Comparison of Measurements from ASCENT Yellowstone Site with IMPROVE Data

Aerosol, especially PM2.5, plays a critical role in global climate, and has a significant impact on human health. To investigating the source, chemical and physical properties of aerosol, 12 Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT) sites were created across the US in 2023. The sites conduct a high time-resolution and long-term measurement of aerosol physical and chemical properties with an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM), Xact, Aethalometer (AE33), and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). In this presentation we will compare the PM2.5 composition measured at the ASCENT Yellowstone site with the filter-based Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network. The soil calculated based on the IMPROVE protocols using the Xact metals will also be compared and presented. The comparison among the ASCENT ACSM total mass, SMPS mass, and IMPROVE PM2.5 suggests that submicron dust is an important factor at the Yellowstone site. Strong correlation and agreement between ASCENT calculated total PM2.5 and IMPROVE filter-based PM2.5 provides initial validation of the ASCENT measurements.