1. Implementation of a Markov Chain Monte Carlo method to inorganic aerosol modeling of observations from the MCMA-2003 campaign : part IIF. M. San Martini, E. J. Dunlea, R. M. Volkamer, T. B. Onasch, J. Jayne, M. R. Canagaratna, D. Worsnop, C. E. Kolb, J. H. Shorter, Katja Džepina, 2006, original scientific article Abstract: A Markov Chain Monte Carlo model for integrating the observations of inorganic species with a thermodynamic equilibrium model was presented in Part I of this series. Using observations taken at three ground sites, i. e. a residential, industrial and rural site, during the MCMA-2003 campaign in Mexico City, the model is used to analyze the inorganic particle and ammonia data and to predict gas phase concentrations of nitric and hydrochloric acid. In general, the model is able to accurately predict the observed inorganic particle concentrations at all three sites. The agreement between the predicted and observed gas phase ammonia concentration is excellent. The NOz concentration calculated from the NOy, NO and NO2 observations is of limited use in constraining the gas phase nitric acid concentration given the large uncertainties in this measure of nitric acid and additional reactive nitrogen species. Focusing on the acidic period of 9-11 April identified by Salcedo et al. ( 2006), the model accurately predicts the particle phase observations during this period with the exception of the nitrate predictions after 10: 00 a. m. ( Central Daylight Time, CDT) on 9 April, where the model underpredicts the observations by, on average, 20%. This period had a low planetary boundary layer, very high particle concentrations, and higher than expected nitrogen dioxide concentrations. For periods when the particle chloride observations are consistently above the detection limit, the model is able to both accurately predict the particle chloride mass concentrations and provide well-constrained HCl ( g) concentrations. The availability of gas-phase ammonia observations helps constrain the predicted HCl ( g) concentrations. When the particles are aqueous, the most likely concentrations of HCl ( g) are in the sub-ppbv range. The most likely predicted concentration of HCl ( g) was found to reach concentrations of order 10 ppbv if the particles are dry. Finally, the atmospheric relevance of HCl ( g) is discussed in terms of its indicator properties for the possible influence of chlorine-mediated photochemistry in Mexico City. Keywords: secondary organic aerosols, Mexico City, MCMA-2003 field campaign, thermodynamic equilibrium Published in RUNG: 11.04.2021; Views: 2778; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
2. Technical note : use of a beam width probe in an aerosol mass spectrometer to monitor particle collection efficiency in the fieldDara Salcedo, T. B. Onasch, M. R. Canagaratna, Katja Džepina, J. A. Huffman, J. Jayne, D. Worsnop, C. E. Kolb, S. Weimer, F. Drewnick, 2007, original scientific article Abstract: Two Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometers (Q-AMS) were deployed in Mexico City, during the Mexico City Metropolitan Area field study (MCMA-2003) from 29 March - 4 May 2003 to investigate particle concentrations, sources, and processes. We report the use of a particle beam width probe (BWP) in the field to quantify potential losses of particles due to beam broadening inside the AMS caused by particle shape (nonsphericity) and particle size. Data from this probe show that no significant mass of particles was lost due to excessive beam broadening; i.e. the shape- and size-related collection efficiency (E-s) of the AMS during this campaign was approximately one. Comparison of the BWP data from MCMA-2003 with other campaigns shows that the same conclusion holds for several other urban, rural and remotes sites. This means that the aerodynamic lens in the AMS is capable of efficiently focusing ambient particles into a well defined beam and onto the AMS vaporizer for particles sampled in a wide variety of environments. All the species measured by the AMS during MCMA-2003 have similar attenuation profiles which suggests that the particles that dominate the mass concentration were internally mixed most of the time. Only for the smaller particles ( especially below 300 nm), organic and inorganic species show different attenuation versus particle size which is likely due to partial external mixing of these components. Changes observed in the focusing of the particle beam in time can be attributed, in part, to changes in particle shape (i.e. due to relative humidity) and size of the particles sampled. However, the relationships between composition, atmospheric conditions, and particle shape and size appear to be very complex and are not yet completely understood. Keywords: atmospheric aerosol, organic aerosols, aerodynamic lenses, Mexico City Published in RUNG: 11.04.2021; Views: 3614; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |