Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Jun 2016)
The lifetime of nitrogen oxides in an isoprene-dominated forest
- P. S. Romer,
- K. C. Duffey,
- P. J. Wooldridge,
- H. M. Allen,
- H. M. Allen,
- B. R. Ayres,
- S. S. Brown,
- W. H. Brune,
- J. D. Crounse,
- J. de Gouw,
- J. de Gouw,
- D. C. Draper,
- D. C. Draper,
- P. A. Feiner,
- J. L. Fry,
- A. H. Goldstein,
- A. H. Goldstein,
- A. Koss,
- A. Koss,
- P. K. Misztal,
- T. B. Nguyen,
- T. B. Nguyen,
- K. Olson,
- A. P. Teng,
- P. O. Wennberg,
- P. O. Wennberg,
- R. J. Wild,
- R. J. Wild,
- L. Zhang,
- R. C. Cohen,
- R. C. Cohen
Affiliations
- P. S. Romer
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- K. C. Duffey
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- P. J. Wooldridge
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- H. M. Allen
- Department of Chemistry, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA
- H. M. Allen
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- B. R. Ayres
- Department of Chemistry, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA
- S. S. Brown
- Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USA
- W. H. Brune
- Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- J. D. Crounse
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- J. de Gouw
- Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USA
- J. de Gouw
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- D. C. Draper
- Department of Chemistry, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA
- D. C. Draper
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- P. A. Feiner
- Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- J. L. Fry
- Department of Chemistry, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA
- A. H. Goldstein
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- A. H. Goldstein
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- A. Koss
- Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USA
- A. Koss
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- P. K. Misztal
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- T. B. Nguyen
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- T. B. Nguyen
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- K. Olson
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- A. P. Teng
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- P. O. Wennberg
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- P. O. Wennberg
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- R. J. Wild
- Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO, USA
- R. J. Wild
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- L. Zhang
- Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- R. C. Cohen
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- R. C. Cohen
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7623-2016
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 16
pp. 7623 – 7637
Abstract
The lifetime of nitrogen oxides (NOx) affects the concentration and distribution of NOx and the spatial patterns of nitrogen deposition. Despite its importance, the lifetime of NOx is poorly constrained in rural and remote continental regions. We use measurements from a site in central Alabama during the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) in summer 2013 to provide new insights into the chemistry of NOx and NOx reservoirs. We find that the lifetime of NOx during the daytime is controlled primarily by the production and loss of alkyl and multifunctional nitrates (ΣANs). During SOAS, ΣAN production was rapid, averaging 90 ppt h−1 during the day, and occurred predominantly during isoprene oxidation. Analysis of the ΣAN and HNO3 budgets indicate that ΣANs have an average lifetime of under 2 h, and that approximately 45 % of the ΣANs produced at this site are rapidly hydrolyzed to produce nitric acid. We find that ΣAN hydrolysis is the largest source of HNO3 and the primary pathway to permanent removal of NOx from the boundary layer in this location. Using these new constraints on the fate of ΣANs, we find that the NOx lifetime is 11 ± 5 h under typical midday conditions. The lifetime is extended by storage of NOx in temporary reservoirs, including acyl peroxy nitrates and ΣANs.
