Investigations of Heterogeneous Processing of Nascent Sea Spray Aerosol By Reactive Nitrogen Species Measured Using Chemical Imaging
Abstract
Using a unique, controlled marine aerosol generation facility, the physicochemical properties of nascent sea spray particles have been measured using a combination of chemical imaging techniques. These include using off-line microscopy and spectroscopy (TEM-EDX, EF-TEM, and Raman spectromicroscopy) with on-line mass spectrometry (ATOFMS) for the first time on sea spray generated in an isolated setting where seawater chemistry could be systematically altered to study changes in the aerosols produced. The data show a range of particle types, morphologies and chemical composition. These same techniques were then used to probe changes in physicochemical properties of sea spray particles following heterogeneous chemistry. Upon reaction with nitric acid (HNO3) and dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5), two of the most important forms of reactive nitrogen in the atmosphere that play critical role in tropospheric NOx (NO + NO2) cycling, these particles were observed to undergo changes in morphology, internal structure, and chemical composition. As will be discussed, these changes have important implications for the environmental and climate impacts of sea spray aerosol.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.A21F0123A
- Keywords:
-
- 0305 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Aerosols and particles;
- 0315 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Biosphere/atmosphere interactions;
- 0345 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Pollution: urban and regional;
- 3339 ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES / Ocean/atmosphere interactions