Nucleation events in the continental boundary layer: Long‐term statistical analyses of aerosol relevant characteristics

[1] This paper reflects intensive data analyses from the Station for Measuring Forest Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations (SMEAR II) field measurement station in Hyytiala, Finland, for the years 2000 and 2001. The results can be divided into two main parts: first, a study about common trends and correlation between concentration of particles with Dp = 3–6 nm and different parameters; and second, the calculation of different aerosol relevant characteristics. The first section of this work showed that we can differentiate between two kinds of variables: Solar radiation and the reciprocal condensation sink values correlate in their daily profiles with the number concentrations of the nucleation mode particles. Also, the daytime mean values (0900 to 1500 LT) of these parameters correlate during the 2 years with the small particles. Particle flux, vertical wind variance, or ozone are marginal correlated with the particle concentrations during single event days; however, they show the same yearly behavior as solar radiation or the reciprocal condensation sink values. In the second part the condensing vapor source rates and concentrations and the growth and the nucleation rates were calculated on the basis of measured monoterpenes and sulphur dioxide concentrations. Afterward, these values were compared with results obtained using measured particle number concentrations. The estimated oxidation products of monoterpenes are able to explain 8–50% from observed growth rates.

[1]  W. Slinn,et al.  Predictions for particle deposition to vegetative canopies , 1982 .

[2]  John H. Seinfeld,et al.  Gas-Phase Ozone Oxidation of Monoterpenes: Gaseous and Particulate Products , 1999 .

[3]  H. Hakola,et al.  Seasonal variation of VOC concentrations above a boreal coniferous forest , 2003 .

[4]  J. M. Mäkelä,et al.  On the formation, growth and composition of nucleation mode particles , 2001 .

[5]  Pasi Aalto,et al.  Aerosol formation: Atmospheric particles from organic vapours , 2002, Nature.

[6]  R. Kamens,et al.  Newly characterized products and composition of secondary aerosols from the reaction of α-pinene with ozone , 1999 .

[7]  Liisa Pirjola,et al.  Characteristics of the atmospheric particle formation events observed at a borel forest site in southern Finland , 2000 .

[8]  M. Kulmala,et al.  The part of the solar spectrum with the highest influence on the formation of SOA in the continental boundary layer , 2002 .

[9]  Boris Bonn,et al.  Influence of water vapor on the process of new particle formation during monoterpene ozonolysis , 2002 .

[10]  J. Seinfeld,et al.  Ternary nucleation of H2SO4, NH3, and H2O in the atmosphere , 1999 .

[11]  Thorsten Hoffmann,et al.  Molecular composition of organic aerosols formed in the α‐pinene/O3 reaction: Implications for new particle formation processes , 1998 .

[12]  G. Buzorius.  Cut-Off Sizes and Time Constants of the CPC TSI 3010 Operating at 1?3 lpm Flow Rates , 2001 .

[13]  Ü. Rannik,et al.  Overview of the international project on biogenic aerosol formation in the boreal forest (BIOFOR) , 2001 .

[14]  H. Hakola,et al.  Variation of the VOC emission rates of birch species during the growing season , 2001 .

[15]  L. Pasternack,et al.  Experimental and modeling studies of secondary organic aerosol formation and some applications to the marine boundary layer , 2001 .

[16]  D. Shallcross,et al.  Development and application of a possible mechanism for the generation of cis-pinic acid from the ozonolysis of α- and β-pinene , 2000 .

[17]  W. Birmili,et al.  The Hohenpeissenberg aerosol formation experiment (HAFEX): a long-term study including size-resolved aerosol, H 2 SO 4 , OH, and monoterpenes measurements , 2002 .

[18]  Ari Laaksonen,et al.  Analysis of the growth of nucleation mode particles observed in Boreal forest , 1998 .

[19]  Ü. Rannik,et al.  Interpretation of aerosol particle fluxes over a pine forest: Dry deposition and random errors , 2003 .

[20]  C. O'Dowd,et al.  Physical characterization of aerosol particles during nucleation events , 2001 .

[21]  F. Arnold,et al.  Ion nucleation—a potential source for stratospheric aerosols , 1982, Nature.

[22]  M. Apostolaki,et al.  Overview of the field measurement campaign in Hyytiälä, August 2001 in the framework of the EU project OSOA , 2003 .

[23]  K. Lehtinen,et al.  Condensation and coagulation sinks and formation of nucleation mode particles in coastal and boreal forest boundary layers , 2002 .

[24]  M. Wendisch,et al.  New-particle formation events in a continental boundary layer: first results from the SATURN experiment , 2003 .

[25]  M. Kulmala,et al.  Nucleation events in the continental boundary layer: Influence of physical and meteorological parameters , 2001 .

[26]  Ü. Rannik,et al.  Vertical aerosol fluxes measured by the eddy covariance method and deposition of nucleation mode particles above a Scots pine forest in southern Finland , 2000 .

[27]  Ü. Rannik,et al.  Effects of continental boundary layer evolution, convection, turbulence and entrainment, on aerosol formation , 2001 .

[28]  L. Pirjola,et al.  Stable sulphate clusters as a source of new atmospheric particles , 2000, Nature.

[29]  G. Yue,et al.  Theory of the formation of aerosols of volatile binary solutions through the ion-induced nucleation process , 1979 .