Differing Mechanisms of New Particle Formation at Two Arctic Sites
Lisa Beck, Nina Sarnela, Heikki Junninen, Clara J. M. Hoppe, Olga Garmаsh, Federico Bianchi, Matthieu Riva, Clémence Rose, Otso Peräkylä, Daniela Wimmer, Oskari Kausiala, Tuija Jokinen, Lauri Ahonen, Jyri Mikkilä, Jani Hakala, Xu‐Cheng He, Jenni Kontkanen, Klara K. E. Wolf, David Cappelletti, Mauro Mazzola, Rita Traversi, Chiara Petroselli, Angelo Viola, Vito Vitale, Robert Lange, Andreas Maßling, Jakob Klenø Nøjgaard, Radovan Krejčí, L. Karlsson, Paul Zieger, Sehyun Jang, Kitack Lee, Ville Vakkari, Janne Lampilahti, Roseline C. Thakur, Katri Leino, Juha Kangasluoma, Ella‐Maria Duplissy, Erkki Siivola, Marjan Marbouti, Yee Jun Tham, Alfonso Saiz‐Lopez, Tuukka Petäjä, Mikael Ehn, Douglas R. Worsnop, Henrik Skov, Markku Kulmala, Veli‐Matti Kerminen, Mikko Sipilä
Abstract
Abstract New particle formation in the Arctic atmosphere is an important source of aerosol particles. Understanding the processes of Arctic secondary aerosol formation is crucial due to their significant impact on cloud properties and therefore Arctic amplification. We observed the molecular formation of new particles from low‐volatility vapors at two Arctic sites with differing surroundings. In Svalbard, sulfuric acid (SA) and methane sulfonic acid (MSA) contribute to the formation of secondary aerosol and to some extent to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). This occurs via ion‐induced nucleation of SA and NH 3 and subsequent growth by mainly SA and MSA condensation during springtime and highly oxygenated organic molecules during summertime. By contrast, in an ice‐covered region around Villum, we observed new particle formation driven by iodic acid but its concentration was insufficient to grow nucleated particles to CCN sizes. Our results provide new insight about sources and precursors of Arctic secondary aerosol particles.