Articles | Volume 3, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-231-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-3-231-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Opinion
| 
05 May 2025
Opinion |
| 05 May 2025
| 05 May 2025
Opinion: Influence of the mean free path of air on atmospheric particle growth
Runlong Cai
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
Markku Kulmala
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research/Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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Anna Bengs, Mrisha Koirala, Chengfeng Liu, Henning Finkenzeller, Cecilia Righi, Sebastian Holm, Lauri Ahonen, Veli Kolhinen, Rima Baalbaki, Fabian Schmidt-Ott, Yiliang Liu, Jianfei Peng, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Nina Sarnela, Runlong Cai, and Juha Kangasluoma
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5681, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5681, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Forests emit trace gases that react to form compounds relevant to air quality and climate. Identifying them is difficult because common instruments cannot fully separate molecules of similar mass. We compared three mass spectrometers with different resolving power in a Finnish forest. The highest-resolution instrument identified far more molecules, and using its results to reanalyze the others' data nearly tripled the number identified, improving identification in widely used equipment.
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4269, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4269, 2026
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New particle formation (NPF) is a dominant global source of atmospheric particle number concentration and cloud condensation nuclei, yet its contribution to aerosol mass remains an open question. A prevailing hypothesis argues that vapors would partition into the particle phase regardless of the existence of new particles. Here we challenge this hypothesis by showing that NPF can significantly affect the aerosol surface area distribution and further contribute significantly to aerosol mass.
Xun Rong, Lei Yao, Chuang Li, Cong An, Gan Yang, Jiali Shen, Runlong Cai, Douglas R. Worsnop, and Lin Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 11339–11354, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11339-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11339-2026, 2026
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This study presents a systematic chamber study on reaction kinetics and the formation of multi-sulfur products from a series of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds including thiols and sulfides with OH radicals. The findings advance our understanding of the role of sulfur-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in atmospheric sulfur cycle and their potential contribution to secondary aerosol formation.
Chuang Li, Runlong Cai, Zexin Chen, Gan Yang, Feilin Zhao, Yueyang Li, Jingyu An, Qiwen Sun, Sijia Yin, Shimeng Xu, Yiliang Liu, Douglas Worsnop, Lei Yao, and Lin Wang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3174, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3174, 2026
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Aerosols are tiny particles that help clouds form and shape the climate. Newly formed particles must grow quickly to survive, yet how they grow is poorly understood. Combining laboratory experiments with field measurements, we tested seven common methods for predicting this growth. Most overestimate how strongly organic vapours condense onto particles, especially in polluted air, and even the best cannot fully explain the growth we observe, revealing a gap in our understanding.
Jiaqi Jin, Runlong Cai, Yiliang Liu, Gan Yang, Yueyang Li, Chuang Li, Lei Yao, Jingkun Jiang, Xiuhui Zhang, and Lin Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 17125–17138, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17125-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17125-2025, 2025
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Based on observed atmospheric new particle formation events at multiple sites in eastern China, we find that sulfuric acid and dimethylamine can explain the observed atmospheric nucleation and the differences in the nucleation intensity among campaigns can be largely attributed to temperature and precursor concentrations. Our results also show that oxygenated organic molecules can make a great contribution to the initial growth of freshly nucleated particles in the real atmosphere.
Yiliang Liu, Arttu Yli-Kujala, Fabian Schmidt-Ott, Sebastian Holm, Lauri Ahonen, Tommy Chan, Joonas Enroth, Joonas Vanhanen, Runlong Cai, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Yang Chen, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 431–442, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-431-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-431-2025, 2025
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Accurate measurement of nanoparticles is crucial for understanding their impact on new particle formation and climate change. In this study, we calibrated the Particle Size Magnifier version 2.0 (PSM 2.0), using both laboratory-generated and atmospheric particles. Some differences were observed in the calibration results, with direct calibration using atmospheric particles enhancing measurement accuracy.
Diego Aliaga, Victoria A. Sinclair, Radovan Krejci, Marcos Andrade, Paulo Artaxo, Luis Blacutt, Runlong Cai, Samara Carbone, Yvette Gramlich, Liine Heikkinen, Dominic Heslin-Rees, Wei Huang, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Alkuin Maximilian Koenig, Markku Kulmala, Paolo Laj, Valeria Mardoñez-Balderrama, Claudia Mohr, Isabel Moreno, Pauli Paasonen, Wiebke Scholz, Karine Sellegri, Laura Ticona, Gaëlle Uzu, Fernando Velarde, Alfred Wiedensohler, Doug Worsnop, Cheng Wu, Chen Xuemeng, Qiaozhi Zha, and Federico Bianchi
Aerosol Research, 3, 15–44, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-15-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-15-2025, 2025
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This study examines new particle formation (NPF) in the Bolivian Andes at Chacaltaya mountain (CHC) and the urban El Alto–La Paz area (EAC). Days are clustered into four categories based on NPF intensity. Differences in particle size, precursor gases, and pollution levels are found. High NPF intensities increased Aitken mode particle concentrations at both sites, while volcanic influence selectively diminished NPF intensity at CHC but not EAC. This study highlights NPF dynamics in the Andes.
Jiewen Shen, Bin Zhao, Shuxiao Wang, An Ning, Yuyang Li, Runlong Cai, Da Gao, Biwu Chu, Yang Gao, Manish Shrivastava, Jingkun Jiang, Xiuhui Zhang, and Hong He
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10261–10278, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10261-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10261-2024, 2024
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We extensively compare various cluster-dynamics-based parameterizations for sulfuric acid–dimethylamine nucleation and identify a newly developed parameterization derived from Atmospheric Cluster Dynamic Code (ACDC) simulations as being the most reliable one. This study offers a valuable reference for developing parameterizations of other nucleation systems and is meaningful for the accurate quantification of the environmental and climate impacts of new particle formation.
Ella Häkkinen, Huan Yang, Runlong Cai, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4211–4225, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4211-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4211-2024, 2024
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We report measurements of evaporation kinetics and surface equilibrium vapor pressures for various laboratory-generated organic nanoparticles using the dynamic-aerosol-size electrical mobility spectrometer (DEMS), a recent advancement in aerosol process characterization. Our findings align well with literature values, demonstrating DEMS's effectiveness. We suggest future improvements to DEMS and anticipate its potential for probing aerosol-related kinetic processes with unknown mechanisms.
Markku Kulmala, Diego Aliaga, Santeri Tuovinen, Runlong Cai, Heikki Junninen, Chao Yan, Federico Bianchi, Yafang Cheng, Aijun Ding, Douglas R. Worsnop, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Pauli Paasonen, and Veli-Matti Kerminen
Aerosol Research, 2, 49–58, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-49-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-49-2024, 2024
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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.
Jing Cai, Juha Sulo, Yifang Gu, Sebastian Holm, Runlong Cai, Steven Thomas, Almuth Neuberger, Fredrik Mattsson, Marco Paglione, Stefano Decesari, Matteo Rinaldi, Rujing Yin, Diego Aliaga, Wei Huang, Yuanyuan Li, Yvette Gramlich, Giancarlo Ciarelli, Lauriane Quéléver, Nina Sarnela, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Nora Zannoni, Cheng Wu, Wei Nie, Juha Kangasluoma, Claudia Mohr, Markku Kulmala, Qiaozhi Zha, Dominik Stolzenburg, and Federico Bianchi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2423–2441, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2423-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2423-2024, 2024
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By combining field measurements, simulations and recent chamber experiments, we investigate new particle formation (NPF) and growth in the Po Valley, where both haze and frequent NPF occur. Our results show that sulfuric acid, ammonia and amines are the dominant NPF precursors there. A high NPF rate and a lower condensation sink lead to a greater survival probability for newly formed particles, highlighting the importance of gas-to-particle conversion for aerosol concentrations.
Ying Zhang, Duzitian Li, Xu-Cheng He, Wei Nie, Chenjuan Deng, Runlong Cai, Yuliang Liu, Yishuo Guo, Chong Liu, Yiran Li, Liangduo Chen, Yuanyuan Li, Chenjie Hua, Tingyu Liu, Zongcheng Wang, Jiali Xie, Lei Wang, Tuukka Petäjä, Federico Bianchi, Ximeng Qi, Xuguang Chi, Pauli Paasonen, Yongchun Liu, Chao Yan, Jingkun Jiang, Aijun Ding, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1873–1893, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1873-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1873-2024, 2024
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This study conducts a long-term observation of gaseous iodine oxoacids in two Chinese megacities, revealing their ubiquitous presence with peak concentrations (up to 0.1 pptv) in summer. Our analysis suggests a mix of terrestrial and marine sources for iodine. Additionally, iodic acid is identified as a notable contributor to sub-3 nm particle growth and particle survival probability.
Xiaoxiao Li, Yijing Chen, Yuyang Li, Runlong Cai, Yiran Li, Chenjuan Deng, Jin Wu, Chao Yan, Hairong Cheng, Yongchun Liu, Markku Kulmala, Jiming Hao, James N. Smith, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14801–14812, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14801-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14801-2023, 2023
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Near-continuous measurements show the composition, sources, and seasonal variations of ultrafine particles (UFPs) in urban Beijing. Vehicle and cooking emissions and new particle formation are the main sources of UFPs, and aqueous/heterogeneous processes increase UFP mode diameters. UFPs are the highest in winter due to the highest primary particle emission rates and new particle formation rates, and CHO fractions are the highest in summer due to the strongest photooxidation.
Yuyang Li, Jiewen Shen, Bin Zhao, Runlong Cai, Shuxiao Wang, Yang Gao, Manish Shrivastava, Da Gao, Jun Zheng, Markku Kulmala, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8789–8804, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8789-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8789-2023, 2023
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We set up a new parameterization for 1.4 nm particle formation rates from sulfuric acid–dimethylamine (SA–DMA) nucleation, fully including the effects of coagulation scavenging and cluster stability. Incorporating the new parameterization into 3-D chemical transport models, we achieved better consistencies between simulation results and observation data. This new parameterization provides new insights into atmospheric nucleation simulations and its effects on atmospheric pollution or health.
Chenxi Li, Yuyang Li, Xiaoxiao Li, Runlong Cai, Yaxin Fan, Xiaohui Qiao, Rujing Yin, Chao Yan, Yishuo Guo, Yongchun Liu, Jun Zheng, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Huayun Xiao, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6879–6896, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6879-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6879-2023, 2023
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New particle formation and growth in polluted environments are not fully understood despite intensive research. We applied a cluster dynamics–multicomponent sectional model to simulate the new particle formation events observed in Beijing, China. The simulation approximately captures how the events evolve. Further diagnosis shows that the oxygenated organic molecules may have been under-detected, and modulating their abundance leads to significantly improved simulation–observation agreement.
Juan Hong, Min Tang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Nan Ma, Shaowen Zhu, Shaobin Zhang, Xihao Pan, Linhong Xie, Guo Li, Uwe Kuhn, Chao Yan, Jiangchuan Tao, Ye Kuang, Yao He, Wanyun Xu, Runlong Cai, Yaqing Zhou, Zhibin Wang, Guangsheng Zhou, Bin Yuan, Yafang Cheng, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5699–5713, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5699-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5699-2023, 2023
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A comprehensive investigation of the characteristics of new particle formation (NPF) events was conducted at a rural site on the North China Plain (NCP), China, during the wintertime of 2018 by covering the particle number size distribution down to sub–3 nm. Potential mechanisms for NPF under the current environment were explored, followed by a further discussion on the factors governing the occurrence of NPF at this rural site compared with other regions (e.g., urban areas) in the NCP region.
Rujing Yin, Xiaoxiao Li, Chao Yan, Runlong Cai, Ying Zhou, Juha Kangasluoma, Nina Sarnela, Janne Lampilahti, Tuukka Petäjä, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Federico Bianchi, Markku Kulmala, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5279–5296, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5279-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5279-2023, 2023
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Atmospheric cluster ions are important constituents in the atmosphere. However, the quantitative research on their compositions is still limited, especially in urban environments. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of an in situ quantification method of cluster ions measured by a high-resolution mass spectrometer and reveal their governing factors, sources, and sinks in urban Beijing through quantitative analysis of cluster ions, reagent ions, neutral molecules, and condensation sink.
Melissa Meder, Otso Peräkylä, Jonathan G. Varelas, Jingyi Luo, Runlong Cai, Yanjun Zhang, Theo Kurtén, Matthieu Riva, Matti Rissanen, Franz M. Geiger, Regan J. Thomson, and Mikael Ehn
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4373–4390, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4373-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4373-2023, 2023
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We discuss and show the viability of a method where multiple isotopically labelled precursors are used for probing the formation pathways of highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) from the oxidation of the monoterpene a-pinene. HOMs are very important for secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation in forested regions, and monoterpenes are the single largest source of SOA globally. The fast reactions forming HOMs have thus far remained elusive despite considerable efforts over the last decade.
Santeri Tuovinen, Runlong Cai, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Jingkun Jiang, Chao Yan, Markku Kulmala, and Jenni Kontkanen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15071–15091, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15071-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15071-2022, 2022
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We compare observed survival probabilities of atmospheric particles from Beijing, China, with survival probabilities based on analytical formulae and model simulations. We find observed survival probabilities under polluted conditions at smaller sizes to be higher, while at larger sizes they are lower than or similar to theoretical survival probabilities. Uncertainties in condensation sink and growth rate are unlikely to explain higher-than-predicted survival probabilities at smaller sizes.
Runlong Cai, Chenjuan Deng, Dominik Stolzenburg, Chenxi Li, Junchen Guo, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Jingkun Jiang, Markku Kulmala, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14571–14587, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14571-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14571-2022, 2022
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The survival probability of new particles is the key parameter governing their influences on the atmosphere and climate, yet the knowledge of particle survival in the atmosphere is rather limited. We propose methods to compute the size-resolved particle survival probability and validate them using simulations and measurements from diverse environments. Using these methods, we could explain particle survival from the cluster size to the cloud condensation nuclei size.
