Oxidation Products of Biogenic Emissions Contribute to Nucleation of Atmospheric Particles

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1243527
• Publication Date: 2014-05-15T18:26:20Z
• Authors: Francesco Riccobono; Siegfried Schobes...; Catherine E. Scott; Josef Dommen; Ismael K. Ortega; Linda Rondo; João Almeida; Antonio Amorim; Federico Bianchi; Martin Breitenlec...; André David; Andrew Downard; Eimear M. Dunne; Jonathan Duplissy; Sebastian Ehrhart; Richard C. Flagan; Alessandro Franchin; Armin Hansel; Heikki Junninen; Maija Kajos; Helmi Keskinen; Agnieszka Kupc; Andreas Kürten; Alexander N. Kvashin; Ari Laaksonen; Katrianne Lehtipalo; Vladimir Makhmutov; Serge Mathot; Tuomo Nieminen; Antti Onnela; Tuukka Petäjä; Arnaud P. Praplan; Filipe D. Santos; Simon Schallhart; John H. Seinfeld; Mikko Sipilä; Dominick V. Sprac...; Yuri Stozhkov; Frank Stratmann; Antonio Tomé; Georgios Tsagkoge...; Petri Vaattovaara; Yrjö Viisanen; Aron Vrtala; Paul E. Wagner; Ernest Weingartner; Heike Wex; Daniela Wimmer; Kenneth S. Carslaw; Joachim Curtius; Neil M. Donahue; Jasper Kirkby; Markku Kulmala; Douglas R. Worsnop; Urs Baltensperger
• Keywords: GLOBAL AEROSOL; 550; 105904 Environmental research; NUMBER CONCENTRATIONS; Climate Change; 530; 01 natural sciences; BOREAL FOREST; SULFURIC-ACID; NANOPARTICLES; SDG 13 - Climate Action; Computer Simulation; Organic Chemicals; ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences; Aerosols; GROWTH-RATES; Atmosphere; Sulfuric Acids; Photochemical Processes; MODEL; SIZE; Models, Chemical; 13. Climate action; 103037 Environmental physics; SDG 13 – Maßnahmen zum Klimaschutz; H2SO4; Seasons; Volatilization; 105904 Umweltforschung; Oxidation-Reduction; 103037 Umweltphysik

Out of the Air

New-particle formation from gaseous precursors in the atmosphere is a complex and poorly understood process with importance in atmospheric chemistry and climate. Laboratory studies have had trouble reproducing the particle formation rates that must occur in the natural world.

Riccobono et al.

(p. 717 ) used the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN to recreate a realistic atmospheric environment. Sulfuric acid and oxidized organic vapors in typical natural concentrations caused particle nucleation at similar rates to those observed in the lower atmosphere.