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Environmental context: The process of ethylene ozonolysis is an essential source of CH2OO radicals, and the latter is an important oxidant for the atmospheric pollutant SO2. The accuracy of a widely used atmospheric chemistry model (Master Chemical Mechanism, MCM) in quantifying SO2 oxidation has not been evaluated. In this study, this accuracy was evaluated, and optimal parameters underpinned by data from smog chamber experiments. Rationale: The oxidation of SO2 by CH2OO radicals in the ethylene-O3 system is one of the important pathways of sulfate aerosol formation, but the accuracy of Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) simulation for this reaction was not evaluated, although the MCM has been widely used in previous studies. Methodology: The oxidation of SO2 in the ethylene-O3 system was performed in detail under different conditions, which were used to evaluate the accuracy of MCM simulation for the reactions in this study. Results: The experimental conditions of low RH and high initial SO2 concentration favour the SO2 oxidation in the ethylene ozonolysis, and the yield of CH2OO in the ethylene ozonolysis without irradiations was determined to be 0.43. The n-hexane (C6H14) oxidation intermediates can promote the SO2 oxidation rate by generating sulfur-containing organics in the aerosol water. The original MCM simulated SO2 consumption after 4-h reaction was more than 70% smaller than the measured results. By adjusting the yield of CH2OO and updating the reaction rate constants of CH2OO-related reactions (e.g. with SO2, H2O and organic acid), the difference between experiments and simulations decreased from 70% to 6.6%. Discussion: The promotion effects of n-hexane on the oxidation of SO2 suggest that alkanes may be the precursors of sulfur-containing organics in the atmospheric environment. This study further confirms the effect of CH2OO on the oxidation of SO2 in the atmospheric environment and provides information on the performance of MCM simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction with ozone is an important atmospheric removal process for alkenes. The ozonolysis reaction produces carbonyls and carbonyl oxides (Criegee intermediates, CI), which can rapidly decompose to yield a range of closed shell and radical products, including OH radicals. Consequently, it is essential to accurately represent the complex chemistry of Criegee intermediates in atmospheric models in order to fully understand the impact of alkene ozonolysis on atmospheric composition. A mechanism construction protocol is presented which is suitable for use in automatic mechanism generation. The protocol defines the critical parameters for describing the chemistry following the initial reaction, namely the primary carbonyl/CI yields from the primary ozonide fragmentation, the amount of stabilisation of the excited CI, the unimolecular decomposition pathways, rates and products of the CI, and the bimolecular rates and products of atmospherically important reactions of the stabilised CI (SCI). This analysis implicitly predicts the yield of OH from the alkene–ozone reaction. A comprehensive database of experimental OH , SCI and carbonyl yields has been collated using reported values in the literature and used to assess the reliability of the protocol. The protocol provides estimates of OH , SCI and carbonyl yields with root mean square errors of 0.13 and 0.12 and 0.14, respectively. Areas where new experimental and theoretical data would improve the protocol and its assessment are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formic acid (HCOOH) is among the most abundant carboxylic acids in the atmosphere, but its budget is poorly understood. We present eddy flux, vertical gradient, and soil chamber measurements from a mixed forest and apply the data to better constrain HCOOH source/sink pathways. While the cumulative above‐canopy flux was downward, HCOOH exchange was bidirectional, with extended periods of net upward and downward flux. Net above‐canopy fluxes were mostly upward during warmer/drier periods. The implied gross canopy HCOOH source corresponds to 3% and 38% of observed isoprene and monoterpene carbon emissions and is 15× underestimated in a state‐of‐science atmospheric model (GEOS‐Chem). Gradient and soil chamber measurements identify the canopy layer as the controlling source of HCOOH or its precursors to the forest environment; below‐canopy sources were minor. A correlation analysis using an ensemble of marker volatile organic compounds suggests that secondary formation, not direct emission, is the major source driving ambient HCOOH. Plain Language Summary: Formic acid (HCOOH) is one of the most abundant acids in the atmosphere and affects the acidity of precipitation. A number of recent studies have shown that the atmospheric abundance of HCOOH is much higher than predicted, implying some unknown or underrepresented source. Here we present new measurements of HCOOH and related species above, within, and below a mixed forest canopy and use the results to investigate its sources and sinks in this ecosystem. We find that the forest is simultaneously a source and a sink of atmospheric HCOOH, and