Date of Award
2007
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Chemistry
First Advisor
Jeffrey Steven Gaffney, Ph.D.
Abstract
Direct aerosol climate effects include light scattering and absorption that present the largest uncertainties in the assessment of radiative forcing. To estimate the overall effect of aerosols on climate the relative amounts of scattering and absorption must be known. Determination of aerosol UV-absorption spectra is the primary focus of this thesis research. Aerosol samples were collected in Mexico City in 2003 and 2006 as a part of Mexico City Metropolitan Area field study and also at Little Rock. UV-visible absorption spectra of these aerosol samples have been obtained by using an integrating sphere coupled to a UV-visible spectrometer and compared to various aromatic compounds and complex organic mixtures like humic acids and Diesel soot. Results show that the UV spectra of aerosol samples are similar to the spectra of complex organic mixtures like humic like substances and Diesel soot. Results also show spatial and temporal variations in UV-visible absorption.
Recommended Citation
MANGU, ANAND, "Identification of Potential Organic Contributors in Carbonaceous Aerosols: Enhanced UV Absorption Spectra" (2007). Theses and Dissertations. 91.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/91
