Molecular understanding of new-particle formation from α-pinene between −50 and +25 °C
Authors: Simon Mario , Dada Lubna , Heinritzi Martin , Scholz Wiebke , Stolzenburg Dominik , Fischer Lukas , Wagner Andrea C. , Kürten Andreas , Rörup Birte , He Xu-Cheng , Almeida João , Baalbaki Rima , Baccarini Andrea , Bauer Paulus S. , Beck Lisa , Bergen Anton , Bianchi Federico , Bräkling Steffen , Brilke Sophia , Caudillo Lucia , Chen Dexian , Chu Biwu , Dias António , Draper Danielle C. , Duplissy Jonathan , El-Haddad Imad , Finkenzeller Henning , Frege Carla , Gonzalez-Carracedo Loic , Gordon Hamish , Granzin Manuel , Hakala Jani , Hofbauer Victoria , Hoyle Christopher R. , Kim Changhyuk , Kong Weimeng , Lamkaddam Houssni , Lee Chuan P. , Lehtipalo Katrianne , Leiminger Markus , Mai Huajun , Manninen Hanna E. , Marie Guillaume , Marten Ruby , Mentler Bernhard , Molteni Ugo , Nichman Leonid , Nie Wei , Ojdanic Andrea , Onnela Antti , Partoll Eva , Petäjä Tuukka , Pfeifer Joschka , Philippov Maxim , Quéléver Lauriane L. J. , Ranjithkumar Ananth , Rissanen Matti P. , Schallhart Simon , Schobesberger Siegfried , Schuchmann Simone , Shen Jiali , Sipilä Mikko , Steiner Gerhard , Stozhkov Yuri , Tauber Christian , Tham Yee J. , Tomé António R. , Vazquez-Pufleau Miguel , Vogel Alexander L. , Wagner Robert , Wang Mingyi , Wang Dongyu S. , Wang Yonghong , Weber Stefan K. , Wu Yusheng , Xiao Mao , Yan Chao , Ye Penglin , Ye Qing , Zauner-Wieczorek Marcel , Zhou Xueqin , Baltensperger Urs , Dommen Josef , Flagan Richard C. , Hansel Armin , Kulmala Markku , Volkamer Rainer , Winkler Paul M. , Worsnop Douglas R. , Donahue Neil M. , Kirkby Jasper , Curtius Joachim 
Published: August 2020

Abstract. Highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) contribute
substantially to the formation and growth of atmospheric aerosol particles,
which affect air quality, human health and Earth's climate. HOMs are formed
by rapid, gas-phase autoxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such
as α-pinene, the most abundant monoterpene in the atmosphere. Due to
their abundance and low volatility, HOMs can play an important role in
new-particle formation (NPF) and the early growth of atmospheric aerosols,
even without any further assistance of other low-volatility compounds such
as sulfuric acid. Both the autoxidation reaction forming HOMs and their
NPF rates are expected to be strongly dependent on
temperature. However, experimental data on both effects are limited.
Dedicated experiments were performed at the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor
Droplets) chamber at CERN to address this question. In this study, we show
that a decrease in temperature (from +25 to −50 ∘C) results in
a reduced HOM yield and reduced oxidation state of the products, whereas the
NPF rates (J1.7 nm) increase substantially.
Measurements with two different chemical ionization mass spectrometers
(using nitrate and protonated water as reagent ion, respectively) provide
the molecular composition of the gaseous oxidation products, and a
two-dimensional volatility basis set (2D VBS) model provides their volatility
distribution. The HOM yield decreases with temperature from 6.2 % at 25 ∘C to 0.7 % at −50 ∘C. However, there is a strong
reduction of the saturation vapor pressure of each oxidation state as the
temperature is reduced. Overall, the reduction in volatility with
temperature leads to an increase in the nucleation rates by up to 3
orders of magnitude at −50 ∘C compared with 25 ∘C. In
addition, the enhancement of the nucleation rates by ions decreases with
decreasing temperature, since the neutral molecular clusters have increased
stability against evaporation. The resulting data quantify how the interplay
between the temperature-dependent oxidation pathways and the associated
vapor pressures affect biogenic NPF at the molecular
level. Our measurements, therefore, improve our understanding of pure
biogenic NPF for a wide range of tropospheric
temperatures and precursor concentrations.