Laboratory studies of the optical properties of atmospheric aerosol particles using cavity-enhanced aerosol extinction spectroscopy (CE-AES)

This thesis presents the development of a non-invasive, wavelength dependent analytical technique, Cavity Enhanced Aerosol Extinction Spectroscopy (CE-AES). This technique can be used for measuring the optical properties of laboratory-generated aerosols in order to better understand the optical properties of small particles. The optical properties of aerosol particles are important in determining their effects on climate (Pettersson et al, 2004) and their role in the radiative balance of the Earth (Solomon, et al. 2007). The technique is based on the gas-phase technique, cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (CEAS) (Engeln et al 1998) with the major difference of measuring particle properties rather than gas properties and using a single frequency laser rather than a tunable laser. (See more in text.