Chenjuan Deng, Yiran Li, Chao Yan, Jin Wu, Runlong Cai, Dongbin Wang, Yongchun Liu, Juha Kangasluoma, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13569–13580, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13569-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13569-2022, 2022
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The size distributions of urban atmospheric particles convey important information on their origins and impacts. This study investigates the characteristics of typical particle size distributions and key gaseous precursors in the long term in urban Beijing. A fitting function is proposed to represent and help interpret size distribution including particles and gaseous precursors. In addition to NPF (new particle formation) as the major source, vehicles can emit sub-3 nm particles as well
Chao Yan, Yicheng Shen, Dominik Stolzenburg, Lubna Dada, Ximeng Qi, Simo Hakala, Anu-Maija Sundström, Yishuo Guo, Antti Lipponen, Tom V. Kokkonen, Jenni Kontkanen, Runlong Cai, Jing Cai, Tommy Chan, Liangduo Chen, Biwu Chu, Chenjuan Deng, Wei Du, Xiaolong Fan, Xu-Cheng He, Juha Kangasluoma, Joni Kujansuu, Mona Kurppa, Chang Li, Yiran Li, Zhuohui Lin, Yiliang Liu, Yuliang Liu, Yiqun Lu, Wei Nie, Jouni Pulliainen, Xiaohui Qiao, Yonghong Wang, Yifan Wen, Ye Wu, Gan Yang, Lei Yao, Rujing Yin, Gen Zhang, Shaojun Zhang, Feixue Zheng, Ying Zhou, Antti Arola, Johanna Tamminen, Pauli Paasonen, Yele Sun, Lin Wang, Neil M. Donahue, Yongchun Liu, Federico Bianchi, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Douglas R. Worsnop, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Aijun Ding, Jingkun Jiang, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12207–12220, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12207-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12207-2022, 2022
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Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is a dominant source of atmospheric ultrafine particles. In urban environments, traffic emissions are a major source of primary pollutants, but their contribution to NPF remains under debate. During the COVID-19 lockdown, traffic emissions were significantly reduced, providing a unique chance to examine their relevance to NPF. Based on our comprehensive measurements, we demonstrate that traffic emissions alone are not able to explain the NPF in Beijing.
Runlong Cai, Ella Häkkinen, Chao Yan, Jingkun Jiang, Markku Kulmala, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11529–11541, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11529-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11529-2022, 2022
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The influences of new particle formation on the climate and air quality are governed by particle survival, which has been under debate due to uncertainties in the coagulation sink. Here we measure the coagulation coefficient of sub-10 nm particles and demonstrate that collisions between the freshly nucleated and background particles can effectively lead to coagulation. We further show that the effective coagulation sink is consistent with the new particle formation measured in urban Beijing.
Lisa J. Beck, Rolf Weller, Totti Laitinen, Markku Kulmala, Douglas Worsnop, Janne Lampilahti, Heikki Junninen, and Mikko Sipilä
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-6198, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-6198, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Snowstorms create large numbers of tiny electrically charged particles, but their composition and formation have been poorly understood. We measured these particles in Antarctica over three months and found that they consist mainly of sea salt, sodium chloride. During blizzards, their concentration rose to tens of times above those in calm weather. These findings reveal an under-explored source of atmospheric ions that may contribute to the formation of airborne particles and clouds.
Fobang Liu, Yun Zhang, Siyao Yue, Helmi-Marja K. Keskinen, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Pingqing Fu, Thorsten Hoffmann, Kai Wang, and Haijie Tong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 14655–14669, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14655-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-14655-2026, 2026
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Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by airborne particles are linked to adverse health effects, but the organic compounds responsible remain unclear. We developed a new molecular framework to classify complex organic compounds using advanced mass spectrometry. The framework shows that particles rich in oxidized organic compounds produce more ROS per unit mass, while polluted urban air produces more total ROS mainly because of higher particle concentrations.
Anna Bengs, Mrisha Koirala, Chengfeng Liu, Henning Finkenzeller, Cecilia Righi, Sebastian Holm, Lauri Ahonen, Veli Kolhinen, Rima Baalbaki, Fabian Schmidt-Ott, Yiliang Liu, Jianfei Peng, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Nina Sarnela, Runlong Cai, and Juha Kangasluoma
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5681, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5681, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Forests emit trace gases that react to form compounds relevant to air quality and climate. Identifying them is difficult because common instruments cannot fully separate molecules of similar mass. We compared three mass spectrometers with different resolving power in a Finnish forest. The highest-resolution instrument identified far more molecules, and using its results to reanalyze the others' data nearly tripled the number identified, improving identification in widely used equipment.
Kanika Taneja, Silvia M. Calderón, Harri Kokkola, Juha Tonttila, Sami Romakkaniemi, Seethala Chellappan, Antti Arola, Antti Lipponen, Taina Yli-Juuti, Snehitha M. Kommula, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Tero Mielonen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4750, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4750, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Vegetation can cool the climate by releasing gases that form aerosols, which scatter sunlight and brighten clouds. To quantify this feedback in Finland and the United States, we combine field measurements of aerosols and satellite observations of clouds. It is essential to select near-ideal clouds; otherwise, cloud-related cooling is underestimated. Cloud cooling matched aerosol cooling at the clean site in Finland and was nearly three times stronger at the rural site in the United States.
Ekaterina Ezhova, Üllar Rannik, Santeri Tuovinen, Olga Garmash, Otso Peräkylä, Piaopiao Ke, Topi Laanti, Janne Lampilahti, Markus Lampimäki, Anna Lintunen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Janne Rinne, Timo Vesala, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 13463–13483, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-13463-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-13463-2026, 2026
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In boreal region, emissions from plants contribute to formation and growth of aerosol particles. Measurements suggest that concentration of small ions, which could be produced locally, differ in forests and agricultural fields. As a step to interpretation, we explain the concept of local aerosol production and estimate a spatial scale of an ecosystem needed to produce small ions. This scale is about few km in open areas such as agricultural fields and 500 m in the pine forest with closed canopy.
Tinghan Zhang, Wei Du, Xinran Zhang, Janne Lampilahti, Chengfeng Liu, Zehao Zou, Men Xia, Qi Yuan, Qiaozhi Zha, Jing Cai, Yiyang Wang, Tom Kokkonen, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Tuukka Petäjä, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Chao Yan, Jingkun Jiang, Yongchun Liu, and Markku Kulmala
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5379, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-5379, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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New particle formation (NPF) is an important source of atmospheric aerosols, but weak events are often overlooked by traditional classification. We applied continuous nanoparticle ranking and particle size distribution normalization to four-year observations from a Finnish boreal forest and the megacity of Beijing. The results show that NPF intensity is governed by source–sink competition and that particle formation and growth are not necessarily controlled by the same atmospheric conditions.
Qianzhe Sun, Ruichen Zhou, Sho Ohata, Chiaki Shirota, Tuukka Petäjä, Ilona Jaakkola, Lauri Ahonen, Markku Kulmala, and Michihiro Mochida
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 12813–12836, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-12813-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-12813-2026, 2026
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Source identification of atmospheric aerosols is crucial for understanding their properties and resulting environmental impacts. By mass spectrometry for aerosol samples, organic aerosols in a European boreal forest were apportioned to five source-related types based on chemical structure, highlighting the importance of biomass-originated organics. Polarity-based fractionation advanced source apportionment, which is expected to improve the capability of property analysis for organic aerosols.
Ismael López Lozano, Ekaterina Ezhova, Inmaculada Foyo-Moreno, Inmaculada Alados, and Markku Kulmala
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4728, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4728, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Photosynthetically active radiation is often estimated from broadband shortwave radiation using simplified empirical relationships that may not perform consistently across different environments. We developed a new physics-based approach and tested it using long-term observations from contrasting climates. The method performed consistently across sites and could improve environmental models and the reconstruction of historical radiation datasets.
Runlong Cai, Shimeng Xu, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4269, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4269, 2026
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New particle formation (NPF) is a dominant global source of atmospheric particle number concentration and cloud condensation nuclei, yet its contribution to aerosol mass remains an open question. A prevailing hypothesis argues that vapors would partition into the particle phase regardless of the existence of new particles. Here we challenge this hypothesis by showing that NPF can significantly affect the aerosol surface area distribution and further contribute significantly to aerosol mass.
Xun Rong, Lei Yao, Chuang Li, Cong An, Gan Yang, Jiali Shen, Runlong Cai, Douglas R. Worsnop, and Lin Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 11339–11354, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11339-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11339-2026, 2026
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This study presents a systematic chamber study on reaction kinetics and the formation of multi-sulfur products from a series of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds including thiols and sulfides with OH radicals. The findings advance our understanding of the role of sulfur-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in atmospheric sulfur cycle and their potential contribution to secondary aerosol formation.
Chuang Li, Runlong Cai, Zexin Chen, Gan Yang, Feilin Zhao, Yueyang Li, Jingyu An, Qiwen Sun, Sijia Yin, Shimeng Xu, Yiliang Liu, Douglas Worsnop, Lei Yao, and Lin Wang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3174, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3174, 2026
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Aerosols are tiny particles that help clouds form and shape the climate. Newly formed particles must grow quickly to survive, yet how they grow is poorly understood. Combining laboratory experiments with field measurements, we tested seven common methods for predicting this growth. Most overestimate how strongly organic vapours condense onto particles, especially in polluted air, and even the best cannot fully explain the growth we observe, revealing a gap in our understanding.
Samuel Ruhl, Matthias Kohl, Rima Baalbaki, Christos Xenofontos, Ryan Vella, Sergey Gromov, Xu-Cheng He, Jiali Shen, Dina Alfaouri, Samira Atabakhsh, Lubna Dada, Jenna DeVivo, Jonathan Duplissy, Imad El Haddad, Hartwig Harder, Tuija Jokinen, Heikki Junninen, Vijay P. Kanawade, Milin K. Sebastian, Hannah Klebach, Markku Kulmala, Felix Kunkler, Jos Lelieveld, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Clara J. Lietzke, Lu Liu, Roy Mauldin, Bernhard Mentler, Ottmar Möhler, Tuukka Petäjä, Douglas M. Russell, Mario Simon, Roseline C. Thakur, Wenjuan Yu, Jiangyi Zhang, Zhensen Zheng, Jasper Kirkby, Holger Tost, Theodoros Christoudias, Rolf Sander, and Andrea Pozzer
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4020, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4020, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Marine microbes release sulfur gases that form tiny particles able to seed clouds. Using a global chemistry-climate model, we compare four schemes for how these gases oxidise and test them against ship and ground measurements. We find that methanesulfonic acid can drive new particle formation as strongly as sulfuric acid over the cold Southern Ocean, supplying around 25 % of the cloud-forming particles there, a natural, climate-relevant source that models often overlook.
Aino Ovaska, Daniel Holmberg, Elio Rauth, Mansour Alghamdi, Paulo Artaxo, Eija Asmi, John Backman, Benjamin Bergmans, Matthew Boyer, Liezl Bredenkamp, Maurizio Busetto, Delano Campos De Oliveira, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Darius Ceburnis, Tak Chan, Tommy Chan, Sebastien Conil, Daniele Contini, Suzanne Crumeyrolle, Valentin Duflot, Kostas Eleftheriadis, Johan Esveld, Ekaterina Ezhova, Markus Fiebig, Shahzad Gani, Olga Garmash, Francisco Gómez-Moreno, Roy M. Harrison, Andras Hoffer, Rakesh Hooda, Antti Hyvärinen, Tareq Hussein, Jorma Joutsensaari, Nikos Kalivitis, Heinz Kaminski, Jutta Kesti, Radovan Krejci, Adam Kristensson, Chongai Kuang, Markku Kulmala, Lauri Laakso, Ari Leskinen, Heikki Lihavainen, Andreas Massling, Maik Merkel, Steffen Noe, Jakub Ondracek, Noemí Perez, Jean-Eudes Petit, Tuukka Petäjä, Michael Pikridas, Christopher Pöhlker, Mira Pöhlker, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Ximeng Qi, Cristina Reche, Sergio Rodríguez, Petr Roztocil, Jean Sciare, Karine Sellegri, Dongjie Shang, Ashish Singh, Mikko Sipilä, Henrik Skov, Mar Sorribas, Tamanna Subba, Junying Sun, Peter Tunved, Ville Vakkari, Pieter G. Van Zyl, Aki Virkkula, Jens Voigtländer, Kay Weinhold, Alfred Wiedensohler, Hee-Jung Yoo, Putian Zhou, Kai Puolamäki, Tuomo Nieminen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Victoria A. Sinclair, and Pauli Paasonen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-415, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-415, 2026
Preprint under review for ESSD
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All clouds form around aerosol particles, and their abundance influences cloud properties. In turn, clouds affect climate by changing how energy moves through the atmosphere, making them important for climate change. To better understand these interactions, we need accurate information on how many aerosol particles are in the atmosphere. Therefore, we have developed a new 21-year global dataset of particle concentrations relevant for cloud formation.
Chengfeng Liu, Otso Peräkylä, Lauri Ahonen, Ilona Ylivinkka, Petri Keronen, Douglas R. Worsnop, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Mikael Ehn, and Nina Sarnela
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2773, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2773, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Forests emit invisible vapors that form climate-regulating atmospheric particles. To track these seasonal changes, we continuously analyzed forest air for four years. We discovered that heavier plant emissions (sesquiterpenes and diterpenes)—rather than the lighter ones (monoterpenes) previously assumed—may drive particle creation in spring and summer. This insight is crucial for predicting how forests will influence the global climate as temperatures rise.
Yusheng Wu, Zoé Brasseur, Dimitri Castarède, Paavo Heikkilä, Jorma Keskinen, Ottmar Möhler, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Erik S. Thomson, and Jonathan Duplissy
Aerosol Research, 4, 293–309, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-293-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-293-2026, 2026
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Clouds in cold regions affect climate and precipitation, but their behavior depends on rare airborne particles that help ice form. We measured these particles over several months in a Finnish forest and compared them with many environmental observations. We found that ice formation in winter was largely unpredictable, while in spring and summer it was more strongly linked to particle amount and composition. This shows that local conditions are needed to better represent clouds in climate models.
Martina Mazzini, Diego Aliaga, Janne Lamphilati, Martin Gysel-Beer, Benjamin Tobias Brem, Robin Lewis Modini, Dominic Heslin-Rees, Tareq Hussein, Marco Zanatta, Paolo Cristofanelli, Federico Bianchi, Markku Kulmala, and Angela Marinoni
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 8893–8912, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-8893-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-8893-2026, 2026
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This study investigates particle number size distribution at two high-altitude European stations to better understand the mechanisms driving new particle formation (NPF) in the free troposphere. Interestingly, despite a consistently higher background of freshly nucleated particles at Jungfraujoch, NPF events were more frequent and intense at Monte Cimone, which also shows higher formation and growth rates, likely due to the proximity of the polluted planetary boundary layer from the Po Valley.
Gaurav K. Srivastav, Aasif A. Wagay, Janne Lampilahti, Jaswant Rathore, Ravi K. Kunchala, Dilip Ganguly, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Pauli Paasonen, Roseline C. Thakur, and Shahzad Gani
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2212, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2212, 2026
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Particle formation events affect climate and air quality. Using measurements of particle number concentrations down to very small particles (~3 nm) in polluted northern India, we show that these events occur frequently in summer under reduced background particle load. However, in this environment, emissions and changing air masses can mask or distort these events, making them difficult to detect. Such environments require adaptation of standard analytical methods used in cleaner regions.
