, and methylglyoxal, all of which are abundant in the lower troposphere.<br/>When studying these reactions, however, it is important to consider the reaction conditions in the atmosphere. All atmospheric aerosol are subject to a diurnal cycle of sunlight and darkness. Previous studies have examined photolysis products of some of these reactions, yet none have investigated a full cycle of light to dark to light to see how these processes affect subsequent chemistry. Using Electrospray Ionization-Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with UV-Visible Spectroscopy, it is observed that notable composition differences exist when considering the diurnal cycle. From this data, species may be identified and further studied in the context of atmospheric chemistry and climate research.<br/> <br/>

Photochemical aging of atmospheric aerosol in a diurnal cycle

255th National Meeting (2018)

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