The synergy of morphology and mixing state on the absorption of coated black carbon soot

Black carbon (BC) strongly absorbs light and contributes to climate warming. Coating formation on fractal BC-containing soot is a ubiquitous atmospheric process that enhances its absorption, but the extent of this absorption enhancement ( E abs ) remains uncertain and difficult to represent in models. In this study, we use large simulation chamber experiments to investigate BC absorption and its modification by coating formation and ageing. Polydisperse fractal BC-containing soot was mixed with non-absorbing atmospherically-relevant secondary aerosols (sulfuric acid and α -pinene secondary organic aerosols). Varying reaction dynamics produced different coating rates and masses, mimicking atmospheric processing. The evolution of soot and coating properties was tracked for up to 20 h. The results of this study suggest a general positive correlation between E abs and coating amount on soot. However, they also experimentally demonstrate the strong effect of morphological modifications and mixing state heterogeneity on BC absorption, both depending on the reaction dynamics of coating formation and ageing of the coated soot. Combined variations in morphology and mixing state affect the magnitude of E abs and its further evolution, leading, depending on processing, to either an increase or decrease in absorption. The range of measured E abs resulting from soot processing cannot be reliably represented using a fixed E abs value or by a core-shell optical model, two approximations commonly used in climate models. These results support the need for new formalisms that would take into account both morphological and mixing state heterogeneity to improve model predictions of BC absorption and its role on the radiative budget.

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Publication Details

Journal
Atmospheric chemistry and physics
Published
2026-11-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15831-2026
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.63

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article

The synergy of morphology and mixing state on the absorption of coated black carbon soot

Marco Zanatta, Edouard Pangui, Antonin Bergé, Servanne Chevaillier et al.
1 citations
Atmospheric chemistry and physics
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
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article

The synergy of morphology and mixing state on the absorption of coated black carbon soot

Marco Zanatta, Edouard Pangui, Antonin Bergé, Servanne Chevaillier, Laura Renzi, Bénédicte Picquet‐Varrault, Michel Maille, Angela Marinoni, Johannes Heuser, Claudia Di Biagio, Paola Formenti, Jean‐François Doussin, Daniel Ferry, Jérôme Yon, Mathieu Cazaunau, Paolo Laj, Chenjie Yu
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Black carbon (BC) strongly absorbs light and contributes to climate warming. Coating formation on fractal BC-containing soot is a ubiquitous atmospheric process that enhances its absorption, but the extent of this absorption enhancement ( E abs ) remains uncertain and difficult to represent in models. In this study, we use large simulation chamber experiments to investigate BC absorption and its modification by coating formation and ageing. Polydisperse fractal BC-containing soot was mixed with non-absorbing atmospherically-relevant secondary aerosols (sulfuric acid and α -pinene secondary organic aerosols). Varying reaction dynamics produced different coating rates and masses, mimicking atmospheric processing. The evolution of soot and coating properties was tracked for up to 20 h. The results of this study suggest a general positive correlation between E abs and coating amount on soot. However, they also experimentally demonstrate the strong effect of morphological modifications and mixing state heterogeneity on BC absorption, both depending on the reaction dynamics of coating formation and ageing of the coated soot. Combined variations in morphology and mixing state affect the magnitude of E abs and its further evolution, leading, depending on processing, to either an increase or decrease in absorption. The range of measured E abs resulting from soot processing cannot be reliably represented using a fixed E abs value or by a core-shell optical model, two approximations commonly used in climate models. These results support the need for new formalisms that would take into account both morphological and mixing state heterogeneity to improve model predictions of BC absorption and its role on the radiative budget.

Atmospheric chemistry and physicsVol. 26(21)
Institut polytechnique de Grenoble (FR), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), World Meteorological Organization (CH), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (FR), Université Paris-Est Créteil (FR), Université Paris Cité (FR), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (IT), Complexe de Recherche Interprofessionnel en Aérothermochimie (FR), Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement (FR), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (FR), Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (FR), National Research Council (IT), Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille (FR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Université de Rouen Normandie (FR), Institut National des Sciences Appliquées Rouen Normandie (FR)
Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers, Horizon 2020, NextGenerationEU
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 27%
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
1.63
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