vertically resolved measurements identify the canopy layer as the major HCOOH source for this environment. Soils have been shown to be a source of HCOOH in some cases, but we show that their influence is unimportant for this ecosystem. The magnitude of the gross HCOOH source from this forest is 15 times higher than predicted in a current atmospheric model. A correlation analysis suggests that the main HCOOH source from this forest is oxidation of other compounds rather than direct emissions from vegetation. Key Points: Bidirectional exchange of HCOOH was observed over a mixed forest, with a canopy‐level source; soil and below‐canopy sources were minorThe gross canopy HCOOH source is 3% and 38% of isoprene and monoterpene C emissions and is underestimated fifteenfold in a current modelCorrelation analysis points to secondary formation, not direct emission, as the major HCOOH source in this forest ecosystem [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) was utilized in combination with chemical titration with sulfur dioxide (SO2) to quantify stabilized Criegee intermediates (sCIs) produced at low pressures (4-20 Torr) in ozonolysis reactions of cis-2-butene, 2-methyl-2-butene, cyclopentene, and cyclohexene. The yield of stabilized sCI, acetaldehyde oxide (CH3CHOO), from cis-2-butene ozonolysis decreased with decreasing pressure and reached to 0.05±0.04 at the zero-pressure limit. The nonsymmetric alkene 2- methyl-2-butene produced two stabilized sCIs, CH3CHOO and acetone oxide ((CH3)2COO), and their total yield decreased with decreasing pressure and reached 0.01±0.03 at the zero-pressure limit. For cyclopentene and cyclohexene, the sCI yields were essentially constant near zero, as expected of endocyclic alkenes. The nascent yields of sCI of various alkenes are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gas-phase reaction of alkenes with ozone is known to produce stabilised Criegee intermediates (SCIs). These biradical/zwitterionic species have the potential to act as atmospheric oxidants for trace pollutants such as SO2, enhancing the formation of sulfate aerosol with impacts on air quality and health, radiative transfer and climate. However, the importance of this chemistry is uncertain as a consequence of limited understanding of the abundance and atmospheric fate of SCIs. In this work we apply experimental, theoretical and numerical modelling methods to quantify the atmospheric impacts, abundance, and fate, of the structurally diverse SCIs derived from the ozonolysis of monoterpenes, the second most abundant group of unsaturated hydrocarbons in the atmosphere. We have investigated the removal of SO2 by SCI formed from the ozonolysis of three monoterpenes (-pinene, -pinene and limonene) in the presence of varying amounts of water vapour in large-scale simulation chamber experiments. The SO2 removal displays a clear dependence on water vapour concentration, but this dependence is not linear across the range of [H2O] explored. At low [H2O] a strong dependence of SO2 removal on [H2O] is observed, while at higher [H2O] this dependence becomes much weaker. This is interpreted as being caused by the production of a variety of structurally (and hence chemically) different SCI in each of the systems studied, each displaying different rates of reaction with water and of unimolecular rearrangement/decomposition. The determined rate constants, k(SCI+H2O), for those SCI that react primarily with H2O range from 4-310 × 10-15 cm³ s-1. For those SCI that predominantly react unimolecularly, determined rates range from 130-240 s-1. These values are in line with previous results for the (analogous) stereo-specific SCI system of syn/anti-CH3CHOO. The experimental results are interpreted through theoretical studies of the SCI unimolecular reactions and bimolecular reactions with H2O, characterised for -pinene and -pinene at the M06-2X/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The theoretically derived rates agree with the experimental results within the uncertainties. A global modelling study, applying the experimental results within the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model, suggests that > 98 % of the total monoterpene derived global SCI burden is comprised of SCI whose structure determines that they react slowly with water, and whose atmospheric fate is dominated by unimolecular reactions. Seasonally averaged boundary layer concentrations of monoterpene-derived SCI reach up to 1.2 × 10⁴ cm-3 in regions of elevated monoterpene emissions in the tropics. Reactions of monoterpene derived SCI with SO2 account for 2 removal over areas of tropical forests, with significant localised impacts on the formation of sulfate aerosol, and hence the lifetime and distribution of SO2. Disc [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular composition of the water-soluble fraction of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generated from the ozonolysis of -phellandrene is investigated for the first time using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution quadrupole-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry. In total, 21 prominent products or isomeric product groups were identified using both positive