The role of ice in N2O5 heterogeneous hydrolysis at high latitudes
Item
Title (Dublin Core)
The role of ice in N2O5 heterogeneous hydrolysis at high latitudes
Description (Dublin Core)
We report evidence for ice catalyzing N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> heterogeneous hydrolysis from a study conducted near Fairbanks, Alaska in November 2007. Mixing ratios of N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, NO, NO<sub>2</sub>, and ozone are reported and are used to determine steady state N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> lifetimes. When air masses are sub-saturated with respect to ice, the data show longer lifetimes (≈20 min) and elevated N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> levels, while ice-saturated air masses show shorter lifetimes (≈6 min) and suppressed N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> levels. We also report estimates of aerosol surface area densities that are on the order of 50 μm<sup>2</sup>/cm<sup>3</sup>, a surface area density that is insufficient to explain the rapid losses of N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> observed in this study, reinforcing the importance of other reactive surfaces such as ice. Consideration of two possible responsible types of ice surfaces, the snowpack and suspended ice particles, indicates that both are reasonable as possible sinks for N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>. Because ice-saturated conditions are ubiquitous in high latitudes, ice surfaces are likely to be a key loss of N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, leading to nitric acid production and loss of NO<sub>x</sub> in high latitude plumes.
Creator (Dublin Core)
Apodaca, R. L.
Huff, D. M.
Simpson, W. R.
Date (Dublin Core)
2018-01-15
Type (Dublin Core)
Text
Format (Dublin Core)
application/pdf
Identifier (Dublin Core)
10.5194/acp-8-7451-2008
https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/8/7451/2008/
Source (Dublin Core)
eISSN: 1680-7324
Language (Dublin Core)
eng