Neil M. Donahue, Lubna Dada, Dominik Stolzenburg, Eva Sommer, Mario Simon, Meredith Schervish, Jenna DeVivo, Alexandra Stinchfield, Natalie Burton, Nirvan Bhattacharyya, Brandon Lopez, Mingyi Wang, Wiebke Scholz, João Almeida, Bin Zhao, Martin Heinritzi, Hamish Gordon, Armin Hansel, Joachim Curtius, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Imad El Haddad, Jasper Kirkby, Richard Flagan, Markku Kulmala, and Douglas Worsnop
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 8311–8339, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-8311-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-8311-2026, 2026
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A new theory has the potential to accurately describe changes to atmospheric particle formation from the pre-industrial to the present and onwards along socioeconomic pathways addressing air pollution and climate. The model places organic nucleation in the context of the Volatility Basis Set and reveals a competition between chemistry, which accelerates as temperature rises, and vapor pressure, which drops as temperature decreases. The model reproduces observations from the CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber.
Tamryn Hamilton, Kerneels Jaars, Pieter G. van Zyl, Mika Aurela, Marcellin Adon, Johan P. Beukes, Miroslav Josipovic, Gregor T. Feig, Markku Kulmala, Lauri Laakso, and Ville Vakkari
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3066, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3066, 2026
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South Africa is a global hotspot for nitrogen dioxide, yet direct surface exchange measurements are absent from Africa. Using a high-precision laser at a savanna grassland site from 2015 to 2020, we made the first landscape-scale nitrogen dioxide flux measurements on the continent. The site mainly released nitrogen dioxide, driven by summer rainfall and soil microbes. We estimated the ecosystem-scale balance point between uptake and release. Widely used models overestimate daytime deposition.
Neil M. Donahue, Victoria Hofbauer, Henning Finkenzeller, Dominik Stolzenburg, Paulus S. Bauer, Randall Chiu, Lubna Dada, Jonathan Duplissy, Xu-Cheng He, Martin Heinritzi, Christopher R. Hoyle, Andreas Kürten, Aleksandr Kvashnin, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Naser Mahfouz, Vladimir Makhmutov, Roy L. Mauldin III, Ugo Molteni, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Matti Rissanen, Siegfried Schobesberger, Mario Simon, Andrea C. Wagner, Mingyi Wang, Chao Yan, Penglin Ye, Ilona Riipinen, Hamish Gordon, Joachim Curtius, Armin Hansel, Imad El Haddad, Markku Kulmala, Douglas R. Worsnop, Rainer Volkamer, Paul M. Winkler, Jasper Kirkby, and Richard Flagan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 3363–3396, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3363-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3363-2026, 2026
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We describe accurate measurement of particle formation and growth in the CERN CLOUD (European Council for Nuclear Research Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber, using a suite of gas- and particle-phase instruments. The interconnected measurements establish high accuracy in key particle properties and critically important gas-phase sulfuric acid. This is a template for accurate calibration of similar experiments and thus accurate determination of aerosol nucleation and growth rates, which are an important source of uncertainty in climate science.
Putian Zhou, Zeqi Cui, Petri Clusius, Risto Makkonen, Zihao Fu, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, and Michael Boy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2381, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2381, 2026
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Tiny particles in the air affect climate by changing how much sun light reaches the ground and how clouds form. To understand it better, we developed an atmospheric computer model BoxMART to simulate how gases and particles interact in the air. It is flexible and easy to use, suitable for both research and teaching. It is validated by ten sets of cases from earlier studies. BoxMART provides a solid foundation for future work on air quality and climate change.
Myriam Agrò, Manuel Bettineschi, Silvia Melina, Diego Aliaga, Andrea Bergomi, Beatrice Biffi, Alessandro Bigi, Giancarlo Ciarelli, Cristina Colombi, Paola Fermo, Ivan Grigioni, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Janne Lampilahti, Angela Marinoni, Celestine Oliewo, Juha Sulo, Gianluigi Valli, Roberta Vecchi, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, and Federico Bianchi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 6521–6539, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6521-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6521-2026, 2026
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This study investigates new particle formation (NPF) in Milan, the most populated city in the Po Valley (Italy), using one year of particle number size distribution data (1.2–480 nm). NPF is enhanced under cleaner air conditions with lower pollution, reduced condensation sink, stronger ventilation, and stronger northwesterly winds (e.g., Foehn events). In contrast, longer air mass residence time in the Po Valley and higher air mass exposure to anthropogenic emissions suppress it.
Nikos Kalivitis, Spyridon-Emmanouil Markoulakis, Panayiotis Kalkavouras, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku T. Kulmala, and Maria Kanakidou
Aerosol Research Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-16, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2026-16, 2026
Preprint under review for AR
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Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is crucial for aerosol number concentration. Recent methodologies propose that “quiet” NPF (QNPF) events, which are not traditionally classified as NPF, can contribute significantly to aerosol number. This study presents three-years of observations of ion and particle size distributions at the Finokalia station in Eastern Mediterranean. It shows that QNPF events are frequent providing fundamentally new understanding of NPF processes in the region.
Yishuo Guo, Chao Yan, Chang Li, Chenjuan Deng, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhou, Haotian Zheng, Yueqi Jiang, Xin Chen, Wei Ma, Nina Sarnela, Zhuohui Lin, Chenjie Hua, Xiaolong Fan, Feixue Zheng, Zemin Feng, Zongcheng Wang, Yusheng Zhang, Jingkun Jiang, Bin Zhao, Markku Kulmala, and Yongchun Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 3467–3487, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3467-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3467-2026, 2026
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Gaseous sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a key precursor in atmospheric cluster formation. Measurement challenges hinder its widespread observation. We conducted a three-year continuous measurement of H2SO4 in urban Beijing during 2019–2021, characterize its interannual, seasonal, and diurnal variations, and derives proxies to estimate its concentration. These proxies and parameters therein could be applicable at diverse sites and thus provide H2SO4 concentration covering many regions worldwide.
Santeri Tuovinen, Janne Lampilahti, Nina Sarnela, Chengfeng Liu, Yongchun Liu, Markku Kulmala, and Veli-Matti Kerminen
Aerosol Research, 4, 37–62, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-37-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-4-37-2026, 2026
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Charged molecular clusters, called small ions, are always present in the atmosphere. Few studies have focused on their size distribution, and, motivated by this, we study the size of small ions and how it varies in Hyytiälä, Finland, and Beijing, China. We find that the relationship between small ion size and low-volatility vapor concentrations is strong in Hyytiälä. In both locations, we find that the small ion size has a positive relationship with cluster formation and growth.
Petri Clusius, Metin Baykara, Carlton Xavier, Putian Zhou, Juniper Tyree, Benjamin Foreback, Mikko Äijälä, Frans Graeffe, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Pauli Paasonen, Paul I. Palmer, and Michael Boy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 1967–1992, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1967-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1967-2026, 2026
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Cloud condensation nuclei are necessary to form clouds, and their size distribution affects cloud properties and therefore Earth’s energy budget. This study modelled the origins of cloud condensation nuclei at SMEAR II, Hyytiälä, Finland, and found that primary emissions and new particle formation separately contribute to more than half of the condensation nuclei, but they suppress each other, leading to current concentrations. Largest condensation nuclei originated mostly from emissions.
Maija Peltola, Roseline Thakur, Kurt Spence, Janne Lampilahti, Ronja Mäkelä, Sasu Karttunen, Ekaterina Ezhova, Sami Haapanala, Aki Vähä, Juha Kangasluoma, Tommy Chan, Pauli Paasonen, Joanna Norkko, Alf Norkko, Markku Kulmala, and Mikael Ehn
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 489–513, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-489-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-489-2026, 2026
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Here, we report aerosol properties from a new atmospheric observatory established at the Finnish Baltic Sea Coast. Aerosol formation was observed when air masses crossed over the continent whereas less newly formed particles were observed when the winds were from the sea. Aerosol formation was favoured by low condensation sink and sunny dry conditions.
Janne Lampilahti, Pauli Paasonen, Santeri Tuovinen, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
Aerosol Research, 3, 637–647, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-637-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-637-2025, 2025
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We developed a new automated method for calculating aerosol particle growth rates. We found that the method produces results comparable to conventional approaches, while offering improved speed and ease of use.
Jiaqi Jin, Runlong Cai, Yiliang Liu, Gan Yang, Yueyang Li, Chuang Li, Lei Yao, Jingkun Jiang, Xiuhui Zhang, and Lin Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 17125–17138, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17125-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-17125-2025, 2025
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Based on observed atmospheric new particle formation events at multiple sites in eastern China, we find that sulfuric acid and dimethylamine can explain the observed atmospheric nucleation and the differences in the nucleation intensity among campaigns can be largely attributed to temperature and precursor concentrations. Our results also show that oxygenated organic molecules can make a great contribution to the initial growth of freshly nucleated particles in the real atmosphere.
Aino Ovaska, Elio Rauth, Daniel Holmberg, Paulo Artaxo, John Backman, Benjamin Bergmans, Don Collins, Marco Aurélio Franco, Shahzad Gani, Roy M. Harrison, Rakesh K. Hooda, Tareq Hussein, Antti-Pekka Hyvärinen, Kerneels Jaars, Adam Kristensson, Markku Kulmala, Lauri Laakso, Ari Laaksonen, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Colin O'Dowd, Jakub Ondracek, Tuukka Petäjä, Kristina Plauškaitė, Mira Pöhlker, Ximeng Qi, Peter Tunved, Ville Vakkari, Alfred Wiedensohler, Kai Puolamäki, Tuomo Nieminen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Victoria A. Sinclair, and Pauli Paasonen
Aerosol Research, 3, 589–618, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-589-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-589-2025, 2025
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We trained machine learning models to estimate the number of aerosol particles large enough to form clouds and generated daily estimates for the entire globe. The models performed well in many continental regions but struggled in remote and marine areas. Still, this approach offers a way to quantify these particles in areas that lack direct measurements, helping us understand their influence on clouds and climate on a global scale.
Ilona Ylivinkka, Helmi-Marja Keskinen, Lauri R. Ahonen, Liine Heikkinen, Pasi P. Aalto, Tuomo Nieminen, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Krista Luoma, Sujai Banerji, Juho Aalto, Janne Levula, Jutta Kesti, Ekaterina Ezhova, Markku Kulmala, and Tuukka Petäjä
Aerosol Research, 3, 503–520, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-503-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-503-2025, 2025
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Three different particulate matter (PM) measurement techniques were compared in Finland, showing good correlation (R about 0.8). Although the measured PM concentrations were low, decreasing trends were observed in all seasons. The decrease followed the trends observed in concentrations of anthropogenic pollutants, resulting from the EU legislation to improve air quality. The highest PM concentrations were measured in summer, indicating the dominance of organic compounds to the PM mass.
Sander Mirme, Rima Balbaaki, Hanna Elina Manninen, Paap Koemets, Eva Sommer, Birte Rörup, Yusheng Wu, Joao Almeida, Sebastian Ehrhart, Stefan Karl Weber, Joschka Pfeifer, Juha Kangasluoma, Markku Kulmala, and Jasper Kirkby
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5717–5728, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5717-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5717-2025, 2025
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The Cluster Ion Counter (CIC, Airel OÜ) is a novel instrument that simultaneously measures positive and negative ion concentrations below 5 nm. It provides high detection efficiency, low noise, a rapid time response, and excellent reliability, confirmed in lab experiments and at the CERN CLOUD chamber. Its design enables precise, robust long-term measurements, facilitating versatile applications in diverse environments, from laboratory settings to field and potential airborne research.
Anastasia Lampilahti, Olga Garmash, Diego Aliaga, Mikhail Arshinov, Denis Davydov, Boris Belan, Janne Lampilahti, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Ekaterina Ezhova
Aerosol Research, 3, 441–459, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-441-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-441-2025, 2025
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New particle formation (NPF) is a process of forming new aerosol particles in the atmosphere. It was widely studied in boreal forest areas in Finland and Estonia, but its features and precursors in a Siberian boreal forest remained unclear. We did a comprehensive analysis using data from state-of-the-art instruments and implement both traditional and new methods of data analysis. Understanding these processes helps us grasp how Siberia’s atmosphere evolves and contributes to global climate dynamics.
Tinghan Zhang, Ximeng Qi, Janne Lampilahti, Liangduo Chen, Xuguang Chi, Wei Nie, Xin Huang, Zehao Zou, Wei Du, Tom Kokkonen, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Aijun Ding, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 10027–10048, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10027-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10027-2025, 2025
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By comparing air ions at two flagship sites – a boreal forest site in Finland and a megacity site in eastern China – we characterized ion concentrations and their roles in new particle formation (NPF) across contrasting environments. The ion-induced fraction was much higher in the clean boreal forest. However, earlier activation of charged particles and high ion-induced fraction during quiet NPF in the megacity site imply a non-negligible role for ion-induced NPF in polluted urban areas.
Piaopiao Ke, Anna Lintunen, Pasi Kolari, Annalea Lohila, Santeri Tuovinen, Janne Lampilahti, Roseline Thakur, Maija Peltola, Otso Peräkylä, Tuomo Nieminen, Ekaterina Ezhova, Mari Pihlatie, Asta Laasonen, Markku Koskinen, Helena Rautakoski, Laura Heimsch, Tom Kokkonen, Aki Vähä, Ivan Mammarella, Steffen Noe, Jaana Bäck, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
Biogeosciences, 22, 3235–3251, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3235-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3235-2025, 2025
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Our research explores diverse ecosystems’ roles in climate cooling via the concept of CarbonSink+ potential. We measured CO2 uptake and local aerosol production in forests, farms, peatlands, urban gardens, and coastal areas across Finland and Estonia. The long-term data reveal that, while forests are vital with regard to CarbonSink+ potential, farms and urban gardens also play significant roles. These insights can help optimize management policy of natural resources to mitigate global warming.
Xinyang Li, Tuomo Nieminen, Rima Baalbaki, Putian Zhou, Pauli Paasonen, Risto Makkonen, Martha Arbayani Zaidan, Nina Sarnela, Chao Yan, Tuija Jokinen, Imre Salma, Máté Vörösmarty, Tuukka Petäjä, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, and Lubna Dada
Aerosol Research, 3, 271–291, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-271-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-271-2025, 2025
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Particle formation rate is one of the key factors in studying the physical properties of aerosols. By developing powerful and simple semi-empirical particle formation rate models, we can predict particle formation rates and compare them with real-time measurements to aid in discovering hidden particle formation mechanisms as well as global simulations of particle population to fill the knowledge gap caused by the uncertainty in aerosol cooling effects on Earth's atmosphere.