and negative ionisation modes, with potential formation mechanisms discussed. The aerosol was found to be composed primarily of polyfunctional first- and second-generation species containing one or more carbonyl, acid, alcohol and hydroperoxide functionalities, with the products significantly more complex than those proposed from basic gas-phase chemistry in the companion paper (Mackenzie-Rae et al., 2017). Mass spectra show a large number of dimeric products are also formed. Both direct scavenging evidence using formic acid and indirect evidence from double bond equivalency factors suggest the dominant oligomerisation mechanism is the bimolecular reaction of stabilised Criegee intermediates (SCIs) with non-radical ozonolysis products. Saturation vapour concentration estimates suggest monomeric species cannot explain the rapid nucleation burst of fresh aerosol observed in chamber experiments; hence, dimeric species are believed to be responsible for new particle formation, with detected first- and second-generation products driving further particle growth in the system. Ultimately, identification of the major constituents and formation pathways of -phellandrene SOA leads to a greater understanding of the atmospheric processes and implications of monoterpene emissions and SCIs, especially around eucalypt forests where -phellandrene is primarily emitted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of the hydroxyl radical (OH) play a central role in the chemistry of the atmosphere, and measurements of its concentration can provide a rigorous test of our understanding of atmospheric oxidation. Several recent studies have shown large discrepancies between measured and modeled OH concentrations in forested areas impacted by emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), where modeled concentrations were significantly lower than measurements. A potential reason for some of these discrepancies involves interferences associated with the measurement of OH using the laser-induced fluorescence–fluorescence assay by gas expansion (LIF-FAGE) technique in these environments. In this study, a turbulent flow reactor operating at atmospheric pressure was coupled to a LIF-FAGE cell and the OH signal produced from the ozonolysis of α-pinene, β-pinene, ocimene, isoprene, and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBO) was measured. To distinguish between OH produced from the ozonolysis reactions and any OH artifact produced inside the LIF-FAGE cell, an external chemical scrubbing technique was used, allowing for the direct measurement of any interference. An interference under high ozone (between 2  ×  1013 and 10  ×  1013 cm−3) and BVOC concentrations (between approximately 0.1  ×  1012 and 40  ×  1012 cm−3) was observed that was not laser generated and was independent of the ozonolysis reaction time. For the ozonolysis of α- and β-pinene, the observed interference accounted for approximately 40 % of the total OH signal, while for the ozonolysis of ocimene the observed interference accounted for approximately 70 % of the total OH signal. Addition of acetic acid to the reactor eliminated the interference, suggesting that the source of the interference in these experiments involved the decomposition of stabilized Criegee intermediates (SCIs) inside the FAGE detection cell. Extrapolation of these measurements to ambient concentrations suggests that these interferences should be below the detection limit of the instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoprene is the dominant global biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) emission. Reactions of isoprene with ozone are known to form stabilised Criegee intermediates (SCIs), which have recently been shown to be potentially important oxidants for SO2 and NO2 in the atmosphere; however the significance of this chemistry for SO2 processing (affecting sulfate aerosol) and NO2 processing (affecting NOx levels) depends critically upon the fate of the SCIs with respect to reaction with water and decomposition. Here, we have investigated the removal of SO2 in the presence of isoprene and ozone, as a function of humidity, under atmospheric boundary layer conditions. The SO2 removal displays a clear dependence on relative humidity, confirming a significant reaction for isoprene-derived SCIs with H2O. Under excess SO2 conditions, the total isoprene ozonolysis SCI yield was calculated to be 0.56 (±0.03). The observed SO2 removal kinetics are consistent with a relative rate constant, κ(SCI + H2O) = κ(SCI + SO2), of 3.1 (±0.5) × 10-5 for isoprene-derived SCIs. The relative rate constant for κ(SCI decomposition) = κ(SCICSO2) is 3.0 (±3.2)×1011 cm-3. Uncertainties are ±2σ and represent combined systematic and precision components. These kinetic parameters are based on the simplification that a single SCI species is formed in isoprene ozonolysis, an approximation which describes the results well across the full range of experimental conditions. Our data indicate that isoprenederived SCIs are unlikely to make a substantial contribution to gas-phase SO2 oxidation in the troposphere. We also present results from an analogous set of experiments, which show a clear dependence of SO2 removal in the isoprene- ozone