Observations of formic and acetic acid by chemical ionization mass spectrometry in the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry Experiment
Abstract
Formic (HFo) and acetic acid (HAc) are part of the atmospheric processing of carbon and their measurement is relevant to defining oxygenated volatile organic carbon (OVOC) emissions, to examining photochemical processing of volatile organic carbon (VOC) and OVOCs, and to the photochemical processing of organic aerosol. Further, they can serve as photochemical tracers of convective transport, cloud chemical processes, and precipitation scavenging. The addition of HFo and HAc measurements to the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry Experiment (DC3) is relevant to the DC3 science objectives and complements the suite of chemicals already observed during DC3. The peroxide chemical ionization mass spectrometer (PCIMS) was flown aboard the NCAR Gulfstream-V platform in DC3 and while its primary function was to observe hydrogen peroxide and methylhydroperoxide it recorded signals attributed to iodide cluster ions of HFo and HAc at mass-charge ratios of 173 and 187, respectively. Post-mission laboratory experiments were performed to determine the CIMS instrument's sensitivity to these acids under the varying water vapor and sample flow conditions encountered during DC3 flights. The results of field measurements, laboratory experiments and the HFo and HAc recovery process are reported and HFo and HAc measurement quality assessed. The resultant HFo and HAc data are presented and interpreted with respect to atmospheric chemistry within measurement constraints. The DC3 observations were made in May and June 2012 and extended from the surface to 13 km over the central United States.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFM.A41B0031T
- Keywords:
-
- 0368 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE Troposphere: constituent transport and chemistry