Indirect evidence of the composition of nucleation mode atmospheric particles in the high Arctic

Journal article (2016)

Authors

M Giamarelou University of the Aegean
K Eleftheriadis National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos
Stephan Nyeki PMOD WRC
Peter Tunved Stockholm University
Kjetil Torseth Norwegian Institute for Air Research
G. Biskos The Cyprus Institute, Atmospheric Remote Sensing - CEG
Research Group
Atmospheric Remote Sensing (CEG) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2016 Maria Giamarelou, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Stephan Nyeki, Peter Tunved, Kjetil Torseth, G. Biskos
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD023646
Nucleation Ammonium sulfate High Arctic
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Published Date

27-01-2016

Language

English

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Faculty

Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Department

Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Research Group

Atmospheric Remote Sensing

Abstract

Previous long-term observations have shown that nanoparticle formation events are common in the summer-time high Arctic and linked to local photochemical activity. However, current knowledge is limited with respect to the chemical precursors of resulting nanoparticles and the compounds involved in their subsequent growth. Here we report case-study measurements during new particle formation (NPF) events of the particle size distribution (diameter > 7 nm) and for the first time the volatility of monodisperse particles having diameter ≤40 nm, providing indirect information about their composition. Volatility measurements provide indirect evidence that a predominant fraction of the 12 nm particle population is ammoniated sulfates in the summertime high Arctic. Our observations further suggest that the majority of the sub-40 nm particle population during NPF events does not exist in the form of sulfuric acid but rather as partly or fully neutralized ammoniated sulfates.