Comparison of Clouds and Aerosols at Mt.

Soledad and Scripps Pier

Allison

1
Khoe ,

Lynn

1
Russell , Ashley

1
Corrigan ,

Rob

1
Modini ,

Lelia

2
Hawkins , Ann

Marie

3
Macdonald ,

Richard

3
Leaitch

1Scripps

Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA

2Department of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA

3Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

From ion chromatography analysis of aerosols taken at the pier, the average salt (NaCl) concentration was 0.41 g/m3
and the sulfate concentration was 1.7 g/m3.

Abstract
Atmospheric aerosol samples were taken from two sampling sites and compared according to
their organic and inorganic composition. One of the sampling sites was located 3 km off the coast of the
Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, CA (32.8400N, 117.2769W) below the peak of Mt. Soledad (251m amsl)
(Schroder, et al., 2014). Samples were also collected through an inlet located at the Scripps pier (32
52.0188 N, 117 15.4350 W) at approximately 14 m above sea level (Hawkins, et al., 2010).
Observations were taken from May through June of 2012. At the Mt. Soledad station, three separate
cloud events were studied on three different days with data taken from before, during, and after each
cloud event.
Samples taken at Mt. Soledad and the pier were analyzed using ion chromatography, Fourier
Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, a counterflow virtual impactor, and aerosol mass spectrometers. The
composition of aerosols at these two sampling sites as well as the composition before, during, and after
cloud events on Mt. Soledad. Overall average concentrations of sulfate, salt, and organic mass did not
vary significantly between aerosol measurements taken at Scripps pier and Mt. Soledad. Additionally,
there were no consistent differences in the composition of aerosol samples taken before, during, and
after cloud events. There was evidence for a correlation between increased alkane content and increased
cloud water absorbance.

Introduction

Scripps Pier

Mt. Soledad

Studying the composition of aerosol particles and clouds allows for further understanding of
the effects of aerosols on climate. This study focuses on the organic and inorganic composition of
aerosol particles. The organic composition of the aerosols can have an impact on the physical properties
of the cloud, which will determine its absorbance and reflectivity.
Aerosols have both direct and indirect effects on climate. Aerosols directly influence the
Earths radiation balance by scattering solar radiation, resulting in the cooling of the planets surface
(Aerosol Indirect Effects, 2014). An indirect effect of organic aerosols on climate is their role as cloud
condensation nuclei. The majority of primary organic aerosols come from fossil fuel combustion and
biomass burning (Hawkins, et al., 2010). Because droplets of clouds formed in polluted areas tend to be
more numerous and smaller, the cloud may have a higher albedo and optical depth, resulting in an
overall cooling effect (Russell, et al., 2012). Additionally, the clouds will remain in the atmosphere for
longer periods of time ("Indirect Effects of Aerosols on Clouds and Precipitation", 2007).

Soledad Ion Chromatography Analysis

Figure 2 Composition of samples as measured using ion chromatography taken at four different times of day from
5/11/12 to 6/28/12 at Mt. Soledad (cloud). For the Morning 1 period, on average, the concentration of salt was 0.62 g/
m3, the concentration of organics was 2.1 g/m3, and the concentration of sulfate was 1.8 g/m3. For the Morning 2
period, the concentration of salt was 0.45 g/m3, the concentration of organics was 2.1 g/m3, and the concentration of
sulfate was 2.0 g/m3. For the afternoon period, the concentration of salt was 0.58 g/m3, the concentration of organics
was 1.4 g/m3, and the concentration of sulfate was 1.6 g/m3. For the evening period, the concentration of salt was
0.22 g/m3, the concentration of organics was 1.5 g/m3, and the concentration of sulfate was 1.19 g/m3. Combining
the four time periods for daily averages, the sulfate concentration was 1.6 g/m3, the organics concentration was 1.8 g/
m3, and the salt concentration was 0.47 g/m3.

