Human health is significantly influenced by inhaled aerosols. Insight to the aerosol transport and deposition mechanisms is a prerequisite for both, toxicological protection against harmful particles and efficient application of inhaled therapeutic aerosols. The purpose of this doctoral thesis was to gain new knowledge of this topic on the basis of in vitro measurements. Phase-Doppler Anemometry was chosen for aerosol transport measurement, for it allows simultaneous measurement of particle size and velocity. Results were processed by means of statistical methods and frequency analysis. Deposition of spherical aerosol particles was measured by Positron Emission Tomography, while deposition of fibrous aerosol was measured by Phase-Contrast Microscopy combined with automated image analysis. All experiments were performed on physical models created on the basis of the real lung geometry. New knowledge of flow characteristics, transition from laminar to turbulent flow, effect of breathing pattern or particle size on aerosol transport and deposition in human lungs are outcomes of this work. Significant effect of the oral cavity was ascertained due to comparison of aerosol deposition in realistic and semi-realistic model with cylindrical smooth walls. Acquired data not merely extended our knowledge of aerosol behavior in lungs but it can also be used for validation of numerical simulations.

Extremely fine liquid droplets or solid particles, those remain suspended in the air, are known as aerosols. They are produced by natural sources and anthropogenic activities. Several types of aerosols produced by different processes are present in the atmosphere and every type of aerosol species exhibit different types of physical and chemical properties. Though making up only a small fraction of atmospheric mass aerosols are capable of altering Earth’s climate by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation and absorbing outgoing radiation. Adding to the complexity, they can act as cloud condensation nuclei and modify cloud properties. Major objective of this thesis is to study absorption due to aerosols and factors controlling the absorbing efficiency of aerosols over various environments. We have demonstrated a new method to quantify the organic carbon in terms of optical depth. Our studies demonstrate large “anomalous” absorption in the UV wavelength region over several regions. Further investigations revealed that a major part of this additional absorption is contributed by organic carbon aerosols and partly due to dust aerosols. We show that it is possible to discriminate UV absorption by dust and organic carbon by making use of the fact that dust aerosols are much larger in size compared to organic aerosols. Examination of aerosol optical depth values measured at cities south of Saharan desert indicates high short wave absorption due to coarse mode aerosols probably dust. Even at low values of Angstrom wavelength exponent, which indicates the presence of large aerosols (e.g., dust over land), absorption was found reasonably high compared to that of pure dust. On the other hand, over regions in the northern part of the Sahara close to Europe, short wave absorption was found to be lower. The enhanced short wave absorption due to coarse particles is unexpected. It appears that the deposition of anthropogenic aerosols such as black carbon over dust aerosols is likely to be responsible for this enhanced short wave absorption. This is a typical example of how anthropogenic aerosols can modify the properties of natural aerosols. We have carried out source apportionment using backward air parcel trajectories by applying k-means method of clustering and obtained various aerosol terms corresponding to each cluster. We have selected three island sites and one site in the middle of Saharan desert for this study. High aerosol radiative forcing values are observed even over remote island locations. Our study demonstrates the role of aerosols transported from the main land in influencing the aerosol environment even over remote marine regions.

