Articles | Volume 2, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-49-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-49-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Opinion
| 
27 Mar 2024
Opinion |
| 27 Mar 2024
| 27 Mar 2024
Opinion: A paradigm shift in investigating the general characteristics of atmospheric new particle formation using field observations
Markku Kulmala
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, China
Joint International research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
Nanjing-Helsinki Institute in Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
Diego Aliaga
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Santeri Tuovinen
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Runlong Cai
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP³), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Jiangwan Campus, Fudan University, 200438 Shanghai, China
Heikki Junninen
Laboratory of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029 Beijing, China
Joint International research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
Nanjing-Helsinki Institute in Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
Federico Bianchi
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Yafang Cheng
Minerva Independent Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Aijun Ding
Joint International research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
Nanjing-Helsinki Institute in Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
Douglas R. Worsnop
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Tuukka Petäjä
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Joint International research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
Katrianne Lehtipalo
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
Pauli Paasonen
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Veli-Matti Kerminen
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Joint International research Laboratory of Atmospheric and Earth System Research, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, 210023 Nanjing, China
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Cited
12 citations as recorded by crossref.
- On the potential of the Cluster Ion Counter (CIC) to observe local new particle formation, condensation sink and growth rate of newly formed particles M. Kulmala et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-291-2024
- Quiet New Particle Formation is a significant aerosol source in the Amazon boundary layer B. Meller et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4885-2026
- An insight into recent PM1 aerosol light scattering properties and particle number concentration variabilities at the suburban site ATOLL in Northern France L. Suchánková et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178190
- Effect of planetary boundary layer evolution on new particle formation events over Cyprus N. Deot et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-139-2025
- Understanding atmospheric processes: insights from the comparison between Beijing and Hyytiälä M. Kulmala et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44407-025-00020-x
- New particle formation dynamics in the central Andes: contrasting urban and mountaintop environments D. Aliaga et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-15-2025
- Importance of New Particle Formation for Climate and Air Quality M. Kulmala https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.5c00095
- How the understanding of atmospheric new particle formation has evolved along with the development of measurement and analysis methods K. Lehtipalo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2024.106494
- Characterizing Long-Term Multimodal Condensational Growth of Atmospheric Aerosols with the Synchronous Monitor of Aerosol Size and Hygroscopicity (SMASH) C. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c00847
- Molecular Characterization of Nighttime New Particle Formation in Coastal Urban Environment: Season-Dependent Roles of Sulfuric Acid and Oxygenated Organic Molecules Q. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c04493
- Atmospheric aerosol spatial variability: Impacts on air quality and climate change S. Manavi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101237
- New Particle Formation and Growth in Urban Atmospheres: From Observations to Molecular-Level Understanding R. Cai et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.5c00684
12 citations as recorded by crossref.
- On the potential of the Cluster Ion Counter (CIC) to observe local new particle formation, condensation sink and growth rate of newly formed particles M. Kulmala et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-291-2024
- Quiet New Particle Formation is a significant aerosol source in the Amazon boundary layer B. Meller et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4885-2026
- An insight into recent PM1 aerosol light scattering properties and particle number concentration variabilities at the suburban site ATOLL in Northern France L. Suchánková et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178190
- Effect of planetary boundary layer evolution on new particle formation events over Cyprus N. Deot et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-139-2025
- Understanding atmospheric processes: insights from the comparison between Beijing and Hyytiälä M. Kulmala et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44407-025-00020-x
- New particle formation dynamics in the central Andes: contrasting urban and mountaintop environments D. Aliaga et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-15-2025
- Importance of New Particle Formation for Climate and Air Quality M. Kulmala https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestair.5c00095
- How the understanding of atmospheric new particle formation has evolved along with the development of measurement and analysis methods K. Lehtipalo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2024.106494
- Characterizing Long-Term Multimodal Condensational Growth of Atmospheric Aerosols with the Synchronous Monitor of Aerosol Size and Hygroscopicity (SMASH) C. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c00847
- Molecular Characterization of Nighttime New Particle Formation in Coastal Urban Environment: Season-Dependent Roles of Sulfuric Acid and Oxygenated Organic Molecules Q. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c04493
- Atmospheric aerosol spatial variability: Impacts on air quality and climate change S. Manavi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101237
- New Particle Formation and Growth in Urban Atmospheres: From Observations to Molecular-Level Understanding R. Cai et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.5c00684
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 16 Sep 2026
Short summary
Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF), together with secondary production of particulate matter in the atmosphere, dominates aerosol particle number concentrations and submicron particle mass loads in many environments globally. In this opinion paper, we describe the paradigm shift to understand NPF in a continuous way instead of using traditional binary event–non-event analysis.
Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF), together with secondary production of particulate...
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