Pier Comparison to Cloud Water Absorbance

Methods
Ion chromatography (IC) separates ions and polar molecules based on their interactions with the ion
exchanger and was used to determine the ion content of aerosol samples.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a technique used to determine the absorbance of the
samples using an infrared spectrum.
An aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACMS) measures the mass and chemical composition of
non-refractory submicron particulate matter.
An aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) is an instrument that measures size and mass loading
information for non-refractory sub-micron aerosol particles by measuring particle time-of-flight.
A counterflow virtual impactor (CVI) separates aerosols from an air stream into separate gas flows.

Results

Figure 3 - Graph on left plots the organic functional group concentration at Scripps pier vs. cloud water absorption.
Graph on right plots the organic functional group mass fraction (as a percentage) at Scripps pier vs. cloud water
absorption. There were no significant changes in the concentration of alcohol, amine, and acid groups as cloud water
absorbance increased but, the alkane group concentration did increase as cloud water absorbance increased.

Comparison Before/In/After Cloud

Comparison between Pier and Cloud

Pier Organic Mass

Pre and Post-CVI Periods

5/15/12

5/22/12

5/29/12

6/5/12

6/12/12

Figure 1 - Concentration of organic mass of samples taken at Scripps pier using an aerosol chemical
speciation monitor and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The average total organic mass
concentration was 1.9 g/m3. Of this organic mass, on average 40% was alkane (0.78 g/m3), 15% was
alcohol (0.31 g/m3), 4.5% was amine (0.088 g/m3), and 40% was carboxylic acid (0.78 g/m3).

Ion Chromatography Analysis Before, In, and Post-Cloud

Figure 4 - Cloud drop organic

functional group composition from
three cloud events on 6/1/12, 6/13/12,
and 6/18/12 at Mt. Soledad. The
number at the bottom of each pie chart
represents the total organic
concentration. This figure shows no
consistent difference in the organic
functional groups before and after vs.
in the cloud. Cloud 1(6/1/12) showed
the most significant difference in
organic functional groups from before
to in and post-cloud. Cloud 2 (6/13)
had the least difference in organic
functional groups

Figure 5 - Observations from ion chromatography analysis showing the cloud composition taken from three cloud
events on the following dates: June 1, June 13, and June 18. The number at the bottom of each pie chart represents
the total concentration. There were no consistent differences in the overall organic and inorganic composition
taken before and after the cloud vs. in the cloud. Cloud 1 (6/1) showed the least difference in sulfate and nitrate
fractions from before to in and post-cloud. For Cloud 1, before cloud the sulfate concentration was 1.6 g/m3, in
cloud it was 1.4 g/m3, and post-cloud it was 1.8 g/m3. The nitrate concentration before the cloud was 0.095 g/
m3, in the cloud it was 0.033 g/m3, and post-cloud it was 0.26 g/m3. Cloud 2 (6/13) had the most difference in
sulfate and nitrate fractions. For Cloud 2, before the cloud the sulfate concentration was 1.8 g/m3, in the cloud it
was 1.9 g/m3, and post-cloud it was 2.5 g/m3. The nitrate concentration before the cloud was 0.028 g/m3and in
the cloud it was 0.069 g/m3.

Conclusion
In comparing the composition of aerosols at Scripps pier and that of aerosols at Mt. Soledad, the
concentrations of salt, organics, and sulfate varied slightly between the two locations. The concentration of salt
(taken from measurements of Na and Cl using ion chromatography) was measured to be lower at the pier than at
Soledad. The salt concentration was 0.41 g/m3 at the pier and the salt concentration was 0.47 g/m3 at Soledad.
The concentration of organics at the pier (1.9 g/m3) was higher than at Soledad (1.8 g/m3) and the
concentration of sulfate at the pier (1.7 g/m3) was higher than at Soledad (1.6 g/m3). These measurements
between the two sampling sites do not vary significantly.
There were no consistent differences in the organic functional groups before and after vs. in the cloud.
Additionally, there were no consistent differences in the overall organic and inorganic composition taken before
and after the cloud vs. in the cloud.
Observations of cloud water absorbance and aerosol composition at Scripps pier show that samples with
increased cloud water absorbance also have higher concentrations of alkane.

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