This thesis is based on measurements of aerosol optical and microphysical properties made at inland, coastal and island locations in India. Aerosol vertical distribution measurements have also been made both using surface based and aircraft borne instruments. In addition to these, satellite based measurements (MODIS and OMI) have also been used to estimate regional aerosol radiative forcing over the oceanic regions around India. The measurements at an inland, continental, urban location reveals the large effect of anthropogenic activities on aerosol characteristics at surface and the atmospheric vertical column. A clear seasonality is observed in aerosol optical and microphysical properties as a consequence of modulation by anthropogenic activities and the effect of meteorological parameters like rainfall, winds and boundary layer dynamics. The variability observed at different time scales (from diurnal, weekly, monthly to annual) reveals the importance of anthropogenic and natural processes in modulating the aerosol loading. The estimates of aerosol radiative forcing at surface were as high as ~ 40W m-2. A large discrepancy was observed between the observed and modeled aerosol forcing efficiency (forcing per unit optical depth) at surface. These discrepancies are due to the inadequate representation of aerosol mixing state in models. In addition, the large difference found in the observed forcing between winter and summer could also be influenced due to the presence of elevated aerosols during the summer. Measurements made over coastal and central India shows that a large fraction (75-85%) of aerosol column optical depth was contributed by aerosols located above 1 km. The horizontal gradients were sharp with e-1 scaling distance as small as ~250 km in the well-mixed regions mostly under the influence of local source effects. However, above the atmospheric boundary layer, the gradients were much shallower (~800 to 1200 km). In addition, a large fraction (60-75%) of aerosol was found located above clouds leading to enhanced aerosol absorption. Large spatial gradient in aerosol optical depth and hence radiative impacts between the coastal landmass and the adjacent oceans within a short distance of <300 km (even at an altitude of 3 km) during summer and pre-monsoon is of importance to regional climate. Observations at Minicoy, a remote island in southern Arabian Sea to study the characteristics of transported aerosols reveals variability at daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal time scales associated with changes in precipitation and air mass characteristics. The daily mean Black Carbon (BC) mass mixing ratio varied between as low as ~ 0.2 to 9.0%. The resultant average aerosol atmospheric forcing for the observation period was ~15 W m-2. Trajectory based cluster analysis has shown six distinct advection/transport pathways influencing aerosol characteristics over southern Arabian Sea. The Indo-Gangetic Plain, northern Arabian Sea and west Asia are identified to be the most important source regions having a major impact on aerosols loading over the southern Arabian Sea. The cluster analysis, concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis and the MODIS retrievals show an asymmetry in aerosol characteristics between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, with the Arabian Sea characterized by large loading by natural aerosols (eg., dust and sea salt) and the Bay of Bengal characterized by anthropogenic loading (eg., BC). The low value of the BC mass mixing ratio measured at the island (mostly ~ 1 to 1.6%), has major implications for regional radiative forcing. The annually averaged net aerosol atmospheric forcing was as low as ~1.7 W m-2 with highest forcing corresponding to IGP cluster. The single scattering albedo (SSA) which is an important parameter in the estimation of aerosol radiative forcing was retrieved by utilizing a joint OMI-MODIS retrieval methodology. The SSA over the oceanic regions around India shows that the largest absorption (SSA < 0.9) occurs during winter. The largest gradients in AOD and SSA were observed over Arabian Sea during the summer as a result of large dust emissions. The largest forcing observed also was confined to the northern Arabian Sea (~ 37 W m-2) as a result of high aerosol column loading and dust transport. The observed annual mean forcing at Minicoy were comparable to that estimated using satellite measurements, but were much lower than those observed during INDOEX.

