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:: Section 1Have you ever thought about what is in the atmosphere that we live in? Anything in addition to O2, N2, CO2 and water vapor? Indeed, there are many tiny aerosols in the atmosphere that affect our life, although we often do not sense and realize their existence. The atmospheric aerosol is a complex and dynamic mixture of solid and liquid particles from natural and anthropogenic sources. The natural background aerosol is present in the absence of human activity, while the urban aerosol is dominated by anthropogenic sources. In both cases, primary particles are continuously emitted into and secondary particles are formed in the atmosphere. The atmospheric aerosol has a profound effect on our lives. It affects global climate, local weather, visibility, and personal health. An extreme example is the London smog disaster in 1952, which caused thousands of deaths primarily due to pneumonia, bronchitis, tuberculosis, and heart failure. In the following sections, we will explore the sources of the atmospheric aerosol, their characteristics, how they are formed and removed, and how they influence our life (climate, health, etc). Finally, we will learn to estimate the effect of atmospheric aerosol on visibility.
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Environmental Engineers | American Academy of Environmental Engineers |
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Chemical Engineers | American Institute of Chemical Engineers |
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AGU | American Geophysical Union (Atmospheric Sciences Section) |
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NIEHS | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences |
