CHARACTERISTICS AND CONSEQUENCES OF SOOT IN THE ATMOSPHERE

Presently, two of the most important sources of soot are diesel engines and woodburning, but virtually every process that burns carbonaceous fuel emits soot. As a result of the ubiquitous emission sources, measurable concentrations of soot occur in remote as well as urban areas. As expected, urban and suburban areas experience the highest concentrations. However, significant amounts of soot are found in remote areas such as the Arctic because of the long residence time of the soot particles in the atmosphere. In addition, the soot appears to be present in some areas in sufficient amounts to be a significant contributor to visibility reduction.