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde der Zusammenhang zwischen heterogener Eisbildung und Temperatur auf Basis eines 11-Jahres Lidardatensatzes untersucht, wobei besonders der potenzielle Einfluss von Wüstenstaubaerosol auf die heterogene Gefriertemperatur von unterkühlten Wasserwolken überprüft wurde. Der zugrundeliegende Lidardatensatz entstand im Rahmen von zwischen 1997 und 2008 am Leibniz-Institut für Troposphärenforschung (IfT) in Leipzig durchgeführten Lidarmessungen. Mehr als 2300 zeitlich und räumlich defifinierte Wolkenschichten wurden anhand des gemessenen linearen Depolarisationsverhältnisses als Flüssigwasserwolken oder als eisbeinhaltende Wolken klassifiziert. Dazu war es nötig, den störenden Einfluss von spiegelnden Reflektionen horizontal ausgerichteter Eiskristalle auf das gemessene Depolarisationsverhältnis zu charakterisieren. Die für die Auswertung benötigten Wolkenoberkantentemperaturen wurden aus Modelldaten oder, falls zeitnah verfügbar, aus Radiosondenprofifilen ermittelt. Die statistische Auswertung des Wolkendatensatzes ergab, dass der Anteil an eisbeinhaltenden Wolken mit abnehmender Temperatur stark zunimmt. Wurde in Wolken mit Oberkantentemperaturen zwischen 0 und -5 °C in nur 1% aller Fälle Eis detektiert, enthielten zwischen -10 und -15 °C bereits 40% der in dem Temperaturbereich beobachteten Wolken Eis. Bei Wolkenoberkantentemperaturen unterhalb von -25 °C wurde in nahezu 100% aller Fälle Eis in den Wolken beobachtet. Ein ähnlicher Zusammenhang zwischen Temperatur und dem Anteil an eisbeinhaltenden Wolken wurde bereits in zahlreichen auf Flugzeugmessungen basierenden Studien gefunden. In einem weiteren Schritt wurde der Wolkendatensatz mittels drei verschiedener Ansätze in einen staubbelasteten sowie einen staubfreien Teil getrennt. Dies geschah Anhand einer Trajektorien-Clusteranalyse sowie der Trennung bezüglich der von einem Mineralstaubvorhersagemodell berechneten Mineralstaubbelastung in Wolkenhöhe beziehungsweise in der gesamten Luftsäule über Leipzig. Die Trennung ergab, dass staubbelastete Wolken im Temperaturbereich zwischen -5 und -25 °C 10-30% mehr Eis beinhalten als staubfreie Wolken. Die Ergebnisse dieser Untersuchung legen deshalb nahe, dass Mineralstaub Eisbildung in unterkühlten Wolken maßgeblich fördert. Der Vergleich des Leipziger Wolkendatensatzes mit einem auf den Kapverden gesammelten Datensatz tropischer Wolken zeigte, dass trotz vergleichbarem Einfluss von Mineralstaubaerosol Eisbildung in den Tropen erst bei um 10 K tieferen Temperaturen einsetzt. Als mögliche Einflussfaktoren wurden Unterschiede in der atmosphärischen Dynamik und die Wirkung effektiverer Eiskeime über Mitteleuropa diskutiert. / The formation and presence of ice crystals in clouds strongly determines meteorological processes as precipitation formation but also climatological parameters as the radiation budget of the atmosphere. The process of ice formation, however, is not straightforward because ice crystals and liquid water droplets can coexist at temperatures from -38 °C to 0 °C. In this temperature range, aerosol particles, so-called ice nuclei, must be present to trigger ice formation in a supercooled droplet. From laboratory studies it is known that mineral dust particles are efficient ice nuclei. We present a statistical analysis of lidar-based observations of 2300 free-tropospheric clouds that was used to investigate the effect of mineral dust particles on the ice-formation temperature. The observations were performed at Leipzig, Germany (51° N, 12 °E). The time and height as well as the phase state (ice, liquid-water) of the observed clouds can easily be derived from the lidar data. The dust load in every observed cloud layer was determined by means of model data. From the analysis it was found that dust-affected clouds produce ice 50% more frequently than dust-free clouds at temperatures between -20 and -10 °C. In a last step we compared the relationship between ice-containing clouds and temperature of the Leipzig dataset with a similar data set from Cape Verde (15 °N, 23.5 °W). Even though dust is omnipresent in the troposphere at this location, the study of more than 200 spatially well-defined altocumulus clouds did not show a significant number of ice clouds at temperatures above -15 °C. Possible explanations for the observed differences between the Leipzig and the Cape Verde data set are contrasts in atmospheric dynamics over Central Europe and western Africa or the presence of anthropogenic aerosol over Europe that may provide additional effective ice nuclei besides Saharan dust.

The workers are exposed to aerosol particles in a coal strip mine. These particles are usually generated by the Bucket-wheel excavators which break the mined rock. The goal of the thesis thesis was to compare the concentrations of atmospheric aerosol particles - PM on the Bucket-wheel excavator Schrs 1320, the Stacker ZPDH 6300 and the Bucket- wheel excavator K 800/N2 in the coal quarry Doly Nástup Tušimice, and then to answer the questions what is the main cause of increased concentration PMx and whether the mining machines are different from each other. The measurement was realized stepwise on every mining machine in the time period from 12. 8. to 2. 9. 2016. The concentrations of PM1, PM2,5 and PM10 were measured by two portable laser nephelometers in the cab drivers and the outdoor walkway of the mining machines with the integration time of 1 minute. The air temperature and the relative humidity were monitored in both types of settings in every five minutes. The PMx concentrations variability is usually determined by the type of work and by the type of smoking. Consequently, PM concentrations on the mining machines were compared at the morning exchanges and evening exchanges, during the outdoor cleaning by sweeping, the indoor cleaning by hoovering and during the smoking. The highest...

