Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?

NO<sub>x</sub> measurements were conducted at the Halley Research Station, coastal Antarctica, during the austral summer period 1 January–10 February 2005. A clear NO<sub>x</sub> diurnal cycle was observed with minimum concentrations close to instrumental detection limit (5 p...

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Main Authors: H. K. Roscoe, E. W. Wolff, A. Saiz-Lopez, J. D. Lee, A. E. Jones, P. S. Anderson, R. A. Salmon, M. J. Evans, W. J. Bloss, S. J.-B. Bauguitte, J. M. C. Plane
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2012-01-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/989/2012/acp-12-989-2012.pdf
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author H. K. Roscoe
E. W. Wolff
A. Saiz-Lopez
J. D. Lee
A. E. Jones
P. S. Anderson
R. A. Salmon
M. J. Evans
W. J. Bloss
S. J.-B. Bauguitte
J. M. C. Plane
author_facet H. K. Roscoe
E. W. Wolff
A. Saiz-Lopez
J. D. Lee
A. E. Jones
P. S. Anderson
R. A. Salmon
M. J. Evans
W. J. Bloss
S. J.-B. Bauguitte
J. M. C. Plane
author_sort H. K. Roscoe
collection DOAJ
description NO<sub>x</sub> measurements were conducted at the Halley Research Station, coastal Antarctica, during the austral summer period 1 January–10 February 2005. A clear NO<sub>x</sub> diurnal cycle was observed with minimum concentrations close to instrumental detection limit (5 pptv) measured between 04:00–05:00 GMT. NO<sub>x</sub> concentrations peaked (24 pptv) between 19:00–20:00 GMT, approximately 5 h after local solar noon. An optimised box model of NO<sub>x</sub> concentrations based on production from in-snow nitrate photolysis and chemical loss derives a mean noon emission rate of 3.48 × 10<sup>8</sup> molec cm<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>, assuming a 100 m boundary layer mixing height, and a relatively short NO<sub>x</sub> lifetime of ~6.4 h. This emission rate compares to directly measured values ranging from 2.1 to 12.6 × 10<sup>8</sup> molec cm<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> made on 3 days at the end of the study period. Calculations of the maximum rate of NO<sub>2</sub> loss via a variety of conventional HO<sub>x</sub> and halogen oxidation processes show that the lifetime of NO<sub>x</sub> is predominantly controlled by halogen processing, namely BrNO<sub>3</sub> and INO<sub>3</sub> gas-phase formation and their subsequent heterogeneous uptake. Furthermore the presence of halogen oxides is shown to significantly perturb NO<sub>x</sub> concentrations by decreasing the NO/NO<sub>2</sub> ratio. We conclude that in coastal Antarctica, the potential ozone production efficiency of NO<sub>x</sub> emitted from the snowpack is mitigated by the more rapid NO<sub>x</sub> loss due to halogen nitrate hydrolysis.
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spelling doaj.art-9010588279cc44a6aae9d736a35ad09f2022-12-21T23:57:44ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242012-01-01122989100210.5194/acp-12-989-2012Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?H. K. RoscoeE. W. WolffA. Saiz-LopezJ. D. LeeA. E. JonesP. S. AndersonR. A. SalmonM. J. EvansW. J. BlossS. J.-B. BauguitteJ. M. C. PlaneNO<sub>x</sub> measurements were conducted at the Halley Research Station, coastal Antarctica, during the austral summer period 1 January–10 February 2005. A clear NO<sub>x</sub> diurnal cycle was observed with minimum concentrations close to instrumental detection limit (5 pptv) measured between 04:00–05:00 GMT. NO<sub>x</sub> concentrations peaked (24 pptv) between 19:00–20:00 GMT, approximately 5 h after local solar noon. An optimised box model of NO<sub>x</sub> concentrations based on production from in-snow nitrate photolysis and chemical loss derives a mean noon emission rate of 3.48 × 10<sup>8</sup> molec cm<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>, assuming a 100 m boundary layer mixing height, and a relatively short NO<sub>x</sub> lifetime of ~6.4 h. This emission rate compares to directly measured values ranging from 2.1 to 12.6 × 10<sup>8</sup> molec cm<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> made on 3 days at the end of the study period. Calculations of the maximum rate of NO<sub>2</sub> loss via a variety of conventional HO<sub>x</sub> and halogen oxidation processes show that the lifetime of NO<sub>x</sub> is predominantly controlled by halogen processing, namely BrNO<sub>3</sub> and INO<sub>3</sub> gas-phase formation and their subsequent heterogeneous uptake. Furthermore the presence of halogen oxides is shown to significantly perturb NO<sub>x</sub> concentrations by decreasing the NO/NO<sub>2</sub> ratio. We conclude that in coastal Antarctica, the potential ozone production efficiency of NO<sub>x</sub> emitted from the snowpack is mitigated by the more rapid NO<sub>x</sub> loss due to halogen nitrate hydrolysis.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/989/2012/acp-12-989-2012.pdf
spellingShingle H. K. Roscoe
E. W. Wolff
A. Saiz-Lopez
J. D. Lee
A. E. Jones
P. S. Anderson
R. A. Salmon
M. J. Evans
W. J. Bloss
S. J.-B. Bauguitte
J. M. C. Plane
Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?
title_full Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?
title_fullStr Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?
title_full_unstemmed Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?
title_short Summertime NO<sub>x</sub> measurements during the CHABLIS campaign: can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles?
title_sort summertime no sub x sub measurements during the chablis campaign can source and sink estimates unravel observed diurnal cycles
url http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/12/989/2012/acp-12-989-2012.pdf
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