TECHNICAL REPORTS OF THE METEOROLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE No.68 2012

International symposium on aerosol studies explored byelectron microscopy: How can electron microscopy improveatmospheric models?
Foreword
Yasuhito Igarashi*
1

Atmospheric Environment and Applied Meteorology Research Department, Meteorological Research Institute,
1-1 Nagamine, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0052, Japan*Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 29 853 8621; Fax: +81 29 855 7240; Email address: yigarash@mri-jma.go.jp(Y. Igarashi)
The Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) of the Japan Meteorological Agency held an international symposium
regarding the use of electron microscopy in aerosol studies and atmospheric simulation models on 16 and 17 February
2012. To our knowledge, this was the first symposium of its kind anywhere in the world. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss (1) current atmospheric aerosol research making use of electron microscopy and (2) the use of theresults of such studies in aerosol model simulations. Two keynote speakers and 18 invited speakers addressed thesymposium, and there were 16 poster presentations. In total, we had close to 80 participants, who engaged in two daysof intense discussion. The papers in this MRI technical report present the contents of the keynote lectures, the invited
presentations, posters, and discussions.
Keywords: Electron microscopy, Aerosol, Observation, Atmospheric model

Background and scope

search was led by the former section head of our laboratory,Dr. Kikuo Okada, who has carried out pioneering aerosol
research since the 1980s, when atmospheric aerosol morphology and mixing states were largely unknown. Electronmicroscopy is a set of versatile technologies that can beused to investigate the morphology and mixing state (elemental composition) of individual aerosol particles. To clarify the climatic and meteorological impacts of aerosols andrelated processes, Dr. Okada used electron microscopy to
examine sea salt, mineral dust (Asian dust), soot, sulfate,nitrate, and mixtures of these. His research targets included
samples retrieved from the poles to the tropics, and from theboundary layer to the stratosphere, and his work has contributed greatly to our understanding of the basic roles ofatmospheric aerosols in climate and meteorology (see Dr.
Okada’s paper in this volume).

The primary motivation of this international symposium
was the first replace of a transmission electron microscope(TEM) at the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) in
the 30 years since the MRI relocated from Tokyo to its present location in Tsukuba. This new TEM makes available
state-of-the-art TEM technologies, such as automated analysis of the aerosols with energy dispersive X-rays and 3-D
tomography.
Recent research trends in atmospheric aerosol sciences
include the rapid development of computer models for projecting air quality, weather forecasting, and climate research.
It is essential to incorporate into these models aerosol physics and chemistry. With these trends in mind, we, the aerosol researchers at the MRI, recognized that electron microscopy should play a crucial role in atmospheric aerosol
research. For electron microscopy to fulfill this role, however, improved communication between electron microscopists and aerosol modelers is key.

Therefore, we decided to organize an international symposium to review the research traditions at the MRI and thecutting-edge research that has been carried out there, to set
forth current knowledge and state-of-the-art technologies,
and finally to promote the integration of observational, experimental, and model studies by encouraging mutual un-Another motivation was to recognize the 30-year historyof research on aerosols conducted at the MRI making use ofTEM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This re-11

TECHNICAL REPORTS OF THE METEOROLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE No.68 2012

derstanding among researchers.

Ishimoto).
In addition, the novel features of the new TEM systeminstalled at the MRI were briefly presented by representatives of the manufacturers (Ms. Chizu Mitsui, Oxford Instruments, and Mr. Hiromitsu Furukawa, System in FrontierInc.).

Keynote speakers

Two distinguished keynote speakers addressed the symposium: Prof. Peter R. Buseck, Arizona State University(ASU), U.S.A., and Dr. Weijun Li, Shandon University,China. Prof. Buseck is a well-known electron microscopist
whose scientific endeavors cover vast areas of geology,
mineralogy, crystallography, electron microscopy, and atmospheric aerosols. Dr. Li is a promising young Chinesescientist who has used electron microscopy to conduct aerosol research at ASU under the supervision of Prof. Buseck.
The audience listened with rapt attention to Prof.
Buseck’s outstanding and technically sophisticated lectureon the use of electron microscopy in aerosol research. Dr. Li
focused on recent TEM investigations of haze, an important
air quality problem in China. His electron micrographs ofaggregates of fly ash spherules were particularly impressive.

