Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in Beijing

<p>Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) events are regularly observed in urban Beijing, despite high concentrations of background particles which, based on theory, should inhibit NPF due to high values of coagulation sink (CoagS). The survival probability, which depends on both CoagS and p...

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Main Authors: S. Tuovinen, R. Cai, V.-M. Kerminen, J. Jiang, C. Yan, M. Kulmala, J. Kontkanen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2022-11-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/22/15071/2022/acp-22-15071-2022.pdf
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author S. Tuovinen
R. Cai
V.-M. Kerminen
J. Jiang
C. Yan
C. Yan
M. Kulmala
J. Kontkanen
J. Kontkanen
author_facet S. Tuovinen
R. Cai
V.-M. Kerminen
J. Jiang
C. Yan
C. Yan
M. Kulmala
J. Kontkanen
J. Kontkanen
author_sort S. Tuovinen
collection DOAJ
description <p>Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) events are regularly observed in urban Beijing, despite high concentrations of background particles which, based on theory, should inhibit NPF due to high values of coagulation sink (CoagS). The survival probability, which depends on both CoagS and particle growth rate (GR), is a key parameter in determining the occurrence of NPF events as it describes the fraction of newly formed particles that survive from a smaller diameter to a larger diameter. In this study, we investigate and compare survival probabilities from 1.5 to 3 nm (<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">1.5</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="dd965924e58000091851a6e4ed477e28"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00001.svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>), from 3 to 6 nm (<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="1eaddf744c9d5dd53aebbecd0288f323"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00002.svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>), and from 6 to 10 nm (<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="49d86c438e0c64b85c142a1ab456cbde"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00003.svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00003.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>) based on analytical formulae, cluster population simulations, and atmospheric observations from Beijing. We find that survival probabilities based on the cluster population simulations and one of the analytical formulae are in a good agreement. However, at low ratios between the background condensation sink (CS) and GR, and at high concentrations of sub-3 nm clusters, cluster–cluster collisions efficiently lower survival probabilities in the cluster population simulations. Due to the large concentrations of clusters and small particles required to considerably affect the survival probabilities, we consider it unlikely that cluster–cluster collisions significantly affect atmospheric survival probabilities. The values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="25ea32ecf12495eb1b08cd89db35091b"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00004.svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00004.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> observed in Beijing show high variability, most likely due to influences of primary particle emissions, but are on average in relatively good agreement with the values based on the simulations and the analytical formulae. The observed values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="fcac4618edd0923ee34ec1f6229020e2"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00005.svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00005.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> are mostly lower than those predicted based on the simulations and the analytical formulae, which could be explained by uncertainties in CS and GR. The observed values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">1.5</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="250082fe391bcca4a9e098d719c256ae"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00006.svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00006.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> at high CS <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mo>/</mo></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="36bd7baae116a5efc17e692d563c2b51"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00007.svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00007.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> GR are much higher than predicted based on the simulations and the analytical formulae. We argue that uncertainties in GR or CS are unlikely to solely explain the observed values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">1.5</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="942fa8b0342fc9c4a2ff5941601734d0"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00008.svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00008.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> under high CS conditions. Thus, further work is needed to better understand the factors influencing survival probabilities of sub-3 nm atmospheric particles in polluted environments.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-4bdad038c82d48308835338cd0bafcb72022-12-22T04:20:51ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242022-11-0122150711509110.5194/acp-22-15071-2022Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in BeijingS. Tuovinen0R. Cai1V.-M. Kerminen2J. Jiang3C. Yan4C. Yan5M. Kulmala6J. Kontkanen7J. Kontkanen8Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandInstitute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandInstitute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandState Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, ChinaInstitute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandJoint International research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research (JirLATEST), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, ChinaInstitute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandInstitute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandCSC – IT Center for Science, Espoo, Finland<p>Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) events are regularly observed in urban Beijing, despite high concentrations of background particles which, based on theory, should inhibit NPF due to high values of coagulation sink (CoagS). The survival probability, which depends on both CoagS and particle growth rate (GR), is a key parameter in determining the occurrence of NPF events as it describes the fraction of newly formed particles that survive from a smaller diameter to a larger diameter. In this study, we investigate and compare survival probabilities from 1.5 to 3 nm (<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">1.5</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="dd965924e58000091851a6e4ed477e28"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00001.svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>), from 3 to 6 nm (<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="1eaddf744c9d5dd53aebbecd0288f323"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00002.svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>), and from 6 to 10 nm (<span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="49d86c438e0c64b85c142a1ab456cbde"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00003.svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00003.png"/></svg:svg></span></span>) based on analytical formulae, cluster population simulations, and atmospheric observations from Beijing. We find that survival probabilities based on the cluster population simulations and one of the analytical formulae are in a good agreement. However, at low ratios between the background condensation sink (CS) and GR, and at high concentrations of sub-3 nm clusters, cluster–cluster collisions efficiently lower survival probabilities in the cluster population simulations. Due to the large concentrations of clusters and small particles required to considerably affect the survival probabilities, we consider it unlikely that cluster–cluster collisions significantly affect atmospheric survival probabilities. The values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="25ea32ecf12495eb1b08cd89db35091b"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00004.svg" width="34pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00004.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> observed in Beijing show high variability, most likely due to influences of primary particle emissions, but are on average in relatively good agreement with the values based on the simulations and the analytical formulae. The observed values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="fcac4618edd0923ee34ec1f6229020e2"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00005.svg" width="29pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00005.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> are mostly lower than those predicted based on the simulations and the analytical formulae, which could be explained by uncertainties in CS and GR. The observed values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M6" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">1.5</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="250082fe391bcca4a9e098d719c256ae"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00006.svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00006.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> at high CS <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mo>/</mo></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="36bd7baae116a5efc17e692d563c2b51"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00007.svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00007.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> GR are much higher than predicted based on the simulations and the analytical formulae. We argue that uncertainties in GR or CS are unlikely to solely explain the observed values of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M8" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">3</mn></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi>J</mi><mn mathvariant="normal">1.5</mn></msub></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="942fa8b0342fc9c4a2ff5941601734d0"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00008.svg" width="36pt" height="14pt" src="acp-22-15071-2022-ie00008.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> under high CS conditions. Thus, further work is needed to better understand the factors influencing survival probabilities of sub-3 nm atmospheric particles in polluted environments.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/22/15071/2022/acp-22-15071-2022.pdf
spellingShingle S. Tuovinen
R. Cai
V.-M. Kerminen
J. Jiang
C. Yan
C. Yan
M. Kulmala
J. Kontkanen
J. Kontkanen
Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in Beijing
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in Beijing
title_full Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in Beijing
title_fullStr Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in Beijing
title_full_unstemmed Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in Beijing
title_short Survival probabilities of atmospheric particles: comparison based on theory, cluster population simulations, and observations in Beijing
title_sort survival probabilities of atmospheric particles comparison based on theory cluster population simulations and observations in beijing
url https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/22/15071/2022/acp-22-15071-2022.pdf
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