system as a function of dimethyl sulfide concentration. We propose that this behaviour arises from a rapid reaction between isoprene-derived SCIs and dimethyl sulfide (DMS); the observed SO2 removal kinetics are consistent with a relative rate constant, κ(SCI + DMS) = κ(SCI + SO2), of 3.5 (±1.8). This result suggests that SCIs may contribute to the oxidation of DMS in the atmosphere and that this process could therefore influence new particle formation in regions impacted by emissions of unsaturated hydrocarbons and DMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formic acid (HCOOH) is one of the most abundant carboxylic acids in the atmosphere. However, current photochemical models cannot fully explain observed concentrations and in particular secondary formation of formic acid across various environments. In this work, formic acid measurements made at an urban receptor site (Pasadena) in June-July 2010 during CalNex (California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change) and a site in an oil and gas producing region (Uintah Basin) in January-February 2013 during UBWOS 2013 (Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Studies) will be discussed. Although the VOC (volatile organic compounds) compositions differed dramatically at the two sites, measured formic acid concentrations were comparable: 2.3 ± 1.3 in UBWOS 2013 and 2.0 ± 1.0 ppb in Cal-Nex. We determine that concentrations of formic acid at both sites were dominated by secondary formation (> 99 %). A constrained box model using the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM v3.2) underestimates the measured formic acid concentrations drastically at both sites (by a factor of > 10). Compared to the original MCM model that includes only ozonolysis of unsaturated organic compounds and OH oxidation of acetylene, when we updated yields of ozonolysis of alkenes and included OH oxidation of isoprene, vinyl alcohol chemistry, reaction of formaldehyde with HO2, oxidation of aromatics, and reaction of CH3O2 with OH, the model predictions for formic acid were improved by a factor of 6.4 in UBWOS 2013 and 4.5 in CalNex, respectively. A comparison of measured and modeled HCOOH= acetone ratios is used to evaluate the model performance for formic acid. We conclude that the modified chemical mechanism can explain 19 and 45% of secondary formation of formic acid in UBWOS 2013 and CalNex, respectively. The contributions from aqueous reactions in aerosol and heterogeneous reactions on aerosol surface to formic acid are estimated to be 0-6 and 0-5% in UBWOS 2013 and CalNex, respectively. We observe that air-snow exchange processes and morning fog events may also contribute to ambient formic acid concentrations during UBWOS 2013 (~20% in total). In total, 53-59 in UBWOS 2013 and 50-55% in CalNex of secondary formation of formic acid remains unexplained. More work on formic acid formation pathways is needed to reduce the uncertainties in the sources and budget of formic acid and to narrow the gaps between measurements and model results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formic acid (HCOOH) is one of the most abundant carboxylic acids in the atmosphere. However, current photochemical models cannot fully explain observed concentrations and in particular secondary formation of formic acid across various environments. In this work, formic acid measurements made at an urban receptor site in June-July of 2010 during CalNex and a site in an oil and gas producing region in January-February of 2013 during UBWOS 2013 will be discussed. Although the VOC compositions differed dramatically at the two sites, measured formic acid concentrations were comparable: 2.3 ± 1.3 ppb in UBWOS 2013 and 2.0 ± 1.0 ppb in CalNex. We determine that concentrations of formic acid at both sites were dominated by secondary formation (> 8%). A constrained box model using the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM v3.2) underestimates the measured formic acid concentrations drastically at both sites (by a factor of> 10). Inclusion of recent findings on additional precursors and formation pathways of formic acid in the box model increases modeled formic acid concentrations for UBWOS 2013 and CalNex by a factor of 6.4 and 4.5, respectively. A comparison of measured and modeled HCOOH/acetone ratios is used to evaluate the model performance for formic acid. We conclude that the modified chemical mechanism can explain 21 and 47% of secondary formation of formic acid in UBWOS 2013 and CalNex, respectively. The contributions from aqueous reactions in aerosol and heterogeneous reactions on aerosol surface to formic acid are estimated to be -7 and 0-6% in UBWOS 2013 and CalNex, respectively. We observe that air-snow exchange processes and morning fog events may also contribute to ambient formic acid concentrations during UBWOS 2013 (~ 20% in total). In total, 50-57% in UBWOS 2013 and 48-53% in CalNex of secondary formation of formic acid remains unexplained. More work on formic acid formation pathways is needed to reduce the uncertainties in the sources and budget of formic acid and to narrow the gaps between measurements and model results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]