Optical properties and radiative forcing of carbonaceous aerosols in a valley city under persistent high temperature

Carbonaceous aerosols were collected in the valley city of Baoji city in Northern China in August 2022. The light absorption characteristics and influencing factors of black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) were analyzed, and their radiative forcing was estimated. The results showed that the light absorption of secondary brown carbon [AbsBrC,sec (370)] was 7.5 ± 2.4 Mm−1, which was 2.5 times that of primary brown carbon [AbsBrC,pri (370), 3.0 ± 1.2 Mm−1]. During the study period, the absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) of aerosol was 1.6, indicating that there was obvious secondary aerosol formation or carbonaceous aerosol aging in the valley city of Baoji. Except for secondary BrC (BrCsec), the light absorption coefficient (Abs) and mass absorption efficiency (MAE) of BC and primary BrC (BrCpri) during the persistent high temperature period (PHT) were higher than those during the normal temperature period (NT) and the precipitation period (PP), which indicated that the light absorption capacity of black carbon and primary brown carbon increased, while the light absorption capacity of secondary brown carbon decreased under persistent high temperature period. Secondary aerosols sulfide (SO42−), nitrate (NO3−) and secondary organic carbon (SOC) are important factors for promoting the light absorption enhancemen of BC and BrCpri and photobleaching of BrCsec during persistent high temperature period. The Principal Component Analysis-Multiple Linear Regression (PCA-MLR) model showed that traffic emissions was the most important source of pollution in Baoji City. Based on this, the secondary source accelerates the aging of BC and BrC, causing changes in light absorption. During PHT, the radiative forcing of BC and BrCpri were enhanced, while the radiative forcing of BrCsec was weakened, but the positive radiative forcing generated by them may aggravate the high-temperature disaster. [Display omitted] •The light absorption reaction of BC and BrC was investigated under persistent high temperatures (PHT).•During the PHT period, AbsBC and AbsBrC,pri exhibited an increase, while AbsBrC,sec demonstrated a decrease.•The secondary aerosols during the PHT have a significant influence on the alteration of AbsBC and AbsBrC.•The radiative forcing of BC and BrCpri increased during the PHT period, while the radiative forcing of BrCsec decreased.