Differing Mechanisms of New Particle Formation at Two Arctic Sites

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Beck, Lisa, Sarnela, Nina, Junninen, Heikki, Hoppe, Clara, Garmash, Olga, Bianchi, Federico, Riva, Matthieu, Rose, Clémence, Peräkylä, Otso, Wimmer, Daniela, Kausiala, Oskari, Jokinen, Tuija, Ahonen, Lauri, Mikkilä, Jyri, Hakala, Jani, He, Xu-Cheng, Kontkanen, Jenni, Wolf, Klara, Cappelletti, David, Mazzola, Mauro, Traversi, Rita, Petroselli, Chiara, Viola, Angelo, Vitale, Vito, Lange, Robert, Massling, Andreas, Nøjgaard, Jakob, Krejci, Radovan, Karlsson, Linn, Zieger, Paul, Jang, Sehyun, Lee, Kitack, Vakkari, Ville, Lampilahti, Janne, Thakur, Roseline, Leino, Katri, Kangasluoma, Juha, Duplissy, Ella-Maria, Siivola, Erkki, Marbouti, Marjan, Tham, Yee, Saiz-Lopez, Alfonso, Petäjä, Tuukka, Ehn, Mikael, Worsnop, Douglas, Skov, Henrik, Kulmala, Markku, Kerminen, Veli-Matti, Sipilä, Mikko
• Other Authors: Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Helsingin yliopisto = Helsingfors universitet = University of Helsinki, University of Tartu, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon, Laboratoire de Météorologie Physique (LaMP), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA), Department of Chemistry, Biology & Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Università degli Studi di Perugia = University of Perugia (UNIPG), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Bologna (CNR), Università degli Studi di Firenze = University of Florence (UniFI), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), iCLIMATE Aarhus University Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Aarhus University Aarhus, Stockholm University, Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), North-West University Potchefstroom (NWU), Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Spanish National Research Council Madrid (CSIC), Aerodyne Research Inc., Nanjing University (NJU)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2020
• Subjects: [PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-AO-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics [physics.ao-ph]; [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean; Atmosphere; [SDU.STU.ME]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Meteorology; Arctic; Beck; Svalbard; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03150305; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03150305/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03150305/file/2020GL091334.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL091334

International audience New particle formation in the Arctic atmosphere is an important source of aerosol particles. Understanding the processes of Arctic secondary aerosol formation is crucial due to their significant impact on cloud properties and therefore Arctic amplification. We observed the molecular formation of new particles from low-volatility vapors at two Arctic sites with differing surroundings. In Svalbard, sulfuric acid (SA) and methane sulfonic acid (MSA) contribute to the formation of secondary aerosol and to some extent to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). This occurs via ion-induced nucleation of SA and NH 3 and subsequent growth by mainly SA and MSA condensation during springtime and highly oxygenated organic molecules during summertime. By contrast, in an ice-covered region around Villum, we observed new particle formation driven by iodic acid but its concentration was insufficient to grow nucleated particles to CCN sizes. Our results provide new insight about sources and precursors of Arctic secondary aerosol particles. Plain Language Summary Cloud properties are sensitive to the formation of new aerosol particles in the Arctic atmosphere, yet little is known about the chemistry and processes controlling this phenomenon. Here, based on comprehensive in situ measurements, we identify the very first steps of atmospheric new particle formation, that is, formation of small clusters from compounds present in the gas phase, and candidates for the subsequent growth of these clusters to larger sizes, at two Arctic sites: one surrounded by open waters, the other one by sea ice. We show how environmental differences affect secondary aerosol formation via emissions and atmospheric chemistry of aerosol precursor gases. Our results provide previously unidentified insight into how future changes in the Polar environment could BECK ET AL.