Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds as the Major Source of Formic Acid in a Mixed Forest Canopy

Alwe, Hariprasad D.; Millet, Dylan B.; Chen, Xin; Raff, Jonathan D.; Payne, Zachary C.; Fledderman, Kathryn

doi:10.1029/2018GL081526

Title: Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds as the Major Source of Formic Acid in a Mixed Forest Canopy

Journal Article · Sat Mar 16 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL081526· OSTI ID:1499200

Alwe, Hariprasad D. ^[1];

^[1]; Chen, Xin ^[1];

^[2]; Payne, Zachary C. ^[3]; Fledderman, Kathryn ^[4]

Department of Soil, Water, and ClimateUniversity of Minnesota, Twin Cities Saint Paul MN USA
School of Public and Environmental AffairsIndiana University Bloomington IN USA, Department of ChemistryIndiana University Bloomington IN USA
Department of ChemistryIndiana University Bloomington IN USA
School of Public and Environmental AffairsIndiana University Bloomington IN USA

Formic acid (HCOOH) is among the most abundant carboxylic acids in the atmosphere, but its budget is poorly understood. We present eddy flux, vertical gradient, and soil chamber measurements from a mixed forest and apply the data to better constrain HCOOH source/sink pathways. While the cumulative above-canopy flux was downward, HCOOH exchange was bidirectional, with extended periods of net upward and downward flux. Net above-canopy fluxes were mostly upward during warmer/drier periods. The implied gross canopy HCOOH source corresponds to 3% and 38% of observed isoprene and monoterpene carbon emissions and is 15× underestimated in a state-of-science atmospheric model (GEOS-Chem). Gradient and soil chamber measurements identify the canopy layer as the controlling source of HCOOH or its precursors to the forest environment; below-canopy sources were minor. A correlation analysis using an ensemble of marker volatile organic compounds suggests that secondary formation, not direct emission, is the major source driving ambient HCOOH.

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Research Organization:: Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0014443; AGS‐1428257; AGS‐1148951; AGS‐1352375; NNX14AP89G

OSTI ID:: 1499200

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1499201; OSTI ID: 1612199

Journal Information:: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Vol. 46 Journal Issue: 5; ISSN 0094-8276

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 26 works

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Title: Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds as the Major Source of Formic Acid in a Mixed Forest Canopy

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