Mit Untersuchungen auf dem Gebiet der trockenen Desagglomeration konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass mit Strahlmühlen unter bestimmten technischen Voraussetzungen Materialagglomerate aus der Produktklasse Nanopartikelfocken auf Partikelgrößen kleiner 1 µm bei maximal möglicher Beladung stabil desagglomerierbar sind. Dabei zeigt sich vor allem, dass mit sinkender spezifischer Oberfläche des Ausgangsmaterials eine höhere Dispersität bei vergleichbarem Input an Desagglomerationsenergie möglich ist. Voraussetzung hierfür ist die speziell auf die Desagglomerationsaufgabe angepasste Versuchsanlage. Mit der zur Bestimmung der Dispersität entwickelten Online-Messstrecke sind Partikelgrößen von 10 nm bis hin zu ca. 42 µm in einem Körnungsband erfassbar. Mit den gegebenen Möglichkeiten der Prozessanalyse zu wesentlichen Einflussparametern wird eine Überwachung der Prozessstabilität ermöglicht. Die Variation der Transportstrecke bei den verschiedenen Produktaerosolen mit maximaler Dispersität zeigt, dass technisch sinnvolle und kurze Wege bis 1 m die Einleitung stabiler Aerosole hoher Dispersität bis in den Bereich der Materialaggregate bei 100 nm bis 200 nm in einen Folgeprozess (z.B. Coating) ermöglichen.

Diploma thesis deals with the analysis of saccharides and markers of biomass and wood combustion in atmospheric aerosol, PM2,5. Theoretic part is focused on general characterisation of atmospheric aerosols and on the properties, sources and analysis methods of selected analysed organic compounds. The experimental part is focused on the optimization of method for simultaneous analysis of saccharides and tracers from biomass and wood combustion. Optimization of method includes selection of solvent for the extraction of compounds and optimization of derivatization process and GC/MS analysis. The optimized method was then applied for the analysis of selected compounds in real aerosol samples in the size fraction PM2.5. The concentrations of analysed compounds were compared in term of sampling seasons.

Human health is significantly influenced by inhaled aerosols. Insight to the aerosol transport and deposition mechanisms is a prerequisite for both, toxicological protection against harmful particles and efficient application of inhaled therapeutic aerosols. The purpose of this doctoral thesis was to gain new knowledge of this topic on the basis of in vitro measurements. Phase-Doppler Anemometry was chosen for aerosol transport measurement, for it allows simultaneous measurement of particle size and velocity. Results were processed by means of statistical methods and frequency analysis. Deposition of spherical aerosol particles was measured by Positron Emission Tomography, while deposition of fibrous aerosol was measured by Phase-Contrast Microscopy combined with automated image analysis. All experiments were performed on physical models created on the basis of the real lung geometry. New knowledge of flow characteristics, transition from laminar to turbulent flow, effect of breathing pattern or particle size on aerosol transport and deposition in human lungs are outcomes of this work. Significant effect of the oral cavity was ascertained due to comparison of aerosol deposition in realistic and semi-realistic model with cylindrical smooth walls. Acquired data not merely extended our knowledge of aerosol behavior in lungs but it can also be used for validation of numerical simulations.

No description available.

Master of Science / Department of Physics / Christopher M. Sorensen / This work emphasizes advancements in Aerosol Gelation. We have attempted to expand the available materials used to synthesize Aerosol Gels by moving away from gas phase precursors toward liquid phase precursors and eventually reactants in the solid phase. The primary challenge was to efficiently administer the liquid fuels into the detonation chamber. After several attempts, it was concluded that the most efficient delivery technique was to heat the liquid fuel past the vapor point and evaporate it into the oxidizing gas for combustion. This method consistently yields soot with a density of 3.2 mg/cc approximately 10 minutes after the combustion. It was concluded that four criterion must be met to create an Aerosol Gel from a liquid: 1. The liquid must be as finely divided as possible 2. The energy of the spark must be large enough to cause a sustainable combustion 3. The fuel must have a Lower Explosive Limit above the necessary concentration to meet a volume fraction of 10[superscript]4 4. The fuel must have a relatively low boiling point