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Atmospheric Aerosols: How Are They Emitted, Generated, Transported, Aged, and...
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Atmospheric Aerosols: How Are They Emitted, Generated, Transported, Aged, and Deposited?

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Aerosols".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1190

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xiaohong Yao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Interests: nitrogen cycling in atmosphere; secondary aerosols and climate effects; statistical algorithm developed for environmental science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xiaohuan Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Interests: atmospheric deposition; air quality modeling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

About 150 years ago, John Aitken published the seminal article “On the Number of Dust Particles in the Atmosphere”, marking the birth of atmospheric aerosol science. Despite significant advancements over the past century and a half, the field continues to grapple with foundational assumptions that, although once necessary due to limited theoretical frameworks and experimental tools, may now prove physically untenable. For instance, atmospheric particle number size distributions are typically characterized using three parameters: N (total number concentration), µ (median mode diameter), and σ (mode half-width). However, it remains questionable whether σ sufficiently supports statistical tests of homogeneity in analyses of aerosol formation and transformation. Similarly, can Eulerian observations reliably confirm that the decrease in reactants is stoichiometrically matched by the increase in products, in accordance with the law of mass conservation? The answer to both queries is decidedly negative. In light of these challenges, this Special Issue invites contributions that critically reassess the fundamental issues in atmospheric aerosol science. We welcome papers that reexamine the origins, processes, and eventual fate of aerosols, as well as those that propose innovative paradigms for future research. Additionally, commentaries on recent aerosol studies published in top journals are encouraged, offering an accessible and cost-effective way to push the boundaries of current understanding.

Prof. Dr. Xiaohong Yao
Dr. Xiaohuan Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • secondary organic aerosols
  • marine aerosols
  • new particles
  • particulate nitrate chemistry
  • particulate ammonium
  • atmospheric deposition
  • dust particles

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 11262 KiB  
Article
Toward Aerosol-Aware Thermal Infrared Radiance Data Assimilation
by Shih-Wei Wei, Cheng-Hsuan (Sarah) Lu, Emily Liu, Andrew Collard, Benjamin Johnson, Cheng Dang and Patrick Stegmann
Atmosphere 2025, 16(7), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16070766 - 22 Jun 2025
Viewed by 174
Abstract
Aerosols considerably reduce the upwelling radiance in the thermal infrared (IR) window; thus, it is worthwhile to understand the effects and challenges of assimilating aerosol-affected (i.e., hazy-sky) IR observations for all-sky data assimilation (DA). This study introduces an aerosol-aware DA framework for the [...] Read more.
Aerosols considerably reduce the upwelling radiance in the thermal infrared (IR) window; thus, it is worthwhile to understand the effects and challenges of assimilating aerosol-affected (i.e., hazy-sky) IR observations for all-sky data assimilation (DA). This study introduces an aerosol-aware DA framework for the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer (IASI) to exploit hazy-sky IR observations and investigate the impact of assimilating hazy-sky IR observations on analyses and subsequent forecasts. The DA framework consists of the detection of hazy-sky pixels and an observation error model as the function of the aerosol effect. Compared to the baseline experiment, the experiment utilized an aerosol-aware framework that reduces biases in the sea surface temperature in the tropical region, particularly over the areas affected by heavy dust plumes. There are no significant differences in the evaluation of the analyses and the 7-day forecasts between the experiments. To further improve the aerosol-aware framework, the enhancements in quality control (e.g., aerosol detection) and bias correction need to be addressed in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: How Are They Emitted, Generated, Transported, Aged, and Deposited?)
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21 pages, 6140 KiB  
Article
Investigating Dual Character of Atmospheric Ammonia on Particulate NH4NO3: Reducing Evaporation Versus Promoting Formation
by Hongxiao Huo, Yating Gao, Lei Sun, Yang Gao, Huiwang Gao and Xiaohong Yao
Atmosphere 2025, 16(6), 685; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16060685 - 5 Jun 2025
Viewed by 399
Abstract
Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a major constituent of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), playing a critical role in air quality and atmospheric chemistry. However, the dual regulatory role of ammonia (NH3) in both the formation and [...] Read more.
Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a major constituent of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), playing a critical role in air quality and atmospheric chemistry. However, the dual regulatory role of ammonia (NH3) in both the formation and volatilization of NH4NO3 under ambient atmospheric conditions remains inadequately understood. To address this gap, we conducted high-resolution field measurements at a clean tropical coastal site in China using an integrated system of Aerosol Ion Monitor-Ion Chromatography, a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer, and online OC/EC analyzers. These observations were complemented by thermodynamic modeling (E-AIM) and source apportionment via a Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. The E-AIM simulations revealed persistent thermodynamic disequilibrium, with particulate NO3− tending to volatilize even under NH3gas-rich conditions during the northeast monsoon. This suggests that NH4NO3 in PM2.5 forms rapidly within fresh combustion plumes and/or those modified by non-precipitation clouds and then undergoes substantial evaporation as it disperses through the atmosphere. Under the southeast monsoon conditions, reactions constrained by sea salt aerosols became dominant, promoting the formation of particulate NO3− while suppressing NH4NO3 formation despite ongoing plume influence. In scenarios of regional accumulation, elevated NH3 concentrations suppressed NH4NO3 volatilization, thereby enhancing the stability of particulate NO3− in PM2.5. PMF analysis identified five source factors, with NO3− in PM2.5 primarily associated with emissions from local power plants and the large-scale regional background, showing marked seasonal variability. These findings highlight the complex and dynamic interplay between the formation and evaporation of NH4NO3 in NH3gas-rich coastal atmospheres. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: How Are They Emitted, Generated, Transported, Aged, and Deposited?)
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15 pages, 1018 KiB  
Article
Particulate-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Heavy Metals in Indoor Air Collected from Religious Places for Human Health Risk Assessment
by Thitisuda Kanchana-at, Win Trivitayanurak, Sopannha Chy and Narisa Kengtrong Bordeerat
Atmosphere 2025, 16(6), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16060678 - 3 Jun 2025
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) has been associated with various health issues. However, the most hazardous constituents of fine particles remain unclear, particularly in Asia where the chemical compositions are highly diverse and understudied. This study investigated the concentration and health risks of particulate-bound polycyclic [...] Read more.
Particulate matter (PM) has been associated with various health issues. However, the most hazardous constituents of fine particles remain unclear, particularly in Asia where the chemical compositions are highly diverse and understudied. This study investigated the concentration and health risks of particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals in the indoor air of religious spaces in Bangkok, Thailand. Air samples were collected from four religious sites during periods of high activity using a six-stage NanoSampler to capture particle sizes ranging from <0.1 to >10 µm. Chemical analyses were conducted using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for PAHs and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for heavy metals. The results revealed significantly elevated concentrations of PM2.5, PAHs (notably benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), chrysene (CHR), and fluoranthene (FLU)), and heavy metals (particularly Mn, Ni, and Cu). Health risk assessments indicated that both the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and hazard quotient (HQ) values for several pollutants exceeded the U.S. EPA safety thresholds, suggesting serious cancer and non-cancer health risks for workers exposed to these environments over prolonged periods. This study highlights incense burning as a dominant source of toxic indoor air pollutants and underscores the urgent need for mitigation strategies to reduce occupational exposure in religious buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Aerosols: How Are They Emitted, Generated, Transported, Aged, and Deposited?)
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