Neha Deot, Vijay P. Kanawade, Alkistis Papetta, Rima Baalbaki, Michael Pikridas, Franco Marenco, Markku Kulmala, Jean Sciare, Katrianne Lehtipalo, and Tuija Jokinen
Aerosol Research, 3, 139–154, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-139-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-139-2025, 2025
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We studied how nanoparticles form in the atmosphere at two different altitudes in Cyprus, focusing on how meteorology impacts this process. Using data from two sites, we found that air from lower regions carries particles up to higher areas, affecting air quality and potentially climate. Our findings help improve understanding of how particles form and grow in the air, which is important for predicting changes in climate and air pollution in the future.
Yiliang Liu, Arttu Yli-Kujala, Fabian Schmidt-Ott, Sebastian Holm, Lauri Ahonen, Tommy Chan, Joonas Enroth, Joonas Vanhanen, Runlong Cai, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Yang Chen, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 431–442, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-431-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-431-2025, 2025
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Accurate measurement of nanoparticles is crucial for understanding their impact on new particle formation and climate change. In this study, we calibrated the Particle Size Magnifier version 2.0 (PSM 2.0), using both laboratory-generated and atmospheric particles. Some differences were observed in the calibration results, with direct calibration using atmospheric particles enhancing measurement accuracy.
Diego Aliaga, Victoria A. Sinclair, Radovan Krejci, Marcos Andrade, Paulo Artaxo, Luis Blacutt, Runlong Cai, Samara Carbone, Yvette Gramlich, Liine Heikkinen, Dominic Heslin-Rees, Wei Huang, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Alkuin Maximilian Koenig, Markku Kulmala, Paolo Laj, Valeria Mardoñez-Balderrama, Claudia Mohr, Isabel Moreno, Pauli Paasonen, Wiebke Scholz, Karine Sellegri, Laura Ticona, Gaëlle Uzu, Fernando Velarde, Alfred Wiedensohler, Doug Worsnop, Cheng Wu, Chen Xuemeng, Qiaozhi Zha, and Federico Bianchi
Aerosol Research, 3, 15–44, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-15-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-15-2025, 2025
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This study examines new particle formation (NPF) in the Bolivian Andes at Chacaltaya mountain (CHC) and the urban El Alto–La Paz area (EAC). Days are clustered into four categories based on NPF intensity. Differences in particle size, precursor gases, and pollution levels are found. High NPF intensities increased Aitken mode particle concentrations at both sites, while volcanic influence selectively diminished NPF intensity at CHC but not EAC. This study highlights NPF dynamics in the Andes.
Ekaterina Ezhova, Topi Laanti, Anna Lintunen, Pasi Kolari, Tuomo Nieminen, Ivan Mammarella, Keijo Heljanko, and Markku Kulmala
Biogeosciences, 22, 257–288, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-257-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-257-2025, 2025
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Machine learning (ML) models are gaining popularity in biogeosciences. They are applied as gap-filling methods and used to upscale carbon fluxes to larger areas. Here we use explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods to elucidate the performance of machine learning models for carbon dioxide fluxes in boreal forests. We show that statistically equal models treat input variables differently. XAI methods can help scientists make informed decisions when applying ML models in their research.
Otso Peräkylä, Erkka Rinne, Ekaterina Ezhova, Anna Lintunen, Annalea Lohila, Juho Aalto, Mika Aurela, Pasi Kolari, and Markku Kulmala
Biogeosciences, 22, 153–179, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-153-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-153-2025, 2025
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Forests are seen as good for climate. Yet, in areas with snow, trees break up the white snow surface and absorb more sunlight than open areas. This has a warming effect, negating some of the climate benefit of trees. We studied two site pairs in Finland, both with an open peatland and a forest. We found that the later the snow melts, the more extra energy the forest absorbs as compared to the peatland. This has implications for the future, as snow cover duration is affected by global warming.
Matthew Boyer, Diego Aliaga, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Silvia Bucci, Hélène Angot, Lubna Dada, Benjamin Heutte, Lisa Beck, Marina Duetsch, Andreas Stohl, Ivo Beck, Tiia Laurila, Nina Sarnela, Roseline C. Thakur, Branka Miljevic, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Mikko Sipilä, Julia Schmale, and Tuija Jokinen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12595–12621, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12595-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12595-2024, 2024
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We analyze the seasonal cycle and sources of gases that are relevant for the formation of aerosol particles in the central Arctic. Since theses gases can form new particles, they can influence Arctic climate. We show that the sources of these gases are associated with changes in the Arctic environment during the year, especially with respect to sea ice. Therefore, the concentration of these gases will likely change in the future as the Arctic continues to warm.
Franziska Vogel, Michael P. Adams, Larissa Lacher, Polly B. Foster, Grace C. E. Porter, Barbara Bertozzi, Kristina Höhler, Julia Schneider, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Jens Nadolny, Zoé Brasseur, Paavo Heikkilä, Erik S. Thomson, Nicole Büttner, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Alexander D. Harrison, Jorma Keskinen, Ulrike Proske, Jonathan Duplissy, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Benjamin J. Murray
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11737–11757, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11737-2024, 2024
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Primary ice formation in clouds strongly influences their properties; hence, it is important to understand the sources of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) and their variability. We present 2 months of INP measurements in a Finnish boreal forest using a new semi-autonomous INP counting device based on gas expansion. These results show strong variability in INP concentrations, and we present a case that the INPs we observe are, at least some of the time, of biological origin.
Markku Kulmala, Santeri Tuovinen, Sander Mirme, Paap Koemets, Lauri Ahonen, Yongchun Liu, Heikki Junninen, Tuukka Petäjä, and Veli-Matti Kerminen
Aerosol Research, 2, 291–301, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-291-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-291-2024, 2024
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With the recently developed CIC (Cluster Ion Counter) instrument, we can observe dynamics of small air ions and intermediate air ions. Furthermore, we can observe condensation sink and formation and growth rates for intermediated ions.
Zoé Brasseur, Julia Schneider, Janne Lampilahti, Ville Vakkari, Victoria A. Sinclair, Christina J. Williamson, Carlton Xavier, Dmitri Moisseev, Markus Hartmann, Pyry Poutanen, Markus Lampimäki, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Erik S. Thomson, Kristina Höhler, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11305–11332, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11305-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11305-2024, 2024
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Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) strongly influence the formation of clouds by initiating the formation of ice crystals. However, very little is known about the vertical distribution of INPs in the atmosphere. Here, we present aircraft measurements of INP concentrations above the Finnish boreal forest. Results show that near-surface INPs are efficiently transported and mixed within the boundary layer and occasionally reach the free troposphere.
Jia Sun, Markus Hermann, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Wolfram Birmili, Yifan Yang, Thomas Tuch, Harald Flentje, Björn Briel, Ludwig Ries, Cedric Couret, Michael Elsasser, Ralf Sohmer, Klaus Wirtz, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Schütze, Olaf Bath, Bryan Hellack, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Nan Ma, and Alfred Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10667–10687, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10667-2024, 2024
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We investigated the characteristics of new particle formation (NPF) for various environments from urban background to high Alpine and the impacts of NPF on cloud condensation nuclei and aerosol radiative forcing. NPF features differ between site categories, implying the crucial role of local environmental factors such as the degree of emissions and meteorological conditions. The results also underscore the importance of local environments when assessing the impact of NPF on climate in models.
Jiewen Shen, Bin Zhao, Shuxiao Wang, An Ning, Yuyang Li, Runlong Cai, Da Gao, Biwu Chu, Yang Gao, Manish Shrivastava, Jingkun Jiang, Xiuhui Zhang, and Hong He
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10261–10278, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10261-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10261-2024, 2024
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We extensively compare various cluster-dynamics-based parameterizations for sulfuric acid–dimethylamine nucleation and identify a newly developed parameterization derived from Atmospheric Cluster Dynamic Code (ACDC) simulations as being the most reliable one. This study offers a valuable reference for developing parameterizations of other nucleation systems and is meaningful for the accurate quantification of the environmental and climate impacts of new particle formation.
Yusheng Zhang, Feixue Zheng, Zemin Feng, Chaofan Lian, Weigang Wang, Xiaolong Fan, Wei Ma, Zhuohui Lin, Chang Li, Gen Zhang, Chao Yan, Ying Zhang, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Federico Bianch, Tuukka Petäjä, Juha Kangasluoma, Markku Kulmala, and Yongchun Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8569–8587, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8569-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8569-2024, 2024
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The nitrous acid (HONO) budget was validated during a COVID-19 lockdown event. The main conclusions are (1) HONO concentrations showed a significant decrease from 0.97 to 0.53 ppb during lockdown; (2) vehicle emissions accounted for 53 % of nighttime sources, with the heterogeneous conversion of NO2 on ground surfaces more important than aerosol; and (3) the dominant daytime source shifted from the homogenous reaction between NO and OH (51 %) to nitrate photolysis (53 %) during lockdown.
Ella Häkkinen, Huan Yang, Runlong Cai, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4211–4225, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4211-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4211-2024, 2024
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We report measurements of evaporation kinetics and surface equilibrium vapor pressures for various laboratory-generated organic nanoparticles using the dynamic-aerosol-size electrical mobility spectrometer (DEMS), a recent advancement in aerosol process characterization. Our findings align well with literature values, demonstrating DEMS's effectiveness. We suggest future improvements to DEMS and anticipate its potential for probing aerosol-related kinetic processes with unknown mechanisms.
Santeri Tuovinen, Janne Lampilahti, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
Aerosol Research, 2, 93–105, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-93-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-93-2024, 2024
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Atmospheric intermediate ions can be used to study atmospheric new particle formation (NPF). Here we aimed to find the optimal ion diameter for this purpose on a local scale. To fulfill our aim, we used ion size number distribution data from the SMEAR II measurement station, Hyytiälä, Finland. We found that concentrations of ions between 2.0–2.3 nm are the best suited for characterization of local intermediate ion formation and could be used to detect and evaluate the strength of local NPF.
Bjorn Stevens, Stefan Adami, Tariq Ali, Hartwig Anzt, Zafer Aslan, Sabine Attinger, Jaana Bäck, Johanna Baehr, Peter Bauer, Natacha Bernier, Bob Bishop, Hendryk Bockelmann, Sandrine Bony, Guy Brasseur, David N. Bresch, Sean Breyer, Gilbert Brunet, Pier Luigi Buttigieg, Junji Cao, Christelle Castet, Yafang Cheng, Ayantika Dey Choudhury, Deborah Coen, Susanne Crewell, Atish Dabholkar, Qing Dai, Francisco Doblas-Reyes, Dale Durran, Ayoub El Gaidi, Charlie Ewen, Eleftheria Exarchou, Veronika Eyring, Florencia Falkinhoff, David Farrell, Piers M. Forster, Ariane Frassoni, Claudia Frauen, Oliver Fuhrer, Shahzad Gani, Edwin Gerber, Debra Goldfarb, Jens Grieger, Nicolas Gruber, Wilco Hazeleger, Rolf Herken, Chris Hewitt, Torsten Hoefler, Huang-Hsiung Hsu, Daniela Jacob, Alexandra Jahn, Christian Jakob, Thomas Jung, Christopher Kadow, In-Sik Kang, Sarah Kang, Karthik Kashinath, Katharina Kleinen-von Königslöw, Daniel Klocke, Uta Kloenne, Milan Klöwer, Chihiro Kodama, Stefan Kollet, Tobias Kölling, Jenni Kontkanen, Steve Kopp, Michal Koran, Markku Kulmala, Hanna Lappalainen, Fakhria Latifi, Bryan Lawrence, June Yi Lee, Quentin Lejeun, Christian Lessig, Chao Li, Thomas Lippert, Jürg Luterbacher, Pekka Manninen, Jochem Marotzke, Satoshi Matsouoka, Charlotte Merchant, Peter Messmer, Gero Michel, Kristel Michielsen, Tomoki Miyakawa, Jens Müller, Ramsha Munir, Sandeep Narayanasetti, Ousmane Ndiaye, Carlos Nobre, Achim Oberg, Riko Oki, Tuba Özkan-Haller, Tim Palmer, Stan Posey, Andreas Prein, Odessa Primus, Mike Pritchard, Julie Pullen, Dian Putrasahan, Johannes Quaas, Krishnan Raghavan, Venkatachalam Ramaswamy, Markus Rapp, Florian Rauser, Markus Reichstein, Aromar Revi, Sonakshi Saluja, Masaki Satoh, Vera Schemann, Sebastian Schemm, Christina Schnadt Poberaj, Thomas Schulthess, Cath Senior, Jagadish Shukla, Manmeet Singh, Julia Slingo, Adam Sobel, Silvina Solman, Jenna Spitzer, Philip Stier, Thomas Stocker, Sarah Strock, Hang Su, Petteri Taalas, John Taylor, Susann Tegtmeier, Georg Teutsch, Adrian Tompkins, Uwe Ulbrich, Pier-Luigi Vidale, Chien-Ming Wu, Hao Xu, Najibullah Zaki, Laure Zanna, Tianjun Zhou, and Florian Ziemen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 2113–2122, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2113-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-2113-2024, 2024
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To manage Earth in the Anthropocene, new tools, new institutions, and new forms of international cooperation will be required. Earth Virtualization Engines is proposed as an international federation of centers of excellence to empower all people to respond to the immense and urgent challenges posed by climate change.
Markku Kulmala, Diego Aliaga, Santeri Tuovinen, Runlong Cai, Heikki Junninen, Chao Yan, Federico Bianchi, Yafang Cheng, Aijun Ding, Douglas R. Worsnop, Tuukka Petäjä, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Pauli Paasonen, and Veli-Matti Kerminen
Aerosol Research, 2, 49–58, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-49-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-49-2024, 2024
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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.
Jian Zhao, Valter Mickwitz, Yuanyuan Luo, Ella Häkkinen, Frans Graeffe, Jiangyi Zhang, Hilkka Timonen, Manjula Canagaratna, Jordan E. Krechmer, Qi Zhang, Markku Kulmala, Juha Kangasluoma, Douglas Worsnop, and Mikael Ehn
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1527–1543, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1527-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1527-2024, 2024
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Organic aerosol constitutes a significant portion of atmospheric fine particles but is less characterized due to its vast number of constituents. Recently, we developed a system for online measurements of particle-phase highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs). In this work, we systematically characterized the system, developed a new unit to enhance its performance, and demonstrated the essential role of thermograms in inferring volatility and quantifying HOMs in organic aerosols.
