Nitrogen dominates global atmospheric organic aerosol absorption

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Li, Yumin; Fu, Tzung-May; Yu, Jian Zhen; Zhang, Aoxing; Yu, Xu; Ye, Jianhuai; Zhu, Lei; Shen, Huizhong; Wang, Chen; Yang, Xin; Tao, Shu; Chen, Qi; Li, Ying; Li, Lei; Che, Huizheng; Heald, Colette L.
• 署名单位: Southern University of Science & Technology; Southern University of Science & Technology; Hong Kong University of Science & Technology; Hong Kong University of Science & Technology; Peking University; Southern University of Science & Technology; China Meteorological Administration; Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS); China Meteorological Administration; Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS); Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology Domain; ETH Zurich
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-11374
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adr4473
• 发表日期: 2025-02-28
• 关键词: biomass-burning aerosol; brown carbon; optical-properties; molecular characterization; size distribution; light-absorption; EVOLUTION; identification; simulation; chemistry

摘要

Atmospheric organic aerosols (OAs) influence Earth's climate by absorbing sunlight. However, the link between their evolving composition and their absorptive effects is unclear. We demonstrate that brown nitrogen (BrN), the absorptive nitrogenous component of OAs, dominates their global absorption. Using a global model, we quantified BrN abundance, tracked its optical evolution with chemical aging, and assessed its radiative absorption. BrN contributes 76% of OAs' surface light absorption over the US and 61% of their global absorptive optical depth. Moreover, the observed variability of OAs' absorptive capacity is primarily driven by the sources and aging of BrN. BrN represents 18% of the global absorptive direct radiative effect of carbonaceous aerosols, with biomass burning being the largest contributor. Our research establishes a nitrogen-centric framework for attributing the climate impacts of OAs.