Poster presentations

In the poster sessions, a total of 16 posters were presented, covering topics such as aerosol observations, including
morphology, composition, and optical properties;
state-of-the-art technologies; and novel approaches to aerosol modeling, and their mixtures.

Discussion session

During the discussion session, Dr. Igarashi, Prof. Buseck,Dr. Oshima and Dr. Matsuki presented comments and suggestions. All of them emphasized the urgent need to build
bridges between microscopists and modelers to further advance our understanding of atmospheric aerosols and improve atmospheric models. Endeavors such as this symposium were concluded to be necessary to promote active collaboration among scientists.

Invited speakers

The invited speakers included Dr. Kikuo Okada, formerlyof the MRI (and currently a guest researcher there) and Prof.
Yasunobu Iwasaka, Kanazawa University. These two leading Japanese scientists presented thought-provoking reviews in which they shared their great expertise and long
research experience in the field of atmospheric and aerosol
sciences.
Dr. Kouji Adachi (MRI), Dr. Yuji Fujitani (National Institute for Environmental Studies), Prof. Masahiko Hayashi(Fukuoka University), Dr. Tomoko Kojima (KumamotoUniversity), and Dr. Masahi Nojima (Tokyo University ofScience) spoke on state-of-the-art electron microscopy
techniques: 3-D tomography (Dr. Adachi), focused ionbeam secondary ion mass spectrometry (FIB-SIMS) (Dr.
Fujitani), environmental scanning electron microscope(ESEM) (Prof. Hayashi), 2-D elemental mapping by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) (Dr. Kojima), and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) (Dr.
Nojima).
Prof. Daizhuo Zhang (Prefectural University of Kumamoto), Dr. Keiichiro Hara (Fukuoka University), Prof.
Kazuhiko Miura (Tokyo University of Science), and Dr.
Atsushi Matsuki (Kanazawa University) described aerosol
observations conducted in western Japan (Prof. Zhang), theAntarctic (Dr. Hara), the Pacific and Mt. Fuji (Prof. Miura),
and the Arctic (Dr. Matsuki).
Dr. Hikari Shimadera (Central Research Institute of theElectric Power Industry), Dr. Daisuke Goto (University ofTokyo), and Drs. Naga Oshima and Hiroshi Ishimoto (MRI)
described recent simulation experiments with different
kinds of models: a regional chemical transport model (Dr.
Shimadera), a global chemical transport model (Dr. Goto), amicrophysics model (Dr. Oshima), and a shape model (Dr.

Acknowledgments

On behalf of the local organizing committee of the international symposium, I would like to express my sincere
gratitude to all speakers and participants. I also hope that
this MRI technical report volume will inspire and inform its
readers. Thanks are also extended to the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund “Assessment ofthe Effects of Reductions of Black Carbon Aerosols as a
Measure of Slowing down Global Warming” (Fund#A-1101; PI: Prof. Yutaka Kondo, Univ. of Tokyo), whose
support made the invitation of the keynote speakers possible.
Finally, I would like to add my thanks to our laboratory
staff for their support in organizing the present symposium.
Ms. K. Yanagida helped the editing this volume to which
my thanks are also due.

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TECHNICAL REPORTS OF THE METEOROLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE No.68 2012