Shiyi Lai, Ximeng Qi, Xin Huang, Sijia Lou, Xuguang Chi, Liangduo Chen, Chong Liu, Yuliang Liu, Chao Yan, Mengmeng Li, Tengyu Liu, Wei Nie, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Aijun Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2535–2553, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2535-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2535-2024, 2024
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By combining in situ measurements and chemical transport modeling, this study investigates new particle formation (NPF) on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. We found that the NPF was driven by the presence of biogenic gases and the transport of anthropogenic precursors. The NPF was vertically heterogeneous and shaped by the vertical mixing. This study highlights the importance of anthropogenic–biogenic interactions and meteorological dynamics in NPF in this climate-sensitive region.
Jing Cai, Juha Sulo, Yifang Gu, Sebastian Holm, Runlong Cai, Steven Thomas, Almuth Neuberger, Fredrik Mattsson, Marco Paglione, Stefano Decesari, Matteo Rinaldi, Rujing Yin, Diego Aliaga, Wei Huang, Yuanyuan Li, Yvette Gramlich, Giancarlo Ciarelli, Lauriane Quéléver, Nina Sarnela, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Nora Zannoni, Cheng Wu, Wei Nie, Juha Kangasluoma, Claudia Mohr, Markku Kulmala, Qiaozhi Zha, Dominik Stolzenburg, and Federico Bianchi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2423–2441, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2423-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2423-2024, 2024
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By combining field measurements, simulations and recent chamber experiments, we investigate new particle formation (NPF) and growth in the Po Valley, where both haze and frequent NPF occur. Our results show that sulfuric acid, ammonia and amines are the dominant NPF precursors there. A high NPF rate and a lower condensation sink lead to a greater survival probability for newly formed particles, highlighting the importance of gas-to-particle conversion for aerosol concentrations.
Anton Rusanen, Anton Björklund, Manousos I. Manousakas, Jianhui Jiang, Markku T. Kulmala, Kai Puolamäki, and Kaspar R. Daellenbach
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1251–1277, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1251-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1251-2024, 2024
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We present a Bayesian non-negative matrix factorization model that performs better on our test datasets than currently widely used models. Its advantages are better use of time information and providing a direct error estimation. We believe this could lead to better estimates of emission sources from measurements.
Juha Sulo, Joonas Enroth, Aki Pajunoja, Joonas Vanhanen, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Tuukka Petäjä, and Markku Kulmala
Aerosol Research, 2, 13–20, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-13-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-13-2024, 2024
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We present a novel version of an aerosol number size distribution instrument, showcasing its capability to measure particle number concentration and particle number size distribution between 1 and 12 nm. Our results show that the instrument agrees well with existing instrumentation and allows for both the accurate measurement of the smallest particles and overlap with more conventional aerosol number size distribution instruments.
Ying Zhang, Duzitian Li, Xu-Cheng He, Wei Nie, Chenjuan Deng, Runlong Cai, Yuliang Liu, Yishuo Guo, Chong Liu, Yiran Li, Liangduo Chen, Yuanyuan Li, Chenjie Hua, Tingyu Liu, Zongcheng Wang, Jiali Xie, Lei Wang, Tuukka Petäjä, Federico Bianchi, Ximeng Qi, Xuguang Chi, Pauli Paasonen, Yongchun Liu, Chao Yan, Jingkun Jiang, Aijun Ding, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1873–1893, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1873-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1873-2024, 2024
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This study conducts a long-term observation of gaseous iodine oxoacids in two Chinese megacities, revealing their ubiquitous presence with peak concentrations (up to 0.1 pptv) in summer. Our analysis suggests a mix of terrestrial and marine sources for iodine. Additionally, iodic acid is identified as a notable contributor to sub-3 nm particle growth and particle survival probability.
Diego Aliaga, Santeri Tuovinen, Tinghan Zhang, Janne Lampilahti, Xinyang Li, Lauri Ahonen, Tom Kokkonen, Tuomo Nieminen, Simo Hakala, Pauli Paasonen, Federico Bianchi, Doug Worsnop, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
Aerosol Research, 1, 81–92, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-1-81-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-1-81-2023, 2023
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We introduce a novel method for evaluating days when small particles are formed in the atmosphere. Instead of the traditional binary division between event and non-event days, our method, known as "nano ranking analysis", provides a continuous, non-categorical metric for each day. By utilizing data from Hyytiälä, Finland, we show that our approach effectively quantifies these events. This innovative method paves the way for a deeper understanding of the factors influencing particle formation.
Putian Zhou, Zhengyao Lu, Jukka-Pekka Keskinen, Qiong Zhang, Juha Lento, Jianpu Bian, Twan van Noije, Philippe Le Sager, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Michael Boy, and Risto Makkonen
Clim. Past, 19, 2445–2462, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-19-2445-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-19-2445-2023, 2023
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A Green Sahara with enhanced rainfall and larger vegetation cover existed in northern Africa about 6000 years ago. Biosphere–atmosphere interactions are found to be critical to explaining this wet period. Based on modeled vegetation reconstruction data, we simulated dust emissions and aerosol formation, which are key factors in biosphere–atmosphere interactions. Our results also provide a benchmark of aerosol climatology for future paleo-climate simulation experiments.
Markku Kulmala, Anna Lintunen, Hanna Lappalainen, Annele Virtanen, Chao Yan, Ekaterina Ezhova, Tuomo Nieminen, Ilona Riipinen, Risto Makkonen, Johanna Tamminen, Anu-Maija Sundström, Antti Arola, Armin Hansel, Kari Lehtinen, Timo Vesala, Tuukka Petäjä, Jaana Bäck, Tom Kokkonen, and Veli-Matti Kerminen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14949–14971, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14949-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14949-2023, 2023
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To be able to meet global grand challenges, we need comprehensive open data with proper metadata. In this opinion paper, we describe the SMEAR (Station for Measuring Earth surface – Atmosphere Relations) concept and include several examples (cases), such as new particle formation and growth, feedback loops and the effect of COVID-19, and what has been learned from these investigations. The future needs and the potential of comprehensive observations of the environment are summarized.
Xiaoxiao Li, Yijing Chen, Yuyang Li, Runlong Cai, Yiran Li, Chenjuan Deng, Jin Wu, Chao Yan, Hairong Cheng, Yongchun Liu, Markku Kulmala, Jiming Hao, James N. Smith, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14801–14812, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14801-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14801-2023, 2023
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Near-continuous measurements show the composition, sources, and seasonal variations of ultrafine particles (UFPs) in urban Beijing. Vehicle and cooking emissions and new particle formation are the main sources of UFPs, and aqueous/heterogeneous processes increase UFP mode diameters. UFPs are the highest in winter due to the highest primary particle emission rates and new particle formation rates, and CHO fractions are the highest in summer due to the strongest photooxidation.
Magdalena Okuljar, Olga Garmash, Miska Olin, Joni Kalliokoski, Hilkka Timonen, Jarkko V. Niemi, Pauli Paasonen, Jenni Kontkanen, Yanjun Zhang, Heidi Hellén, Heino Kuuluvainen, Minna Aurela, Hanna E. Manninen, Mikko Sipilä, Topi Rönkkö, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Miikka Dal Maso, and Mikael Ehn
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12965–12983, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12965-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12965-2023, 2023
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Highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) form secondary organic aerosol that affects air quality and health. In this study, we demonstrate that in a moderately polluted city with abundant vegetation, the composition of HOMs is largely controlled by the effect of NOx on the biogenic volatile organic compound oxidation. Comparing the results from two nearby stations, we show that HOM composition and formation pathways can change considerably within small distances in urban environments.
Xu-Cheng He, Jiali Shen, Siddharth Iyer, Paxton Juuti, Jiangyi Zhang, Mrisha Koirala, Mikko M. Kytökari, Douglas R. Worsnop, Matti Rissanen, Markku Kulmala, Norbert M. Maier, Jyri Mikkilä, Mikko Sipilä, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4461–4487, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4461-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4461-2023, 2023
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In this study, the upgraded multi-scheme chemical ionisation inlet 2 is presented. Sulfuric acid, hypoiodous acid, iodine, sulfur dioxide, and hydroperoxyl radicals are calibrated, and the improved ion optics allow us to detect sulfuric acid and iodine-containing molecules at as low as a few parts per quadrillion by volume. Additionally, we confirm the reliable detection of iodic acid using both the nitrate and bromide chemical ionisation methods under atmospherically relevant conditions.
Simo Hakala, Ville Vakkari, Heikki Lihavainen, Antti-Pekka Hyvärinen, Kimmo Neitola, Jenni Kontkanen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Tareq Hussein, Mamdouh I. Khoder, Mansour A. Alghamdi, and Pauli Paasonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9287–9321, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9287-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9287-2023, 2023
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Things are not always as they first seem in ambient aerosol measurements. Observations of decreasing particle sizes are often interpreted as resulting from particle evaporation. We show that such observations can counterintuitively be explained by particles that are constantly growing in size. This requires one to account for the previous movements of the observed air. Our explanation implies a larger number of larger particles, meaning more significant effects of aerosols on climate and health.
Dimitri Castarède, Zoé Brasseur, Yusheng Wu, Zamin A. Kanji, Markus Hartmann, Lauri Ahonen, Merete Bilde, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Jan B. C. Pettersson, Berko Sierau, Olaf Stetzer, Frank Stratmann, Birgitta Svenningsson, Erik Swietlicki, Quynh Thu Nguyen, Jonathan Duplissy, and Erik S. Thomson
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3881–3899, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3881-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3881-2023, 2023
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Clouds play a key role in Earth’s climate by influencing the surface energy budget. Certain types of atmospheric aerosols, called ice-nucleating particles (INPs), induce the formation of ice in clouds and, thus, often initiate precipitation formation. The Portable Ice Nucleation Chamber 2 (PINCii) is a new instrument developed to study ice formation and to conduct ambient measurements of INPs, allowing us to investigate the sources and properties of the atmospheric aerosols that can act as INPs.
Sophie L. Haslett, David M. Bell, Varun Kumar, Jay G. Slowik, Dongyu S. Wang, Suneeti Mishra, Neeraj Rastogi, Atinderpal Singh, Dilip Ganguly, Joel Thornton, Feixue Zheng, Yuanyuan Li, Wei Nie, Yongchun Liu, Wei Ma, Chao Yan, Markku Kulmala, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, David Hadden, Urs Baltensperger, Andre S. H. Prevot, Sachchida N. Tripathi, and Claudia Mohr
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9023–9036, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9023-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9023-2023, 2023
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In Delhi, some aspects of daytime and nighttime atmospheric chemistry are inverted, and parodoxically, vehicle emissions may be limiting other forms of particle production. This is because the nighttime emissions of nitrogen oxide (NO) by traffic and biomass burning prevent some chemical processes that would otherwise create even more particles and worsen the urban haze.
Yuyang Li, Jiewen Shen, Bin Zhao, Runlong Cai, Shuxiao Wang, Yang Gao, Manish Shrivastava, Da Gao, Jun Zheng, Markku Kulmala, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8789–8804, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8789-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8789-2023, 2023
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We set up a new parameterization for 1.4 nm particle formation rates from sulfuric acid–dimethylamine (SA–DMA) nucleation, fully including the effects of coagulation scavenging and cluster stability. Incorporating the new parameterization into 3-D chemical transport models, we achieved better consistencies between simulation results and observation data. This new parameterization provides new insights into atmospheric nucleation simulations and its effects on atmospheric pollution or health.
Guangdong Niu, Ximeng Qi, Liangduo Chen, Lian Xue, Shiyi Lai, Xin Huang, Jiaping Wang, Xuguang Chi, Wei Nie, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Aijun Ding
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7521–7534, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7521-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7521-2023, 2023
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The reported below-cloud wet-scavenging coefficients (BWSCs) are much higher than theoretical data, but the reason remains unclear. Based on long-term observation, we find that air mass changing during rainfall events causes the overestimation of BWSCs. Thus, the discrepancy in BWSCs between observation and theory is not as large as currently believed. To obtain reasonable BWSCs and parameterizations from field observations, the effect of air mass changes needs to be considered.
Jonas Elm, Aladár Czitrovszky, Andreas Held, Annele Virtanen, Astrid Kiendler-Scharr, Benjamin J. Murray, Daniel McCluskey, Daniele Contini, David Broday, Eirini Goudeli, Hilkka Timonen, Joan Rosell-Llompart, Jose L. Castillo, Evangelia Diapouli, Mar Viana, Maria E. Messing, Markku Kulmala, Naděžda Zíková, and Sebastian H. Schmitt
Aerosol Research, 1, 13–16, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-1-13-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-1-13-2023, 2023
Santeri Tuovinen, Janne Lampilahti, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1108, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1108, 2023
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Atmospheric ions can be used to characterize and detect atmospheric new particle formation. In this study we aimed to find the optimal ion diameter for this purpose within a local scale. To fulfill our aim, we used ion size number distribution data from SMEAR II measurement station, Hyytiälä, Finland. We found that negative ions between 2.0–2.3 nm are the best suited for characterization of local NPF, with minimized influence of transported ions.
Chenxi Li, Yuyang Li, Xiaoxiao Li, Runlong Cai, Yaxin Fan, Xiaohui Qiao, Rujing Yin, Chao Yan, Yishuo Guo, Yongchun Liu, Jun Zheng, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, Huayun Xiao, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6879–6896, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6879-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6879-2023, 2023
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New particle formation and growth in polluted environments are not fully understood despite intensive research. We applied a cluster dynamics–multicomponent sectional model to simulate the new particle formation events observed in Beijing, China. The simulation approximately captures how the events evolve. Further diagnosis shows that the oxygenated organic molecules may have been under-detected, and modulating their abundance leads to significantly improved simulation–observation agreement.
Joschka Pfeifer, Naser G. A. Mahfouz, Benjamin C. Schulze, Serge Mathot, Dominik Stolzenburg, Rima Baalbaki, Zoé Brasseur, Lucia Caudillo, Lubna Dada, Manuel Granzin, Xu-Cheng He, Houssni Lamkaddam, Brandon Lopez, Vladimir Makhmutov, Ruby Marten, Bernhard Mentler, Tatjana Müller, Antti Onnela, Maxim Philippov, Ana A. Piedehierro, Birte Rörup, Meredith Schervish, Ping Tian, Nsikanabasi S. Umo, Dongyu S. Wang, Mingyi Wang, Stefan K. Weber, André Welti, Yusheng Wu, Marcel Zauner-Wieczorek, Antonio Amorim, Imad El Haddad, Markku Kulmala, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Tuukka Petäjä, António Tomé, Sander Mirme, Hanna E. Manninen, Neil M. Donahue, Richard C. Flagan, Andreas Kürten, Joachim Curtius, and Jasper Kirkby
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6703–6718, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6703-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6703-2023, 2023
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Attachment rate coefficients between ions and charged aerosol particles determine their lifetimes and may also influence cloud dynamics and aerosol processing. Here we present novel experiments that measure ion–aerosol attachment rate coefficients for multiply charged aerosol particles under atmospheric conditions in the CERN CLOUD chamber. Our results provide experimental discrimination between various theoretical models.
