Premium
Sesquiterpene ozonolysis: Origin of atmospheric new particle formation from biogenic hydrocarbons
Author(s) -
Bonn Boris,
Moortgat Geert K.
Publication year - 2003
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 - 10.1029/2003gl017000
Subject(s) - monoterpene , nucleation , ozone , ozonolysis , aerosol , sesquiterpene , particle (ecology) , chemistry , atmospheric chemistry , atmospheric sciences , environmental chemistry , water vapor , vapor pressure , environmental science , photochemistry , organic chemistry , geology , oceanography
Atmospheric new aerosol particle formation observed in remote areas (e.g., in Finland, Portugal and in the U.S.). is generally attributed to low‐volatile oxidation products of monoterpenes (C 10 H 16 ), which are emitted by the vegetation. In this article we show that this atmospheric new particle formation is not caused by monoterpene products, but most likely initiated by very low‐volatile substances produced during sesquiterpene (C 15 H 24 )‐ozone reactions. For this purpose, the nucleation times of the most abundant monoterpene reactions have been calculated and discussed exemplarily for the Finnish site Hyytiälä, at which nucleation events have been observed. In addition, the important negative influence of water vapor on the nucleation threshold of the β‐caryophyllene‐ozone reaction has been studied in detail at different dew points in the laboratory. Therein, the saturation vapor pressure of the nucleating compounds was estimated to be less than 1.2 · 10 −10 hPa, which is recommended for atmospheric homogeneous nucleation of non‐volatile organics.