Investigation of the heterogeneous ice nucleation potential of sea spray aerosol
Name
1051220959-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
5.07 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
73fc32b3e8e45c3d95c7b7417c959b63
Author(s)
Dove, Lilian A
Advisor(s)
Daniel J. Cziczo.
Date Issued
2018
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Bubble bursting at the ocean surface generates smaller film-burst particles and larger jet drop particles that differ in composition. The chemical composition of sea spray aerosols is an important parameter for the evaluation of their impact on the global climate system. This study investigates the role of particle chemistry on the heterogeneous ice nucleation potential of laboratory-generated sea spray aerosols. Cultures of Procholorococcus, a highly abundant marine phytoplankton species, were used as a model source of organic sea spray aerosols. Results show that smaller particles generated from the lysed Procholorococcus cultures were organically enriched and effectively activated as ice nucleating particles at warmer temperatures and lower supersaturations than larger particles. The role of chemical composition in the activation of the particles was studied by measuring the nucleation abilities of single component organic molecules that mimic proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates in Procholorococcus. Amylopectin, agarose, and aspartic acid exhibited nucleation behaviors similar to particles generated from Procholorococcus cultures. Therefore, carbohydrates and proteins with numerous and well-ordered hydrophilic functional groups may determine the ice nucleation potential of organic sea spray aerosols.
Description
Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, 2018.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 19-23).
Subjects
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Terms of Use
MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.
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