diff --git a/src/chemistry/aerosol/aerosol_properties_mod.F90 b/src/chemistry/aerosol/aerosol_properties_mod.F90
index 127a8758dc..b2bc986fba 100644
--- a/src/chemistry/aerosol/aerosol_properties_mod.F90
+++ b/src/chemistry/aerosol/aerosol_properties_mod.F90
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ module aerosol_properties_mod
      procedure(aero_resuspension_resize), deferred :: resuspension_resize
      procedure(aero_rebin_bulk_fluxes), deferred :: rebin_bulk_fluxes
      procedure(aero_hydrophilic), deferred :: hydrophilic
-     procedure :: is_bulk
+     procedure(aero_id_query), deferred :: model_is
 
      procedure :: final=>aero_props_final
   end type aerosol_properties
@@ -457,6 +457,15 @@ logical function aero_hydrophilic(self, bin_ndx)
        integer, intent(in) :: bin_ndx ! bin number
      end function aero_hydrophilic
 
+     !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+     ! Returns TRUE if the aerosol model matches the query, otherwise FALSE
+     !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+     logical function aero_id_query(self, query)
+       import :: aerosol_properties
+       class(aerosol_properties), intent(in) :: self
+       character(len=*),          intent(in) :: query
+    end function aero_id_query
+
   end interface
 
 contains
@@ -733,14 +742,4 @@ pure real(r8) function pom_equivso4_factor(self)
 
   end function pom_equivso4_factor
 
-  !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  ! returns TRUE if bulk aerosol representation
-  !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  pure logical function is_bulk(self)
-    class(aerosol_properties), intent(in) :: self
-
-    is_bulk = .false.
-
-  end function is_bulk
-
 end module aerosol_properties_mod
diff --git a/src/chemistry/aerosol/bulk_aerosol_properties_mod.F90 b/src/chemistry/aerosol/bulk_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
index c5f6304b20..3033851289 100644
--- a/src/chemistry/aerosol/bulk_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
+++ b/src/chemistry/aerosol/bulk_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ module bulk_aerosol_properties_mod
      procedure :: resuspension_resize
      procedure :: rebin_bulk_fluxes
      procedure :: hydrophilic
-     procedure :: is_bulk
+     procedure :: model_is
 
      final :: destructor
 
@@ -712,11 +712,18 @@ end function hydrophilic
   !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   ! returns TRUE if bulk aerosol representation
   !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  pure logical function is_bulk(self)
+  pure logical function model_is(self, query)
     class(bulk_aerosol_properties), intent(in) :: self
+    character(len=*),               intent(in) :: query
 
-    is_bulk = .true.
+    if (trim(query) == 'BAM' .or. trim(query) == 'bam') then
+       model_is = .true.
+    else if (trim(query) == 'bulk_model') then
+       model_is = .true.
+    else
+       model_is = .false.
+    end if
 
-  end function is_bulk
+  end function model_is
 
 end module bulk_aerosol_properties_mod
diff --git a/src/chemistry/aerosol/carma_aerosol_properties_mod.F90 b/src/chemistry/aerosol/carma_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
index 1f0c4d9287..e00c807257 100644
--- a/src/chemistry/aerosol/carma_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
+++ b/src/chemistry/aerosol/carma_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ module carma_aerosol_properties_mod
      procedure :: resuspension_resize
      procedure :: rebin_bulk_fluxes
      procedure :: hydrophilic
+     procedure :: model_is
 
      final :: destructor
   end type carma_aerosol_properties
@@ -944,4 +945,19 @@ logical function hydrophilic(self, bin_ndx)
 
   end function hydrophilic
 
+  !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  ! returns TRUE if CARMA aerosol representation
+  !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  pure logical function model_is(self, query)
+    class(carma_aerosol_properties), intent(in) :: self
+    character(len=*),               intent(in) :: query
+
+    if (trim(query) == 'CARMA' .or. trim(query) == 'carma') then
+       model_is = .true.
+    else
+       model_is = .false.
+    end if
+
+  end function model_is
+
 end module carma_aerosol_properties_mod
diff --git a/src/chemistry/aerosol/modal_aerosol_properties_mod.F90 b/src/chemistry/aerosol/modal_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
index 5a92b8df5a..e255be91da 100644
--- a/src/chemistry/aerosol/modal_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
+++ b/src/chemistry/aerosol/modal_aerosol_properties_mod.F90
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ module modal_aerosol_properties_mod
      procedure :: resuspension_resize
      procedure :: rebin_bulk_fluxes
      procedure :: hydrophilic
+     procedure :: model_is
 
      final :: destructor
   end type modal_aerosol_properties
@@ -1108,4 +1109,21 @@ logical function hydrophilic(self, bin_ndx)
 
   end function hydrophilic
 
+  !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  ! returns TRUE if modal aerosol representation
+  !------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  pure logical function model_is(self, query)
+    class(modal_aerosol_properties), intent(in) :: self
+    character(len=*),               intent(in) :: query
+
+    if (trim(query) == 'MAM' .or. trim(query) == 'mam') then
+       model_is = .true.
+    else if (trim(query) == 'modal') then
+       model_is = .true.
+    else
+       model_is = .false.
+    end if
+
+  end function model_is
+
 end module modal_aerosol_properties_mod
diff --git a/src/physics/cam/aerosol_optics_cam.F90 b/src/physics/cam/aerosol_optics_cam.F90
index 1c5b7b201f..b701b908de 100644
--- a/src/physics/cam/aerosol_optics_cam.F90
+++ b/src/physics/cam/aerosol_optics_cam.F90
@@ -874,13 +874,13 @@ subroutine aerosol_optics_cam_sw(list_idx, state, pbuf, nnite, idxnite, tauxar,
                       ga(icol,ilev,iwav) = ga(icol,ilev,iwav) + dopaer(icol)*palb(icol)*pasm(icol)
                       fa(icol,ilev,iwav) = fa(icol,ilev,iwav) + dopaer(icol)*palb(icol)*pasm(icol)*pasm(icol)
 
-                      if (.not.aeroprops%is_bulk()) then
+                      if (.not.aeroprops%model_is('BAM')) then
                          call update_diags()
                       end if
 
                    end do column
 
-                   if (aeroprops%is_bulk().and.iwav==idx_sw_diag) then
+                   if (aeroprops%model_is('BAM').and.iwav==idx_sw_diag) then
                       taubam(:ncol,ilev) = dopaer(:ncol)
                    end if
 
@@ -895,7 +895,7 @@ subroutine aerosol_optics_cam_sw(list_idx, state, pbuf, nnite, idxnite, tauxar,
           deallocate(aero_optics)
           nullify(aero_optics)
 
-          if (aeroprops%is_bulk()) then
+          if (aeroprops%model_is('BAM')) then
              bam_cnt = bam_cnt+1
              call aer_vis_diag_out(lchnk, ncol, nnite, idxnite, bam_cnt, taubam, &
                   list_idx, troplev)