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Mechanism of sulfate aerosol formation: chemical and sulfur isotopic evidence

Journal Article · · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)
; ;
In order to study the mechanism of aerosol sulfate formation, weekly samples of SO/sub 2/ and aerosol SO= /sub 4/ were collected at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, West Thornton, New Hampshire from July to December, 1980. Samples were analyzed for concentration and sulfur isotopes (delta/sup 34/S). Late summer-early fall samples are characterized by high, variable SO= /sub 4/ levels and low SO/sub 2/ levels, while late fall-early winter samples exhibit low SO= /sub 4/ and high SO/sub 2/ levels. These trends suggest that the oxidation rate varies seasonally, with faster oxidation during warmer months. The sulfur isotopic fractionation between aerosol SO= /sub 4/ and SO/sub 2/ is intermediate between that expected from homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions, indicating that both processes can be important. The isotopic data suggest that homogeneous oxidation reactions are more important than solution reactions, particularly during warm months.
Research Organization:
Division of Marine Geology and Geophysics, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33149
OSTI ID:
5725541
Journal Information:
Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 10:7; ISSN GPRLA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FRACTIONATION
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
KINETICS
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
REACTION KINETICS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SULFATES
SULFUR 34
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR ISOTOPES
SULFUR OXIDES
VARIATIONS