Laboratory studies on optical properties of secondary organic aerosols generated during the photooxidation of toluene and the ozonolysis of α‐pinene

It has recently been suggested that some organic aerosols can absorb solar radiation, especially at the shorter visible and UV wavelengths. Although quantitative characterization of the optical properties of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) is required in order to confirm the effect of SOAs on the atmospheric radiation balance, the light absorption of SOAs has not yet been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we conducted laboratory experiments to measure the optical properties of SOAs generated during the photooxidation of toluene in the presence of NO x and the ozonolysis of α ‐pinene. Extinction and scattering coefficients of the SOAs were measured by a cavity ring‐down aerosol extinction spectrometer and an integrating nephelometer, respectively. Refractive indices of the SOAs were determined so that the measured particle size dependence of the extinction and scattering efficiencies could be reproduced by calculations using Mie scattering theory. As a result, significant light absorption was found at 355 nm for the toluene SOAs. In contrast, no significant absorption was found either at 355 or 532 nm for the α ‐pinene SOAs. Using the obtained refractive index, mass absorption cross‐section values of the toluene SOAs were calculated to be 0.3–3 m 2 g −1 at 355 nm. The results indicate that light absorption by the SOAs formed from the photooxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons have a potential to influence the total aerosol light absorption, especially at UV wavelengths.