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Ambient observations of dimers from terpene oxidation in the gas phase: Implications for new particle formation and growth
Author(s) -
Mohr Claudia,
LopezHilfiker Felipe D.,
YliJuuti Taina,
Heitto Arto,
Lutz Anna,
Hallquist Mattias,
D'Ambro Emma L.,
Rissanen Matti P.,
Hao Liqing,
Schobesberger Siegfried,
Kulmala Markku,
Mauldin Roy L.,
Makkonen Ulla,
Sipilä Mikko,
Petäjä Tuukka,
Thornton Joel A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl072718
Subject(s) - particle (ecology) , mass spectrometry , dimer , molecule , chemical ionization , chemistry , ion , chemical physics , particle size , ionization , photochemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental chemistry , organic chemistry , chromatography , oceanography , geology
We present ambient observations of dimeric monoterpene oxidation products (C 16–20 H y O 6–9 ) in gas and particle phases in the boreal forest in Finland in spring 2013 and 2014, detected with a chemical ionization mass spectrometer with a filter inlet for gases and aerosols employing acetate and iodide as reagent ions. These are among the first online dual‐phase observations of such dimers in the atmosphere. Estimated saturation concentrations of 10 −15 to 10 −6 µg m −3 (based on observed thermal desorptions and group‐contribution methods) and measured gas‐phase concentrations of 10 −3 to 10 −2 µg m −3 (~10 6 –10 7 molecules cm −3 ) corroborate a gas‐phase formation mechanism. Regular new particle formation (NPF) events allowed insights into the potential role dimers may play for atmospheric NPF and growth. The observationally constrained Model for Acid‐Base chemistry in NAnoparticle Growth indicates a contribution of ~5% to early stage particle growth from the ~60 gaseous dimer compounds.