Organic aerosol and global climate modelling: a review

Maria Kanakidou (1) , J. H. Seinfeld (2) , S.N. Pandis (3) , Ian Barnes (4) , Franciscus Johannes Dentener (5) , Maria Cristina Facchini (6) , Rita van Dingenen (5) , Barbara Ervens (7) , A. Nenes (8) , C. J. Nielsen (9) , Erik Swietlicki (10) , Jean-Philippe Putaud (5) , Yves Balkanski (11, 12) , S. Fuzzi (13) , J. Horth (14) , G. K. Moortgat (15) , R. Winterhalter (15) , C. E. L. Myhre (9) , Kostas Tsigaridis (16) , E. Vignati (5) , E. G. Stephanou (1) , J. Wilson (5)

1 ECPL - Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory [Heraklion]
2 Departments of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Science and Engineering
3 University of Patras
4 Bergische Universität Wuppertal
5 IES - JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability
6 ISAC - Istituto di Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima [Bologna]
7 ICCF - Institut de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand
8 School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
9 UiO - University of Oslo
10 Skane University Hospital [Lund]
11 LSCE - Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette]
12 MERMAID - Modelling the Earth Response to Multiple Anthropogenic Interactions and Dynamics
13 ISAC - Istituto di Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima
14 Climate Change Unit [Ispra]
15 MPIC - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
16 UOC - University of Crete [Heraklion]

The present paper reviews existing knowledge with regard to Organic Aerosol (OA) of importance for global climate modelling and defines critical gaps needed to reduce the involved uncertainties. All pieces required for the representation of OA in a global climate model are sketched out with special attention to Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA): The emission estimates of primary carbona-ceous particles and SOA precursor gases are summarized. The up-to-date understanding of the chemical formation and transformation of condensable organic material is outlined. Knowledge on the hygroscopicity of OA and measurements of optical properties of the organic aerosol constituents are summarized. The mechanisms of interactions of OA with clouds and dry and wet removal processes parameterisations in global models are outlined. This information is synthesized to provide a continuous analysis of the flow from the emitted material to the atmosphere up to the point of the climate impact of the produced organic aerosol. The sources of uncertainties at each step of this process are highlighted as areas that require further studies.

Domains: Climatology; Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics [physics.ao-ph]

Maria Kanakidou, J. H. Seinfeld, S.N. Pandis, Ian Barnes, Franciscus Johannes Dentener, et al.. Organic aerosol and global climate modelling: a review. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2005, 5 (4), pp.1053-1123. ⟨10.5194/acp-5-1053-2005⟩. ⟨hal-02864936⟩