Aerosol production and growth in the marine boundary layer

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/94JD01932· OSTI ID:45769

Russell, L M; Pandis, S N; Seinfeld, J H ^[1]

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1. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA (United States)

The dependence of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) production on the marine dimethylsulfide (DMS) flux is modeled with a dynamic description of the gas, aerosol, and aqueous phase processes in a closed air parcel. The results support the conclusion reached in previous work with a steady state model that an approximately linear dependence exists between CCN concentration and DMS flux under typical remote marine conditions. This linearity does not hold for low DMS fluxes (the threshold is typically near 2.5 micromol/sq m/day) because the sea-salt particles heterogeneously convert the available SO2 to sulfate inhibiting the creation of new particles. The conditions under which this linear relationship holds are investigated by a series of sensitivity studies, focusing particular attention on the impact of the timing and frequency of cloud events. We consider the regimes of the model`s semiempirical parameters, showing that the uncertainty associated with two such parameters, namely, the nucleation rate scaling factor and the sulfuric acid accommodation coefficient, is sufficient to change the predicted CCN production due to DMS from over 300/cu cm/day to none. This sensitivity accounts for most of the range of results predicted by previous models of the DMS-CCN system.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 45769
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: D10 Vol. 99; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
BOUNDARY LAYERS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR RADIATION