Table 1: Final agenda of the International Symposium on Aerosol Studies Explored by Electron Microscopy
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Opening (welcoming remarks, purpose of theworkshop)
Keynote lectures
Individual aerosol particles in hazes of North
China
Identification and Analysis of Atmospheric
Aerosol Particles (& Climate Implications)
Invited oral presentations
Welcome speech by the Director General
Studies of aerosol particles performed withthe MRI electron microscopes during the last
three decades
Modification of dust particles by sea salt adherence and surface chemical reactions in themarine atmosphere
Aerosol particle shape revealed by transmission electron microscopy and the implications
for its optical properties
Internal mixtures of diesel nanoparticles investigated by FIB-SIMS microscopy
Modeling atmospheric transport of fine particulate matter with WRF/CMAQ in the Kanto region in summer 2007
Treatment of black carbon by a global climate
model and the potential contribution of electron microscopy
Aerosol particle analysis with INCAFeature
TEM
Friday, 17 February 2012
Invited oral presentations
Observation of fine ice crystals on ice nucleus
at -70 °C using ESEM
Vertical distributions of aerosol constituentsand their mixing states in Antarctic troposphere during the summer
Aerosol isotope analysis by secondary ion
mass spectrometryTwo-dimensional elemental mapping using ascanning transmission electron microscope
Aging of black carbon and its impact on aerosol optical properties and cloud condensation
nuclei activities using a mixing state resolved
model
Formation and variations of aerosols around
Beijing using the WRF-chem model
Shape modeling of dust and soot particles forremote sensing applications by considering
the geometrical features of sampled aerosols
Importance of structural diversity in atmos-pheric aerosols from viewpoint of environmental effects
Modification of individual sea salt particles

Y. Igarashi (MRI)W. J. Li
(Shandong U.)
P. R. Buseck(Arizona StateU.)

Single particle analysis of aerosols and cloud
residues in the Arctic troposphere
The latest application software for electron
tomography
Posters
Determination of the aerosol direct effect overthe East China Sea using ground-based remote sensing and aircraft observation data
Particle effective density measurement using aDMA-APM- CPC system in Nagoya, Japan:
Estimation of mixing state and shape
Measurements of light absorption enhancement of black carbon using a photoacoustic
spectrometer in Nagoya, Japan
Some measurements of mixing state ofsoot-containing particles at urban andnon-urban sites

Y. Kano (MRI)K. Okada (MRI)

D. Zhang(Pref. U. of Kumamoto)K. Adachi (MRI)

Y. Fujitani(NIES)
H. Shimadera(CRIEPI)

Changes in chemical compositions of sea-salt
particles collected at Mt. Rokko, Kobe, Japan
Laser post-ionization mass spectrometry ofPAHs on diesel soot particles
Analysis of black carbon particles byhigh-resolution TOF-SIMS

D. Goto(U. of Tokyo)
C. Mitsui(OxfordInstruments)

Analysis of source apportionment and chemical transformation of particles intrans-boundary air pollution using high lateral
resolution imaging SIMS
Mixing state of atmospheric black carbon
particles and its effect on light absorption
Fine mineral aerosols collected in Japan during two Asian dust events: Size distributions
and mixing properties
Aerosol-related services of the Japan Meteorological Agency
Climatic effect of black carbon in the MRI
global climate model
Model formulation and predictability of atmospheric aerosol properties and processes
Transmission electron microscope for atmospheric aerosol analysis
The latest application software for electron
tomography
Particle analysis of aerosol with INCA Feature TEM

M. Hayashi(Fukuoka U.)
K. Hara(Fukuoka U.)
M. Nojima (Tokyo U. of Sci.)
T. Kojima(Kumamoto U.)
N. Oshima(MRI)

H. Matsui(U. of Tokyo)
H. Ishimoto(MRI)
Y. Iwasaka

33(Kanazawa U.)
K. Miura (TokyoU. of Sci.)
A. Matsuki(Kanazawa U.)
H. Furukawa(JEOL)
P. Khatri(Chiba U.)
T. Nakayama(Nagoya U.)
T. Nakayama(Nagoya U.)
S. Hasegawa(Center for Environ. Sci. inSaitama)
S. Mukai(Kobe U.)K. Ohishi(Kogakuin U.)
N. Mayama (Tokyo Inst.
Tech./Kogakuin
U.)
T. Sakamoto(Kogakuin U.)

H. Naoe (MRI)
Y. Zaizen (MRI)

H. Shiozuru(JMA)
Y. T. Tanaka(MRI)
M. Kajino (MRI)
JEOL
JEOL
Oxford Instruments