Profiling aerosol liquid water content over Australia

Overview

Aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) is a ubiquitous constituent in atmospheric aerosol particles. The degree of ALWC present in aerosol particles is influenced various factors, including relative humidity, temperature, particle mass, size distribution, and aerosol composition. Comprehensive analyses on ALWC have been conducted in the Northern Hemisphere, but similar work has rarely been done in the Southern Hemisphere due to the scarcity of aerosol particle measurements. In the atmosphere, ALWC scatters radiation and reduces visibility, significantly affecting air quality, weather, and climate. Insufficient knowledge of ALWC can increase human society's vulnerability to extreme weather events and warmer climates.

Research activities

The use of real-time aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS) has helped in analysing the inorganic and organic composition of aerosols in various locations across Australia over the past decade. This study aims to conduct a thorough analysis using the AMS data collected over the years to estimate aerosol liquid water content (ALWC).

This project will involve the following:

• Summarise the chemical speciation data measured in various locations across Australia.
• Deploy state-of-the-art thermodynamic modelling to estimate ALWC based on measured chemical composition data.
• Evaluate the dependence of ALWC on aerosol concentrations, size distribution, chemical composition, and meteorology.

Outcomes

This work will provide comprehensive insights into the spatial and temporal variations of ALWC over Australia.

Skills and experience

This project suits those with the following background:

• earth science
• physics
• chemistry
• engineering.

Basic programming skills in R, Python or other programming languages are desirable.

Keywords

• aerosols
• climate
• mass spectrometry
• data science

Contact

Contact Dr Zijun Li via email zijun.li@qut.edu.au or other supervisors for more information.