TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of crustal dust and sea spray supermicron particle concentrations and acidity on inorganic NO3− Aerosol during the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study
AU - Allen, H.M.
AU - Draper, D.C.
AU - Ayres, B.R.
AU - Ault, A.
AU - Bondy, A.
AU - Takahama, S.
AU - Modini, R.L.
AU - Baumann, K.
AU - Edgerton, E.
AU - Knote, C.
AU - Laskin, A.
AU - Wang, B.
AU - Fry, J.L.
PY - 2015/9/25
Y1 - 2015/9/25
N2 - Inorganic aerosol composition was measured in the southeastern United States, a region that exhibits high aerosol mass loading during the summer, as part of the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) campaign. Measurements using a Monitor for AeRosols and GAses (MARGA) revealed two periods of high aerosol nitrate (NO3−) concentrations during the campaign. These periods of high nitrate were correlated with increased concentrations of supermicron crustal and sea spray aerosol species, particularly Na+ and Ca2+, and with a shift towards aerosol with larger (1 to 2.5 1/4m) diameters. We suggest this nitrate aerosol forms by multiphase reactions of HNO3 and particles, reactions that are facilitated by transport of crustal dust and sea spray aerosol from a source within the United States. The observed high aerosol acidity prevents the formation of NH4NO3, the inorganic nitrogen species often dominant in fine-mode aerosol at higher pH. Calculation of the rate of the heterogeneous uptake of HNO3 on mineral aerosol supports the conclusion that aerosol NO3− is produced primarily by this process, and is likely limited by the availability of mineral cation-containing aerosol surface area. Modeling of NO3− and HNO3 by thermodynamic equilibrium models (ISORROPIA II and E-AIM) reveals the importance of including mineral cations in the southeastern United States to accurately balance ion species and predict gas-aerosol phase partitioning.
AB - Inorganic aerosol composition was measured in the southeastern United States, a region that exhibits high aerosol mass loading during the summer, as part of the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) campaign. Measurements using a Monitor for AeRosols and GAses (MARGA) revealed two periods of high aerosol nitrate (NO3−) concentrations during the campaign. These periods of high nitrate were correlated with increased concentrations of supermicron crustal and sea spray aerosol species, particularly Na+ and Ca2+, and with a shift towards aerosol with larger (1 to 2.5 1/4m) diameters. We suggest this nitrate aerosol forms by multiphase reactions of HNO3 and particles, reactions that are facilitated by transport of crustal dust and sea spray aerosol from a source within the United States. The observed high aerosol acidity prevents the formation of NH4NO3, the inorganic nitrogen species often dominant in fine-mode aerosol at higher pH. Calculation of the rate of the heterogeneous uptake of HNO3 on mineral aerosol supports the conclusion that aerosol NO3− is produced primarily by this process, and is likely limited by the availability of mineral cation-containing aerosol surface area. Modeling of NO3− and HNO3 by thermodynamic equilibrium models (ISORROPIA II and E-AIM) reveals the importance of including mineral cations in the southeastern United States to accurately balance ion species and predict gas-aerosol phase partitioning.
U2 - 10.5194/acp-15-10669-2015
DO - 10.5194/acp-15-10669-2015
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84942743937
SN - 1680-7316
VL - 15
SP - 10669
EP - 10685
JO - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
JF - Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
IS - 18
ER -