Solid organic-coated ammonium sulfate particles at high relative humidity in the summertime Arctic atmosphere
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- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
- Univ. of the Pacific, Stockton, CA (United States)
- Baylor Univ., Waco, TX (United States)
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, WA (United States). Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, WA (United States). Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
The ability of atmospheric aerosols to impact climate through water uptake and cloud formation is fundamentally determined by the size, composition, and phase (liquid, semisolid, or solid) of individual particles. Particle phase is dependent on atmospheric conditions (relative humidity and temperature) and chemical composition and, importantly, solid particles can inhibit the uptake of water and other trace gases, even under humid conditions. Particles composed primarily of ammonium sulfate are presumed to be liquid at the relative humidities (67 to 98%) and temperatures (–2 to 4 °C) of the summertime Arctic. Under these atmospheric conditions, we report the observation of solid organic-coated ammonium sulfate particles representing 30% of particles, by number, in a key size range (<0.2 µm) for cloud activation within marine air masses from the Arctic Ocean at Utqiagvik, AK. The composition and size of the observed particles are consistent with recent Arctic modeling and observational results showing new particle formation and growth from dimethylsulfide oxidation to form sulfuric acid, reaction with ammonia, and condensation of marine biogenic sulfate and highly oxygenated organic molecules. Aqueous sulfate particles typically undergo efflorescence and solidify at relative humidities of less than 34%. Therefore, the observed solid phase is hypothesized to occur from contact efflorescence during collision of a newly formed Aitken mode sulfate particle with an organic-coated ammonium sulfate particle. With declining sea ice in the warming Arctic, this particle source is expected to increase with increasing open water and marine biogenic emissions.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Center; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL); University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- Contributing Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL); Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830; AC06-76RL01830; SC0019172
- OSTI ID:
- 1857331
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-UMICH--SC0019172; PNNL-SA-160900
- Journal Information:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 119; ISSN 0027-8424
- Publisher:
- National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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