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Heterogeneous sulfate production in an urban fog

Pandis, Spyros N. and Seinfeld, John H. and Pilinis, Christodoulos (1992) Heterogeneous sulfate production in an urban fog. Atmospheric Environment Part A-General Topics, 26 (14). pp. 2509-2522. ISSN 0960-1686. doi:10.1016/0960-1686(92)90103-r. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20230301-110344300.2

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Abstract

Heterogeneous production of sulfate in an urban fog has been investigated using data collected during the SCAQS program in the Los Angeles area, for the period of 10–11 December 1987. Fog was observed during the night of 10 December and the early morning hours of 11 December near the coast of southern California. Measurements at several sites (Hawthorne, downtown Los Angeles, etc.) indicated a significant increase in sulfate concentration during the afternoon of 11 December. Trajectory analysis suggests that these high sulfate concentrations were associated with the arrival at the receptor sites of air parcels that passed through the fog layer the previous night. To quantify the contribution of aqueous-phase processes to the above sulfate levels, a detailed trajectory model was employed to simulate the gas-phase processes during that episode. The model, using the available information about SO₂ and sulfate emissions, initial conditions and meteorology, successfully explained the sulfate levels in air parcels that did not pass through the fog layer, but underestimated by as much as 2.5 the sulfate levels of the trajectories through the fog. Sensitivity/uncertainty analysis indicated that the presence of sulfate beyond that attributable to gasphase chemistry (around 10μg⁻³) cannot be attributed to uncertainties in the model parameters (e.g. initial conditions, emissions, mixing heights, deposition velocities). The episode was then simulated using a full gas- and aqueous-phase chemistry model and the analysis indicated that heterogeneous sulfate formation in fog droplets under the conditions of the episode can indeed explain the observed sulfate.


Item Type:Article
Related URLs:
URLURL TypeDescription
https://doi.org/10.1016/0960-1686(92)90103-rDOIArticle
ORCID:
AuthorORCID
Pandis, Spyros N.0000-0001-8085-9795
Seinfeld, John H.0000-0003-1344-4068
Additional Information:This work was supported by State of California Air Resources Board agreement A932-079.
Funders:
Funding AgencyGrant Number
State of California Air Resources BoardA932-079
Issue or Number:14
DOI:10.1016/0960-1686(92)90103-r
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:20230301-110344300.2
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20230301-110344300.2
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:119601
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By: Tony Diaz
Deposited On:02 Mar 2023 18:28
Last Modified:02 Mar 2023 18:28

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