Aerosol dynamics within and above forest in relation to turbulent transport and dry deposition

Abstract

A 1-D atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) model coupled with a detailed atmospheric chemistry and aerosol dynamical model, the model SOSAA, was used to predict the ABL and detailed aerosol population (characterized by the number size distribution) time evolution. The model was applied over a period of 10 days in May 2013 to a pine forest site in southern Finland. The period was characterized by frequent new particle formation events and simultaneous intensive aerosol transformation. The aim of the study was to analyze and quantify the role of aerosol and ABL dynamics in the vertical transport of aerosols. It was of particular interest to what extent the fluxes above the canopy deviate from the particle dry deposition on the canopy foliage due to the above-mentioned processes. The model simulations revealed that the particle concentration change due to aerosol dynamics frequently exceeded the effect of particle deposition by even an order of magnitude or more. The impact was, however, strongly dependent on particle size and time. In spite of the fact that the timescale of turbulent transfer inside the canopy is much smaller than the timescales of aerosol dynamics and dry deposition, leading us to assume well-mixed properties of air, the fluxes at the canopy top frequently deviated from deposition inside the forest. This was due to transformation of aerosol concentration throughout the ABL and resulting complicated pattern of vertical transport. Therefore we argue that the comparison of timescales of aerosol dynamics and deposition defined for the processes below the flux measurement level do not unambiguously describe the importance of aerosol dynamics for vertical transport above the canopy. We conclude that under dynamical conditions reported in the current study the micrometeorological particle flux measurements can significantly deviate from the dry deposition into the canopy. The deviation can be systematic for certain size ranges so that the time-averaged particle fluxes can be also biased with respect to deposition sink.