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The behavior of some organic nitrates at Boulder and Niwot Ridge, Colorado

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)
; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ; ; ; ;  [2]; ;  [3]
  1. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (USA)
  2. NOAA Aeronomy Lab., Boulder, CO (USA)
  3. Washington State Univ., Pullman (USA)

Observations show that the ratio of peroxypropionyl nitrate (PPN) to peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) increases to a maximum in the afternoon period at Boulder and at Niwot Ridge. In Boulder air and in easterly flow reaching Niwot Ridge, maximum average PPN/PAN ratios were near 15%, while in westerly flow or more remote continental air, the ratio was much smaller and averaged 4%. Relative to the PAN-mixing ratios, methyl nitrate (MN) was less than 0.2% in the afternoon and less than 0.9% at night in Boulder air masses. The sum of ambient n-propyl nitrate (NPN) and 2-butyl nitrate (2BN) mixing ratios was also small, the diurnal average at Niwot Ridge being about 2% of the PAN-mixing ratio. The diurnal average contribution of MN + PPN + (NPN+2BN) to the total odd nitrogen budget at Niwot Ridge was at most 4%, leaving a 21-27% shortfall between the sum of individual measurements of odd nitrogen species and the total odd nitrogen (NO{sub y}) measurement.

OSTI ID:
6104176
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 95:D9; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English