MPAE

Metal particles at EPCAPE

20 October 2023 - 20 November 2023

Lead Scientist: Hanyang Li

Observatory: AMF

This project aims to evaluate the performance of the newly developed Toxic-metal Aerosol Real-Time Analyzer (TARTA) in quantifying metal particle concentrations in real time. The study will be conducted during the ARM/ASR EPCAPE campaign at Mt. Soledad, San Diego, California, from October 20 to December 10, 2023. A particulate matter (PM) 2.5 cyclone will be installed on the TARTA inlet to analyze the composition of PM2.5. Compared to current X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) toxic metal detection instruments, such as the Cooper XACT and Horiba PX-375, the TARTA instrument is significantly cheaper ($150,000 against $3,000), making it more accessible to a wider range of users. This affordability enables community members, environmental monitoring agencies, and researchers to use the TARTA for toxic metal detection. The TARTA instrument will be prepared for remote use and will be compared to onsite instruments for a minimum of one month. The data collected will be analyzed, interpreted, and presented as a final report for ARM. The real-time metal particle concentrations measured by the TARTA instrument will contribute to the understanding of particle sources and increase the likelihood of obtaining a significant number of observations. This project aligns with ARM Decadal Vision T1 of providing comprehensive and impactful field measurements to advance the scientific understanding of atmospheric processes.