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Investigation of the effect of Organic Aerosols (OA) on the water uptake of Atmospheric ParticlesRobin L Modini PhD 2007 - 2011 r.modini@student.qut.edu.au Faculty Faculty of Science & Technology Supervisor/s Dr Zoran Ristovski, Dr Graham Johnson Thesis Abstract Water uptake refers to the ability of an aerosol particle to absorb water vapour from the surrounding atmosphere. This important property is one of the key factors determining the role aerosols have on climate. Currently, aerosols are known to cause an overall cooling effect at the Earth’s surface but the magnitude of this effect is highly uncertain. As governments stand poised to restructure entire economies in the name of climate change it is imperative this aerosol-related uncertainty is reduced. Part of this involves improving our understanding of the water uptake properties of atmospheric aerosols. While the water uptake properties of atmospherically relevant inorganic salts as a function of relative humidity are generally well-known, the effects of organics on the water uptake of aerosols are not yet fully understood. In order to better quantify these effects, this research program is taking field measurements for a range of mixed organic-inorganic aerosol types. Valuable water uptake data for globally important aerosol systems (e.g. sea spray particles) has been obtained. This data will ultimately contribute to reducing uncertainty in our knowledge of the climatic impact of aerosols.
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