Modeling new particle formation with detailed chemistry and aerosol dynamics in a boreal forest environment

We use the one-dimensional chemical-transport model SOSAA (model to Simulate the concentration of Organic vapors, Sulfuric Acid, and Aerosols) to study the complex processes of aerosols in the atmospheric boundary layer at a boreal forest site in southern Finland. With the detailed aerosol microphysics in SOSAA, we compared two theories for atmospheric nucleation. Results indicate that between the two theories, the organic nucleation mechanism works better than kinetic nucleation mechanism in Hyytiala, Finland. The model also suggests that a combination of different parameterizations may further improve the nucleation simulation. Compared to the measurements, the predicted particle number concentration by SOSAA is within a factor of 10 with a correlation coefficient of 0.68. The model captures 10 out of 11 observed event days in 2010.