Rapid sulfuric acid–dimethylamine nucleation enhanced by nitric acid in polluted regions
Ling Liu, Fangqun Yu, Lin Du, Zhi Yang, Joseph S. Francisco, Xiuhui Zhang
Abstract
Significance Nucleation of atmospheric aerosol particles can contribute to nearly half of global cloud condensation nuclei. Nitric acid (NA) is one of the most abundant atmospheric pollutants. A recent study suggested that NA is likely to participate in the sulfuric acid–ammonia nucleation only in the clean and cold upper free troposphere, but its role in the polluted atmospheric boundary layer was not considered. Herein, we found that NA can extensively participate in and significantly enhance the predominant sulfuric acid–dimethylamine nucleation in the polluted boundary layer. Thus, controls on the emissions of nitrogen pollutants are likely significant for the reduction of particulate pollution, especially in the polluted regions.