Novel insights on new particle formation derived from a pan-european observing system
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Authors
Colleges, School and Institutes
External organisations
- Institute of Marine Science
- CSIC
- Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management
- National University of Ireland Galway
- Aerodyne Research, Inc.
- University of Helsinki
- Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
- University of Eastern Finland
- UMR6016
- University of Manchester
- Paul Scherrer Institut
- European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra
- Finnish Meteorological Institute
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, TNO
- Lunds Universitet
- Stockholm University
- Laboratoire D'Aérologie
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- CHARLES UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE
- Université Grenoble Alpes
- CNRS-CEA
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences
- King Abdulaziz University, Department of Environmental Sciences, Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
The formation of new atmospheric particles involves an initial step forming stable clusters less than a nanometre in size (<~1 nm), followed by growth into quasi-stable aerosol particles a few nanometres (~1-10 nm) and larger (>~10 nm). Although at times, the same species can be responsible for both processes, it is thought that more generally each step comprises differing chemical contributors. Here, we present a novel analysis of measurements from a unique multi-station ground-based observing system which reveals new insights into continental-scale patterns associated with new particle formation. Statistical cluster analysis of this unique 2-year multi-station dataset comprising size distribution and chemical composition reveals that across Europe, there are different major seasonal trends depending on geographical location, concomitant with diversity in nucleating species while it seems that the growth phase is dominated by organic aerosol formation. The diversity and seasonality of these events requires an advanced observing system to elucidate the key processes and species driving particle formation, along with detecting continental scale changes in aerosol formation into the future.
Details
Original language | English |
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Article number | 1482 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Scientific Reports |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 24 Jan 2018 |
Keywords
- atmospheric chemistry , atmospheric dynamics