Yishuo Guo, Chenjuan Deng, Aino Ovaska, Feixue Zheng, Chenjie Hua, Junlei Zhan, Yiran Li, Jin Wu, Zongcheng Wang, Jiali Xie, Ying Zhang, Tingyu Liu, Yusheng Zhang, Boying Song, Wei Ma, Yongchun Liu, Chao Yan, Jingkun Jiang, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Men Xia, Tuomo Nieminen, Wei Du, Tom Kokkonen, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6663–6690, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6663-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6663-2023, 2023
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Using the comprehensive datasets, we investigated the long-term variations of air pollutants during winter in Beijing from 2019 to 2022 and analyzed the characteristics of atmospheric pollution cocktail during different short-term special events (e.g., Beijing Winter Olympics, COVID lockdown and Chinese New Year) associated with substantial emission reductions. Our results are useful in planning more targeted and sustainable long-term pollution control plans.
Lucía Caudillo, Mihnea Surdu, Brandon Lopez, Mingyi Wang, Markus Thoma, Steffen Bräkling, Angela Buchholz, Mario Simon, Andrea C. Wagner, Tatjana Müller, Manuel Granzin, Martin Heinritzi, Antonio Amorim, David M. Bell, Zoé Brasseur, Lubna Dada, Jonathan Duplissy, Henning Finkenzeller, Xu-Cheng He, Houssni Lamkaddam, Naser G. A. Mahfouz, Vladimir Makhmutov, Hanna E. Manninen, Guillaume Marie, Ruby Marten, Roy L. Mauldin, Bernhard Mentler, Antti Onnela, Tuukka Petäjä, Joschka Pfeifer, Maxim Philippov, Ana A. Piedehierro, Birte Rörup, Wiebke Scholz, Jiali Shen, Dominik Stolzenburg, Christian Tauber, Ping Tian, António Tomé, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, Dongyu S. Wang, Yonghong Wang, Stefan K. Weber, André Welti, Marcel Zauner-Wieczorek, Urs Baltensperger, Richard C. Flagan, Armin Hansel, Jasper Kirkby, Markku Kulmala, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Douglas R. Worsnop, Imad El Haddad, Neil M. Donahue, Alexander L. Vogel, Andreas Kürten, and Joachim Curtius
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 6613–6631, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6613-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6613-2023, 2023
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In this study, we present an intercomparison of four different techniques for measuring the chemical composition of nanoparticles. The intercomparison was performed based on the observed chemical composition, calculated volatility, and analysis of the thermograms. We found that the methods generally agree on the most important compounds that are found in the nanoparticles. However, they do see different parts of the organic spectrum. We suggest potential explanations for these differences.
Anton Rusanen, Kristo Hõrrak, Lauri R. Ahonen, Tuomo Nieminen, Pasi P. Aalto, Pasi Kolari, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, and Heikki Junninen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2781–2793, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2781-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2781-2023, 2023
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We present a framework for setting up SMEAR (Station for Measuring Ecosystem–Atmosphere Relations) type measurement station data flows. This framework, called SMEARcore, consists of modular open-source software components that can be chosen to suit various station configurations. The benefits of using this framework are automation of routine operations and real-time monitoring of measurement results.
Juan Hong, Min Tang, Qiaoqiao Wang, Nan Ma, Shaowen Zhu, Shaobin Zhang, Xihao Pan, Linhong Xie, Guo Li, Uwe Kuhn, Chao Yan, Jiangchuan Tao, Ye Kuang, Yao He, Wanyun Xu, Runlong Cai, Yaqing Zhou, Zhibin Wang, Guangsheng Zhou, Bin Yuan, Yafang Cheng, and Hang Su
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5699–5713, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5699-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5699-2023, 2023
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A comprehensive investigation of the characteristics of new particle formation (NPF) events was conducted at a rural site on the North China Plain (NCP), China, during the wintertime of 2018 by covering the particle number size distribution down to sub–3 nm. Potential mechanisms for NPF under the current environment were explored, followed by a further discussion on the factors governing the occurrence of NPF at this rural site compared with other regions (e.g., urban areas) in the NCP region.
Rujing Yin, Xiaoxiao Li, Chao Yan, Runlong Cai, Ying Zhou, Juha Kangasluoma, Nina Sarnela, Janne Lampilahti, Tuukka Petäjä, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Federico Bianchi, Markku Kulmala, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5279–5296, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5279-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5279-2023, 2023
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Atmospheric cluster ions are important constituents in the atmosphere. However, the quantitative research on their compositions is still limited, especially in urban environments. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of an in situ quantification method of cluster ions measured by a high-resolution mass spectrometer and reveal their governing factors, sources, and sinks in urban Beijing through quantitative analysis of cluster ions, reagent ions, neutral molecules, and condensation sink.
Qiaozhi Zha, Wei Huang, Diego Aliaga, Otso Peräkylä, Liine Heikkinen, Alkuin Maximilian Koenig, Cheng Wu, Joonas Enroth, Yvette Gramlich, Jing Cai, Samara Carbone, Armin Hansel, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Douglas Worsnop, Victoria Sinclair, Radovan Krejci, Marcos Andrade, Claudia Mohr, and Federico Bianchi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4559–4576, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4559-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4559-2023, 2023
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We investigate the chemical composition of atmospheric cluster ions from January to May 2018 at the high-altitude research station Chacaltaya (5240 m a.s.l.) in the Bolivian Andes. With state-of-the-art mass spectrometers and air mass history analysis, the measured cluster ions exhibited distinct diurnal and seasonal patterns, some of which contributed to new particle formation. Our study will improve the understanding of atmospheric ions and their role in high-altitude new particle formation.
Melissa Meder, Otso Peräkylä, Jonathan G. Varelas, Jingyi Luo, Runlong Cai, Yanjun Zhang, Theo Kurtén, Matthieu Riva, Matti Rissanen, Franz M. Geiger, Regan J. Thomson, and Mikael Ehn
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4373–4390, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4373-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4373-2023, 2023
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We discuss and show the viability of a method where multiple isotopically labelled precursors are used for probing the formation pathways of highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) from the oxidation of the monoterpene a-pinene. HOMs are very important for secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation in forested regions, and monoterpenes are the single largest source of SOA globally. The fast reactions forming HOMs have thus far remained elusive despite considerable efforts over the last decade.
Meri Räty, Larisa Sogacheva, Helmi-Marja Keskinen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuomo Nieminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Ekaterina Ezhova, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3779–3798, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3779-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3779-2023, 2023
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We utilised back trajectories to identify the source region of air masses arriving in Hyytiälä, Finland, and their travel time over forests. Combined with atmospheric observations, they revealed how air mass transport over the Fennoscandian boreal forest during the growing season produced an accumulation of cloud condensation nuclei and humidity, promoting cloudiness and precipitation. By 55 h of transport, air masses appeared to reach a balanced state with the forest environment.
Jing Cai, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Cheng Wu, Yan Zheng, Feixue Zheng, Wei Du, Sophie L. Haslett, Qi Chen, Markku Kulmala, and Claudia Mohr
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 1147–1165, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1147-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1147-2023, 2023
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We introduce the offline application of FIGAERO-CIMS by analyzing Teflon and quartz filter samples that were collected at a typical urban site in Beijing with the deposition time varying from 30 min to 24 h. This method provides a feasible, simple, and quantitative way to investigate the molecular composition and volatility of OA compounds by using FIGAERO-CIMS to analyze offline samples.
Matti Kämäräinen, Juha-Pekka Tuovinen, Markku Kulmala, Ivan Mammarella, Juha Aalto, Henriikka Vekuri, Annalea Lohila, and Anna Lintunen
Biogeosciences, 20, 897–909, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-897-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-897-2023, 2023
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In this study, we introduce a new method for modeling the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and a study site located in a boreal forest in southern Finland. Our method yields more accurate results than previous approaches in this context. Accurately estimating carbon exchange is crucial for gaining a better understanding of the role of forests in regulating atmospheric carbon and addressing climate change.
Lejish Vettikkat, Pasi Miettinen, Angela Buchholz, Pekka Rantala, Hao Yu, Simon Schallhart, Tuukka Petäjä, Roger Seco, Elisa Männistö, Markku Kulmala, Eeva-Stiina Tuittila, Alex B. Guenther, and Siegfried Schobesberger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2683–2698, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2683-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2683-2023, 2023
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Wetlands cover a substantial fraction of the land mass in the northern latitudes, from northern Europe to Siberia and Canada. Yet, their isoprene and terpene emissions remain understudied. Here, we used a state-of-the-art measurement technique to quantify ecosystem-scale emissions from a boreal wetland during an unusually warm spring/summer. We found that the emissions from this wetland were (a) higher and (b) even more strongly dependent on temperature than commonly thought.
Wiebke Scholz, Jiali Shen, Diego Aliaga, Cheng Wu, Samara Carbone, Isabel Moreno, Qiaozhi Zha, Wei Huang, Liine Heikkinen, Jean Luc Jaffrezo, Gaelle Uzu, Eva Partoll, Markus Leiminger, Fernando Velarde, Paolo Laj, Patrick Ginot, Paolo Artaxo, Alfred Wiedensohler, Markku Kulmala, Claudia Mohr, Marcos Andrade, Victoria Sinclair, Federico Bianchi, and Armin Hansel
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 895–920, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-895-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-895-2023, 2023
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Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), emitted from the ocean, is the most abundant biogenic sulfur emission into the atmosphere. OH radicals, among others, can oxidize DMS to sulfuric and methanesulfonic acid, which are relevant for aerosol formation. We quantified DMS and nearly all DMS oxidation products with novel mass spectrometric instruments for gas and particle phase at the high mountain station Chacaltaya (5240 m a.s.l.) in the Bolivian Andes in free tropospheric air after long-range transport.
Matthew Boyer, Diego Aliaga, Jakob Boyd Pernov, Hélène Angot, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Lubna Dada, Benjamin Heutte, Manuel Dall'Osto, David C. S. Beddows, Zoé Brasseur, Ivo Beck, Silvia Bucci, Marina Duetsch, Andreas Stohl, Tiia Laurila, Eija Asmi, Andreas Massling, Daniel Charles Thomas, Jakob Klenø Nøjgaard, Tak Chan, Sangeeta Sharma, Peter Tunved, Radovan Krejci, Hans Christen Hansson, Federico Bianchi, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Alfred Wiedensohler, Kay Weinhold, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Mikko Sipilä, Julia Schmale, and Tuija Jokinen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 389–415, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-389-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-389-2023, 2023
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The Arctic is a unique environment that is warming faster than other locations on Earth. We evaluate measurements of aerosol particles, which can influence climate, over the central Arctic Ocean for a full year and compare the data to land-based measurement stations across the Arctic. Our measurements show that the central Arctic has similarities to but also distinct differences from the stations further south. We note that this may change as the Arctic warms and sea ice continues to decline.
Juha Sulo, Janne Lampilahti, Xuemeng Chen, Jenni Kontkanen, Tuomo Nieminen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Katrianne Lehtipalo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15223–15242, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15223-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15223-2022, 2022
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We measured atmospheric ion concentrations continuously in a boreal forest between 2005 and 2021 and observed an increasing interannual trend. The increase in cluster ion concentrations can be largely explained by an overall decreasing level of anthropogenic aerosols in the boreal forest. This suggests that the role of ions in atmospheric new particle formation may be more important in the future.
Santeri Tuovinen, Runlong Cai, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Jingkun Jiang, Chao Yan, Markku Kulmala, and Jenni Kontkanen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 15071–15091, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15071-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15071-2022, 2022
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We compare observed survival probabilities of atmospheric particles from Beijing, China, with survival probabilities based on analytical formulae and model simulations. We find observed survival probabilities under polluted conditions at smaller sizes to be higher, while at larger sizes they are lower than or similar to theoretical survival probabilities. Uncertainties in condensation sink and growth rate are unlikely to explain higher-than-predicted survival probabilities at smaller sizes.
Runlong Cai, Chenjuan Deng, Dominik Stolzenburg, Chenxi Li, Junchen Guo, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Jingkun Jiang, Markku Kulmala, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14571–14587, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14571-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14571-2022, 2022
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The survival probability of new particles is the key parameter governing their influences on the atmosphere and climate, yet the knowledge of particle survival in the atmosphere is rather limited. We propose methods to compute the size-resolved particle survival probability and validate them using simulations and measurements from diverse environments. Using these methods, we could explain particle survival from the cluster size to the cloud condensation nuclei size.
Matti Räsänen, Mika Aurela, Ville Vakkari, Johan P. Beukes, Juha-Pekka Tuovinen, Pieter G. Van Zyl, Miroslav Josipovic, Stefan J. Siebert, Tuomas Laurila, Markku Kulmala, Lauri Laakso, Janne Rinne, Ram Oren, and Gabriel Katul
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 5773–5791, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5773-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5773-2022, 2022
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The productivity of semiarid grazed grasslands is linked to the variation in rainfall and transpiration. By combining carbon dioxide and water flux measurements, we show that the annual transpiration is nearly constant during wet years while grasses react quickly to dry spells and drought, which reduce transpiration. The planning of annual grazing strategies could consider the early-season rainfall frequency that was linked to the portion of annual transpiration.
Chenjuan Deng, Yiran Li, Chao Yan, Jin Wu, Runlong Cai, Dongbin Wang, Yongchun Liu, Juha Kangasluoma, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Markku Kulmala, and Jingkun Jiang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13569–13580, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13569-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13569-2022, 2022
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The size distributions of urban atmospheric particles convey important information on their origins and impacts. This study investigates the characteristics of typical particle size distributions and key gaseous precursors in the long term in urban Beijing. A fitting function is proposed to represent and help interpret size distribution including particles and gaseous precursors. In addition to NPF (new particle formation) as the major source, vehicles can emit sub-3 nm particles as well
Loïc Gonzalez Carracedo, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Lauri R. Ahonen, Nina Sarnela, Sebastian Holm, Juha Kangasluoma, Markku Kulmala, Paul M. Winkler, and Dominik Stolzenburg
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13153–13166, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13153-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13153-2022, 2022
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Fast nanoparticle growth is essential for the survival of new aerosol particles in the atmosphere and hence their contribution to the climate. We show that using naturally charged ions for growth calculations can cause a significant error. During the diurnal cycle, the importance of ion-induced and neutral nucleation varies, causing the ion population to have a slower measurable apparent growth. Results suggest that data from ion spectrometers need to be considered with great care below 3 nm.
