Atmospheric black carbon mass absorption cross-section: a literature review

Black carbon (BC) aerosol particles are emitted by the incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels. These particles absorb solar radiation and BC-dominated aerosol mixtures with low single scattering albedo have a positive radiative forcing, thus heating the atmosphere. Radiative transfer models make use of the BC mass absorption cross section (MAC_BC) to derive the radiative forcing of BC given a certain particle mass concentration. Freshly emitted BC has a MAC value of 8 ± 1 m²/g at 550 nm (Bond et al., 2013). However, MAC can increase as aerosols age in the atmosphere due to increase in particle coating. This is the so-called lensing effect, which leads to MAC_BC observations of up to 15 m²/g at 550 nm (Li et al., 2022; Savadkoohi et al., 2024). The effect of coatings and the evolution of MAC_BC with ageing have been and still are a matter of intense scientific discussions.

The determination of MAC_BC is carried out in the lab and in the field using various methods for light absorption and BC mass measurement. The most common techniques for absorption measurement include filter-based attenuation measurements, whereas the most common technique for mass measurement is thermo-optical analysis, which quantifies elemental carbon mass (EC; EN 16909:2017). The development of more accurate techniques with operational and scientific advantages for both light absorption and BC mass quantification has led to more reliable MAC_BC field measurements, allowing researchers to have a clearer picture of how atmospheric ageing and regional conditions affect the optical properties of BC.

In this study, we have reviewed 63 publications that provide atmospheric MAC_BC values and present the results in terms of aerosol type, measurement technique, regional variability, and how interpretation of results using these factors can help the community to use the appropriate MAC in models. We provide guidance and perspectives for future studies and how the literature on MAC_BC can be exploited and interpreted in order to improve radiative models that include BC.

References

 Bond, T. C., Doherty, S. J., Fahey, D. W., Forster, P. M., Berntsen, T., DeAngelo, B. J., Flanner, M. G., Ghan, S., Kärcher, B., Koch, D., Kinne, S., Kondo, Y., Quinn, P. K., Sarofim, M. C., Schultz, M. G., Schulz, M., Venkataraman, C., Zhang, H., Zhang, S., … Zender, C. S. (2013). Bounding the role of black carbon in the climate system: A scientific assessment. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 118(11), 5380–5552. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50171

Hanyang Li & Andrew A. May (2022) Estimating mass-absorption cross-section of ambient black carbon aerosols: Theoretical, empirical, and machine learning models, Aerosol Science and Technology, 56:11, 980-997, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2022.2114311

Savadkoohi, Marjan, Marco Pandolfi, Cristina Reche, Jarkko V. Niemi, Dennis Mooibroek, Gloria Titos, David C. Green, et al. (2023) The Variability of Mass Concentrations and Source Apportionment Analysis of Equivalent Black Carbon across Urban Europe. Environment International 178: 108081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108081.