Laboratory studies of key gas-phase HOx-NOx coupling reactions.

The HOx (OH & HO2) and NOx (NO & NO2) families of atmospheric radicals are coupled via a number of gas-phase reactions. These reactions have a substantial impact by controlling radical propagation / termination in catalytic cycles, so modifying the oxidation power of the atmosphere and its rate of O3 production. However, field measurements {1-3} have demonstrated that our understanding of HOx - NOx chemistry is incomplete. We have identified four reactions (R1-R4) where the database is particularly unsatisfactory, leading to large uncertainties in atmospheric models {4-5}. HO2 + NO -> OH + NO2 (R1a) HO2 + NO (+ M) -> HNO3 (+ M) (R1b) NO2* + H2O -> NO2 + H2O (R2a) NO2* + H2O -> OH + HONO (R2b) NO3* + H2O -> NO3 + H2O (R3a) NO3* + H2O -> OH + HNO3 (R3b) OH + HNO3 -> H2O + NO3 (R4) In this experimental work, laser-based kinetic and spectroscopic tools were used to investigate recent observations {6-7} of HNO3 formation from the (otherwise radical propagating) HO2 + NO (R1), and OH formation following absorption of abundant, long wavelength photons by NO2 {8} and NO3 in the presence of water vapour (R2, R3). Uncertainties {9} associated with a classical HOx-NOx coupling reaction (R4) were also addressed. Critical photochemical parameters so derived have included absolute rate coefficients for (R1) and (R4) and product yields (R1b, R2b, R3b). The atmospheric implications of these results will be discussed. References: {1} Faloona, I. et al. J. Geophys. Res., 105, 3771-3783, 2000.; {2} Thakur, A.N. et al., Atmos. Environ., 33, 1403-1422, 1999.; {3} Wennberg, P.O. et al., Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 1373-1376, 1999.; {4} Cariolle, D. et al., Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 4061-4068, 2008.; {5} Wennberg P.O. and Dabdub, D. Science, 319, 2008. ; {6} Butkovskaya, N. et al., J. Phys. Chem. A, 111, 9047-9053, 2007.; {7} Butkovskaya, N. et al., J. Phys. Chem. A, 109, 6509-6520, 2005.; {8} Li, S.P. et al., Science, 319, 1657-1660, 2008. {9} Brown, S.S. et al., J. Phys. Chem., 103, 3031-3037, 1999.