Ville Leinonen, Harri Kokkola, Taina Yli-Juuti, Tero Mielonen, Thomas Kühn, Tuomo Nieminen, Simo Heikkinen, Tuuli Miinalainen, Tommi Bergman, Ken Carslaw, Stefano Decesari, Markus Fiebig, Tareq Hussein, Niku Kivekäs, Radovan Krejci, Markku Kulmala, Ari Leskinen, Andreas Massling, Nikos Mihalopoulos, Jane P. Mulcahy, Steffen M. Noe, Twan van Noije, Fiona M. O'Connor, Colin O'Dowd, Dirk Olivie, Jakob B. Pernov, Tuukka Petäjä, Øyvind Seland, Michael Schulz, Catherine E. Scott, Henrik Skov, Erik Swietlicki, Thomas Tuch, Alfred Wiedensohler, Annele Virtanen, and Santtu Mikkonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12873–12905, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12873-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12873-2022, 2022
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We provide the first extensive comparison of detailed aerosol size distribution trends between in situ observations from Europe and five different earth system models. We investigated aerosol modes (nucleation, Aitken, and accumulation) separately and were able to show the differences between measured and modeled trends and especially their seasonal patterns. The differences in model results are likely due to complex effects of several processes instead of certain specific model features.
Chao Yan, Yicheng Shen, Dominik Stolzenburg, Lubna Dada, Ximeng Qi, Simo Hakala, Anu-Maija Sundström, Yishuo Guo, Antti Lipponen, Tom V. Kokkonen, Jenni Kontkanen, Runlong Cai, Jing Cai, Tommy Chan, Liangduo Chen, Biwu Chu, Chenjuan Deng, Wei Du, Xiaolong Fan, Xu-Cheng He, Juha Kangasluoma, Joni Kujansuu, Mona Kurppa, Chang Li, Yiran Li, Zhuohui Lin, Yiliang Liu, Yuliang Liu, Yiqun Lu, Wei Nie, Jouni Pulliainen, Xiaohui Qiao, Yonghong Wang, Yifan Wen, Ye Wu, Gan Yang, Lei Yao, Rujing Yin, Gen Zhang, Shaojun Zhang, Feixue Zheng, Ying Zhou, Antti Arola, Johanna Tamminen, Pauli Paasonen, Yele Sun, Lin Wang, Neil M. Donahue, Yongchun Liu, Federico Bianchi, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Douglas R. Worsnop, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Aijun Ding, Jingkun Jiang, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12207–12220, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12207-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12207-2022, 2022
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Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is a dominant source of atmospheric ultrafine particles. In urban environments, traffic emissions are a major source of primary pollutants, but their contribution to NPF remains under debate. During the COVID-19 lockdown, traffic emissions were significantly reduced, providing a unique chance to examine their relevance to NPF. Based on our comprehensive measurements, we demonstrate that traffic emissions alone are not able to explain the NPF in Beijing.
Outi Meinander, Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserova, Pavel Amosov, Elena Aseyeva, Cliff Atkins, Alexander Baklanov, Clarissa Baldo, Sarah L. Barr, Barbara Barzycka, Liane G. Benning, Bojan Cvetkovic, Polina Enchilik, Denis Frolov, Santiago Gassó, Konrad Kandler, Nikolay Kasimov, Jan Kavan, James King, Tatyana Koroleva, Viktoria Krupskaya, Markku Kulmala, Monika Kusiak, Hanna K. Lappalainen, Michał Laska, Jerome Lasne, Marek Lewandowski, Bartłomiej Luks, James B. McQuaid, Beatrice Moroni, Benjamin Murray, Ottmar Möhler, Adam Nawrot, Slobodan Nickovic, Norman T. O’Neill, Goran Pejanovic, Olga Popovicheva, Keyvan Ranjbar, Manolis Romanias, Olga Samonova, Alberto Sanchez-Marroquin, Kerstin Schepanski, Ivan Semenkov, Anna Sharapova, Elena Shevnina, Zongbo Shi, Mikhail Sofiev, Frédéric Thevenet, Throstur Thorsteinsson, Mikhail Timofeev, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, Andreas Uppstu, Darya Urupina, György Varga, Tomasz Werner, Olafur Arnalds, and Ana Vukovic Vimic
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11889–11930, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022, 2022
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High-latitude dust (HLD) is a short-lived climate forcer, air pollutant, and nutrient source. Our results suggest a northern HLD belt at 50–58° N in Eurasia and 50–55° N in Canada and at >60° N in Eurasia and >58° N in Canada. Our addition to the previously identified global dust belt (GDB) provides crucially needed information on the extent of active HLD sources with both direct and indirect impacts on climate and environment in remote regions, which are often poorly understood and predicted.
Runlong Cai, Ella Häkkinen, Chao Yan, Jingkun Jiang, Markku Kulmala, and Juha Kangasluoma
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11529–11541, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11529-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11529-2022, 2022
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The influences of new particle formation on the climate and air quality are governed by particle survival, which has been under debate due to uncertainties in the coagulation sink. Here we measure the coagulation coefficient of sub-10 nm particles and demonstrate that collisions between the freshly nucleated and background particles can effectively lead to coagulation. We further show that the effective coagulation sink is consistent with the new particle formation measured in urban Beijing.
Benjamin Foreback, Lubna Dada, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Chao Yan, Lili Wang, Biwu Chu, Ying Zhou, Tom V. Kokkonen, Mona Kurppa, Rosaria E. Pileci, Yonghong Wang, Tommy Chan, Juha Kangasluoma, Lin Zhuohui, Yishou Guo, Chang Li, Rima Baalbaki, Joni Kujansuu, Xiaolong Fan, Zemin Feng, Pekka Rantala, Shahzad Gani, Federico Bianchi, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, Yongchun Liu, and Pauli Paasonen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11089–11104, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11089-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11089-2022, 2022
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This study analyzed air quality in Beijing during the Chinese New Year over 7 years, including data from a new in-depth measurement station. This is one of few studies to look at long-term impacts, including the outcome of firework restrictions starting in 2018. Results show that firework pollution has gone down since 2016, indicating a positive result from the restrictions. Results of this study may be useful in making future decisions about the use of fireworks to improve air quality.
Yishuo Guo, Chao Yan, Yuliang Liu, Xiaohui Qiao, Feixue Zheng, Ying Zhang, Ying Zhou, Chang Li, Xiaolong Fan, Zhuohui Lin, Zemin Feng, Yusheng Zhang, Penggang Zheng, Linhui Tian, Wei Nie, Zhe Wang, Dandan Huang, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Lei Yao, Lubna Dada, Federico Bianchi, Jingkun Jiang, Yongchun Liu, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10077–10097, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10077-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10077-2022, 2022
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Gaseous oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs) are able to form atmospheric aerosols, which will impact on human health and climate change. Here, we find that OOMs in urban Beijing are dominated by anthropogenic sources, i.e. aromatic (29 %–41 %) and aliphatic (26 %–41 %) OOMs. They are also the main contributors to the condensational growth of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Therefore, the restriction on anthropogenic VOCs is crucial for the reduction of SOAs and haze formation.
Carlton Xavier, Metin Baykara, Robin Wollesen de Jonge, Barbara Altstädter, Petri Clusius, Ville Vakkari, Roseline Thakur, Lisa Beck, Silvia Becagli, Mirko Severi, Rita Traversi, Radovan Krejci, Peter Tunved, Mauro Mazzola, Birgit Wehner, Mikko Sipilä, Markku Kulmala, Michael Boy, and Pontus Roldin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10023–10043, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10023-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10023-2022, 2022
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The focus of this work is to study and improve our understanding of processes involved in the formation and growth of new particles in a remote Arctic marine environment. We run the 1D model ADCHEM along air mass trajectories arriving at Ny-Ålesund in May 2018. The model finds that ion-mediated H2SO4–NH3 nucleation can explain the observed new particle formation at Ny-Ålesund. The growth of particles is driven via H2SO4 condensation and formation of methane sulfonic acid in the aqueous phase.
Lisa J. Beck, Siegfried Schobesberger, Heikki Junninen, Janne Lampilahti, Antti Manninen, Lubna Dada, Katri Leino, Xu-Cheng He, Iida Pullinen, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Anna Franck, Pyry Poutanen, Daniela Wimmer, Frans Korhonen, Mikko Sipilä, Mikael Ehn, Douglas R. Worsnop, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8547–8577, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8547-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8547-2022, 2022
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The presented article introduces an overview of atmospheric ions and their composition above the boreal forest. We provide the results of an extensive airborne measurement campaign with an air ion mass spectrometer and particle measurements, showing their diurnal evolution within the boundary layer and free troposphere. In addition, we compare the airborne dataset with the co-located data from the ground at SMEAR II station, Finland.
Miska Olin, Magdalena Okuljar, Matti P. Rissanen, Joni Kalliokoski, Jiali Shen, Lubna Dada, Markus Lampimäki, Yusheng Wu, Annalea Lohila, Jonathan Duplissy, Mikko Sipilä, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Miikka Dal Maso
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8097–8115, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8097-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8097-2022, 2022
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Atmospheric new particle formation is an important source of the total particle number concentration in the atmosphere. Several parameters for predicting new particle formation events have been suggested before, but the results have been inconclusive. This study proposes an another predicting parameter, related to a specific type of highly oxidized organic molecules, especially for similar locations to the measurement site in this study, which was a coastal agricultural site in Finland.
Roseline C. Thakur, Lubna Dada, Lisa J. Beck, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Tommy Chan, Marjan Marbouti, Xu-Cheng He, Carlton Xavier, Juha Sulo, Janne Lampilahti, Markus Lampimäki, Yee Jun Tham, Nina Sarnela, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Alf Norkko, Markku Kulmala, Mikko Sipilä, and Tuija Jokinen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6365–6391, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6365-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6365-2022, 2022
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Every year intense cyanobacterial and macroalgal blooms occur in the Baltic Sea and in the coastal areas surrounding Helsinki, yet no studies have addressed the impact of biogenic emissions from these blooms on gas vapor concentrations, which in turn could influence new particle formation. This is the first study of its kind to address the chemistry driving new particle formation (NPF) during a bloom period in this region, highlighting the role of biogenic sulfuric acid and iodic acid.
Zoé Brasseur, Dimitri Castarède, Erik S. Thomson, Michael P. Adams, Saskia Drossaart van Dusseldorp, Paavo Heikkilä, Kimmo Korhonen, Janne Lampilahti, Mikhail Paramonov, Julia Schneider, Franziska Vogel, Yusheng Wu, Jonathan P. D. Abbatt, Nina S. Atanasova, Dennis H. Bamford, Barbara Bertozzi, Matthew Boyer, David Brus, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Ellen Gute, Alexander D. Harrison, Paula Hietala, Kristina Höhler, Zamin A. Kanji, Jorma Keskinen, Larissa Lacher, Markus Lampimäki, Janne Levula, Antti Manninen, Jens Nadolny, Maija Peltola, Grace C. E. Porter, Pyry Poutanen, Ulrike Proske, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, János Stenszky, Annele Virtanen, Dmitri Moisseev, Markku Kulmala, Benjamin J. Murray, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5117–5145, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, 2022
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The present measurement report introduces the ice nucleation campaign organized in Hyytiälä, Finland, in 2018 (HyICE-2018). We provide an overview of the campaign settings, and we describe the measurement infrastructure and operating procedures used. In addition, we use results from ice nucleation instrument inter-comparison to show that the suite of these instruments deployed during the campaign reports consistent results.
Joel Kuula, Hilkka Timonen, Jarkko V. Niemi, Hanna E. Manninen, Topi Rönkkö, Tareq Hussein, Pak Lun Fung, Sasu Tarkoma, Mikko Laakso, Erkka Saukko, Aino Ovaska, Markku Kulmala, Ari Karppinen, Lasse Johansson, and Tuukka Petäjä
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4801–4808, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4801-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4801-2022, 2022
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Modern and up-to-date policies and air quality management strategies are instrumental in tackling global air pollution. As the European Union is preparing to revise Ambient Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC, this paper initiates discussion on selected features of the directive that we believe would benefit from a reassessment. The scientific community has the most recent and deepest understanding of air pollution; thus, its contribution is essential.
Wei Ma, Zemin Feng, Junlei Zhan, Yongchun Liu, Pengfei Liu, Chengtang Liu, Qingxin Ma, Kang Yang, Yafei Wang, Hong He, Markku Kulmala, Yujing Mu, and Junfeng Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4841–4851, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4841-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4841-2022, 2022
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The influence of photochemical loss of volatile organic compounds (VOCS) on O3 formation is investigated using an observation-based model. The sensitivity regime of ozone formation might be misdiagnosed due to the photochemical loss of VOCs in the atmosphere. The contribution of local photochemistry is underestimated regarding O3 pollution when one does not consider the photochemical loss of VOCs.
Hanna K. Lappalainen, Tuukka Petäjä, Timo Vihma, Jouni Räisänen, Alexander Baklanov, Sergey Chalov, Igor Esau, Ekaterina Ezhova, Matti Leppäranta, Dmitry Pozdnyakov, Jukka Pumpanen, Meinrat O. Andreae, Mikhail Arshinov, Eija Asmi, Jianhui Bai, Igor Bashmachnikov, Boris Belan, Federico Bianchi, Boris Biskaborn, Michael Boy, Jaana Bäck, Bin Cheng, Natalia Chubarova, Jonathan Duplissy, Egor Dyukarev, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Martin Forsius, Martin Heimann, Sirkku Juhola, Vladimir Konovalov, Igor Konovalov, Pavel Konstantinov, Kajar Köster, Elena Lapshina, Anna Lintunen, Alexander Mahura, Risto Makkonen, Svetlana Malkhazova, Ivan Mammarella, Stefano Mammola, Stephany Buenrostro Mazon, Outi Meinander, Eugene Mikhailov, Victoria Miles, Stanislav Myslenkov, Dmitry Orlov, Jean-Daniel Paris, Roberta Pirazzini, Olga Popovicheva, Jouni Pulliainen, Kimmo Rautiainen, Torsten Sachs, Vladimir Shevchenko, Andrey Skorokhod, Andreas Stohl, Elli Suhonen, Erik S. Thomson, Marina Tsidilina, Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen, Petteri Uotila, Aki Virkkula, Nadezhda Voropay, Tobias Wolf, Sayaka Yasunaka, Jiahua Zhang, Yubao Qiu, Aijun Ding, Huadong Guo, Valery Bondur, Nikolay Kasimov, Sergej Zilitinkevich, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4413–4469, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4413-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4413-2022, 2022
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We summarize results during the last 5 years in the northern Eurasian region, especially from Russia, and introduce recent observations of the air quality in the urban environments in China. Although the scientific knowledge in these regions has increased, there are still gaps in our understanding of large-scale climate–Earth surface interactions and feedbacks. This arises from limitations in research infrastructures and integrative data analyses, hindering a comprehensive system analysis.
