@Article{Xu2020, author="Xu, Jianzhong and Hettiyadura, Anusha Priyadarshani Silva and Liu, Yanmei and Zhang, Xinghua and Kang, Shichang and Laskin, Alexander", title="Regional Differences of Chemical Composition and Optical Properties of Aerosols in the Tibetan Plateau", journal="Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres", year="2020", address="State Key Laboratory Cryopheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco‐Environment and Resources Chinese Academy of Science ;Department of Chemistry Purdue University", volume="125", number="1", keywords="Tibetan Plateau;aerosol;chemical composition;light absorption;photolysis;high‐resolution mass spectrometry", abstract="In this study, PM2.5 filter samples were collected from two high‐elevation sites located in the southern and northern areas of Tibetan Plateau (TP): the Qomolangma Station for Atmospheric Environmental Observation and Research (QOMS) and Waliguan Baseline Observatory (WLG), respectively. Collected samples were analyzed to examine the regional differences in aerosol properties and relate them to potential chemical processes in the TP area. The aerosol mass concentrations inferred from measured chemical components were higher at WLG (11.2 $\mu$g m−3) compared to QOMS (6.8 $\mu$g m−3). The chemical composition shows higher contribution of organic aerosol at QOMS than that of WLG. The optical properties of water‐soluble organic carbon (WSOC) from the QOMS samples show higher light absorption efficient than those collected at WLG. The light absorption of WSOC at QOMS indicates significant pH dependence with enhanced light absorption at higher pH values, while the light absorption of WSOC f...", issn="2169-897X" }