Lisa J. Beck, Siegfried Schobesberger, Mikko Sipilä, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Markku Kulmala
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1957–1965, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1957-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1957-2022, 2022
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Sulfuric acid is known to be a main compound in atmospheric new particle formation. Yet, its concentration is very low, which leads to challenges in detecting it. In our study, we derive the sulfuric acid concentration from measurements of ambient ions with a mass spectrometer. Our validation shows that the theoretical approach using the bisulfate ion and its clusters with H2SO4 captures the sulfuric acid concentration very well during daytime.
Jingwei Zhang, Chaofan Lian, Weigang Wang, Maofa Ge, Yitian Guo, Haiyan Ran, Yusheng Zhang, Feixue Zheng, Xiaolong Fan, Chao Yan, Kaspar R. Daellenbach, Yongchun Liu, Markku Kulmala, and Junling An
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3275–3302, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3275-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3275-2022, 2022
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This study added six potential HONO sources to the WRF-Chem model, evaluated their impact on HONO and O3 concentrations, including surface and vertical concentrations. The simulations extend our knowledge on atmospheric HONO sources, especially for nitrate photolysis. The study also explains the HONO difference in O3 formation on clean and hazy days, and reveals key potential HONO sources to O3 enhancements in haze-aggravating processes with a co-occurrence of high PM2.5 and O3 concentrations.
Marjan Marbouti, Sehyun Jang, Silvia Becagli, Gabriel Navarro, Rita Traversi, Kitack Lee, Tuomo Nieminen, Lisa J. Beck, Markku Kulmala, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and Mikko Sipilä
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-52, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-52, 2022
Publication in ACP not foreseen
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This research was done to understand and investigate the roles of Chl-a, PP and sea ice extent in controlling and producing the in-situ measured MSA, SA, HIO3, HOM and aerosol concentrations over the Greenland and Barents Seas. Our results provide strong support to the hypothesis that MSA, SA and small-particle concentrations in the Svalbard area are directly linked to ocean biological activity and sea ice melting during springtime.
Timo Vesala, Kukka-Maaria Kohonen, Linda M. J. Kooijmans, Arnaud P. Praplan, Lenka Foltýnová, Pasi Kolari, Markku Kulmala, Jaana Bäck, David Nelson, Dan Yakir, Mark Zahniser, and Ivan Mammarella
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2569–2584, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2569-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2569-2022, 2022
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Carbonyl sulfide (COS) provides new insights into carbon cycle research. We present an easy-to-use flux parameterization and the longest existing time series of forest–atmosphere COS exchange measurements, which allow us to study both seasonal and interannual variability. We observed only uptake of COS by the forest on an annual basis, with 37 % variability between years. Upscaling the boreal COS uptake using a biosphere model indicates a significant missing COS sink at high latitudes.
Tuija Jokinen, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Roseline Cutting Thakur, Ilona Ylivinkka, Kimmo Neitola, Nina Sarnela, Totti Laitinen, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, and Mikko Sipilä
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2237–2254, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2237-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2237-2022, 2022
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New particle formation is an important source of cloud condensation nuclei; however, long-term measurements of aerosol-forming vapors are close to nonexistent in the Arctic. Here, we report 7 months of CI-APi-TOF measurements of sulfuric acid, iodic acid, methane sulfonic acid and the sum of highly oxygenated organic molecules from the SMEAR I station in the Finnish subarctic. The results help us to understand atmospheric chemical processes and aerosol formation in this rapidly changing area.
Pak Lun Fung, Martha A. Zaidan, Jarkko V. Niemi, Erkka Saukko, Hilkka Timonen, Anu Kousa, Joel Kuula, Topi Rönkkö, Ari Karppinen, Sasu Tarkoma, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, and Tareq Hussein
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1861–1882, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1861-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1861-2022, 2022
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We developed an input-adaptive mixed-effects model, which was automatised to select the best combination of input variables, including up to three fixed effect variables and three time indictors as random effect variables. We tested the model to estimate lung-deposited surface area (LDSA), which correlates well with human health. The results show the inclusion of time indicators improved the sensitivity and the accuracy of the model so that it could serve as a network of virtual sensors.
Jing Cai, Cheng Wu, Jiandong Wang, Wei Du, Feixue Zheng, Simo Hakala, Xiaolong Fan, Biwu Chu, Lei Yao, Zemin Feng, Yongchun Liu, Yele Sun, Jun Zheng, Chao Yan, Federico Bianchi, Markku Kulmala, Claudia Mohr, and Kaspar R. Daellenbach
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1251–1269, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1251-2022, 2022
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This study investigates the connection between organic aerosol (OA) molecular composition and particle absorptive properties in autumn in Beijing. We find that the molecular properties of OA compounds in different episodes influence particle light absorption properties differently: the light absorption enhancement of black carbon and light absorption coefficient of brown carbon were mostly related to more oxygenated OA (low C number and four O atoms) and aromatics/nitro-aromatics, respectively.
Peifeng Su, Jorma Joutsensaari, Lubna Dada, Martha Arbayani Zaidan, Tuomo Nieminen, Xinyang Li, Yusheng Wu, Stefano Decesari, Sasu Tarkoma, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Petri Pellikka
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 1293–1309, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1293-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-1293-2022, 2022
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We regarded the banana shapes in the surface plots as a special kind of object (similar to cats) and applied an instance segmentation technique to automatically identify the new particle formation (NPF) events (especially the strongest ones), in addition to their growth rates, start times, and end times. The automatic method generalized well on datasets collected in different sites, which is useful for long-term data series analysis and obtaining statistical properties of NPF events.
Arto Heitto, Kari Lehtinen, Tuukka Petäjä, Felipe Lopez-Hilfiker, Joel A. Thornton, Markku Kulmala, and Taina Yli-Juuti
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 155–171, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-155-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-155-2022, 2022
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For atmospheric aerosol particles to take part in cloud formation, they need to be at least a few tens of nanometers in diameter. By using a particle condensation model, we investigated how two types of chemical reactions, oligomerization and decomposition, of organic molecules inside the particle may affect the growth of secondary aerosol particles to these sizes. We show that the effect is potentially significant, which highlights the importance of increasing understanding of these processes.
Lukas Fischer, Martin Breitenlechner, Eva Canaval, Wiebke Scholz, Marcus Striednig, Martin Graus, Thomas G. Karl, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Armin Hansel
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 8019–8039, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-8019-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-8019-2021, 2021
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Ecosystems emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), which are then oxidized in the atmosphere, contributing to ozone and secondary aerosol formation. While flux measurements of BVOCs are state of the art, flux measurements of the less volatile oxidation products are difficult to achieve due to inlet losses. Here we present first flux measurements, utilizing a novel PTR3 instrument in combination with a specially designed wall-less inlet we put on top of the Hyytiälä tower in Finland.
Ying Zhou, Simo Hakala, Chao Yan, Yang Gao, Xiaohong Yao, Biwu Chu, Tommy Chan, Juha Kangasluoma, Shahzad Gani, Jenni Kontkanen, Pauli Paasonen, Yongchun Liu, Tuukka Petäjä, Markku Kulmala, and Lubna Dada
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17885–17906, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17885-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17885-2021, 2021
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We characterized the connection between new particle formation (NPF) events in terms of frequency, intensity and growth at a near-highway location in central Beijing and at a background mountain site 80 km away. Due to the substantial contribution of NPF to the global aerosol budget, identifying the conditions that promote the occurrence of regional NPF events could help understand their contribution on a large scale and would improve their implementation in global models.
Mikko Sipilä, Nina Sarnela, Kimmo Neitola, Totti Laitinen, Deniz Kemppainen, Lisa Beck, Ella-Maria Duplissy, Salla Kuittinen, Tuuli Lehmusjärvi, Janne Lampilahti, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Pasi P. Aalto, Petri Keronen, Erkki Siivola, Pekka A. Rantala, Douglas R. Worsnop, Markku Kulmala, Tuija Jokinen, and Tuukka Petäjä
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17559–17576, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17559-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17559-2021, 2021
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Metallurgical industry in Kola peninsula is a large source of air pollution in the (sub-)Arctic domain. Sulfur dioxide emissions from the ore smelters are transported across large areas. We investigated sulfur dioxide and its transformation to sulfuric acid aerosol particles during winter months in Finnish Lapland, close to Kola industrial areas. We observed intense formation of new aerosol particles despite the low solar radiation intensity, often required for new particle formation elsewhere.
Ditte Taipale, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Mikael Ehn, Markku Kulmala, and Ülo Niinemets
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17389–17431, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17389-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17389-2021, 2021
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Larval feeding and fungal infections of leaves can greatly change the emission of volatile compounds from plants and thereby influence aerosol processes in the air. We developed a model that considers the dynamics of larvae and fungi and the dependency of the emission on the severity of stress. We show that the infections can be highly atmospherically relevant during long periods of time and at times more important to consider than the parameters that are currently used in emission models.
Lucía Caudillo, Birte Rörup, Martin Heinritzi, Guillaume Marie, Mario Simon, Andrea C. Wagner, Tatjana Müller, Manuel Granzin, Antonio Amorim, Farnoush Ataei, Rima Baalbaki, Barbara Bertozzi, Zoé Brasseur, Randall Chiu, Biwu Chu, Lubna Dada, Jonathan Duplissy, Henning Finkenzeller, Loïc Gonzalez Carracedo, Xu-Cheng He, Victoria Hofbauer, Weimeng Kong, Houssni Lamkaddam, Chuan P. Lee, Brandon Lopez, Naser G. A. Mahfouz, Vladimir Makhmutov, Hanna E. Manninen, Ruby Marten, Dario Massabò, Roy L. Mauldin, Bernhard Mentler, Ugo Molteni, Antti Onnela, Joschka Pfeifer, Maxim Philippov, Ana A. Piedehierro, Meredith Schervish, Wiebke Scholz, Benjamin Schulze, Jiali Shen, Dominik Stolzenburg, Yuri Stozhkov, Mihnea Surdu, Christian Tauber, Yee Jun Tham, Ping Tian, António Tomé, Steffen Vogt, Mingyi Wang, Dongyu S. Wang, Stefan K. Weber, André Welti, Wang Yonghong, Wu Yusheng, Marcel Zauner-Wieczorek, Urs Baltensperger, Imad El Haddad, Richard C. Flagan, Armin Hansel, Kristina Höhler, Jasper Kirkby, Markku Kulmala, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Ottmar Möhler, Harald Saathoff, Rainer Volkamer, Paul M. Winkler, Neil M. Donahue, Andreas Kürten, and Joachim Curtius
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17099–17114, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17099-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17099-2021, 2021
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We performed experiments in the CLOUD chamber at CERN at low temperatures to simulate new particle formation in the upper free troposphere (at −30 ºC and −50 ºC). We measured the particle and gas phase and found that most of the compounds present in the gas phase are detected as well in the particle phase. The major compounds in the particles are C8–10 and C18–20. Specifically, we showed that C5 and C15 compounds are detected in a mixed system with isoprene and α-pinene at −30 ºC, 20 % RH.
Clémence Rose, Martine Collaud Coen, Elisabeth Andrews, Yong Lin, Isaline Bossert, Cathrine Lund Myhre, Thomas Tuch, Alfred Wiedensohler, Markus Fiebig, Pasi Aalto, Andrés Alastuey, Elisabeth Alonso-Blanco, Marcos Andrade, Begoña Artíñano, Todor Arsov, Urs Baltensperger, Susanne Bastian, Olaf Bath, Johan Paul Beukes, Benjamin T. Brem, Nicolas Bukowiecki, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Sébastien Conil, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Olivier Favez, Harald Flentje, Maria I. Gini, Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno, Martin Gysel-Beer, Anna Gannet Hallar, Ivo Kalapov, Nikos Kalivitis, Anne Kasper-Giebl, Melita Keywood, Jeong Eun Kim, Sang-Woo Kim, Adam Kristensson, Markku Kulmala, Heikki Lihavainen, Neng-Huei Lin, Hassan Lyamani, Angela Marinoni, Sebastiao Martins Dos Santos, Olga L. Mayol-Bracero, Frank Meinhardt, Maik Merkel, Jean-Marc Metzger, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Jakub Ondracek, Marco Pandolfi, Noemi Pérez, Tuukka Petäjä, Jean-Eudes Petit, David Picard, Jean-Marc Pichon, Veronique Pont, Jean-Philippe Putaud, Fabienne Reisen, Karine Sellegri, Sangeeta Sharma, Gerhard Schauer, Patrick Sheridan, James Patrick Sherman, Andreas Schwerin, Ralf Sohmer, Mar Sorribas, Junying Sun, Pierre Tulet, Ville Vakkari, Pieter Gideon van Zyl, Fernando Velarde, Paolo Villani, Stergios Vratolis, Zdenek Wagner, Sheng-Hsiang Wang, Kay Weinhold, Rolf Weller, Margarita Yela, Vladimir Zdimal, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17185–17223, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17185-2021, 2021
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Aerosol particles are a complex component of the atmospheric system the effects of which are among the most uncertain in climate change projections. Using data collected at 62 stations, this study provides the most up-to-date picture of the spatial distribution of particle number concentration and size distribution worldwide, with the aim of contributing to better representation of aerosols and their interactions with clouds in models and, therefore, better evaluation of their impact on climate.
Cited articles
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Short summary
The concept of the mean free path is fundamentally important to aerosol studies. Recent studies suggest that the mean free path of air (λair) could have been significantly overestimated by a factor of ~2. Here we show that this potential overestimation does not directly affect collision-induced aerosol dynamics in atmospheric conditions without high excess latent heat, while a similar influence of the mean free path of vapor (λ) on aerosol dynamics has been accounted for in current studies.
The concept of the mean free path is fundamentally important to aerosol studies. Recent studies...
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