Observations of hydroxyl and the sum of peroxy radicals at Summit, Greenland during summer 2003
Abstract
The first measurements of peroxy (HO2+RO2) and hydroxyl (OH) radicals above the arctic snowpack were collected during the summer 2003 campaign at Summit, Greenland. The median measured number densities for peroxy and hydroxyl radicals were 2.2×108 mol cm−3 and 6.4×106 mol cm−3, respectively. The observed peroxy radical values are in excellent agreement (R2=0.83, M/O=1.06) with highly constrained model predictions. However, calculated hydroxyl number densities are consistently more than a factor of 2 lower than the observed values. These results indicate that our current understanding of radical sources and sinks is in accord with our observations in this environment but that there may be a mechanism that is perturbing the (HO2+RO2)/OH ratio. This observed ratio was also found to depend on meteorological conditions especially during periods of high winds accompanied by blowing snow. Backward transport model simulations indicate that these periods of high winds were characterized by rapid transport (1–2 days) of marine boundary layer air to Summit. These data suggest that the boundary layer photochemistry at Summit may be periodically impacted by halogens.
Department
Earth Sciences, Earth Systems Research Center
Publication Date
8-2007
Journal Title
Atmospheric Environment
Publisher
Elsevier
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.06.065
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
S.J. Sjostedt, L.G. Huey, D.J. Tanner, J. Peischl, G. Chen, J.E. Dibb, B. Lefer, M.A. Hutterli, A.J. Beyersdorf, N.J. Blake, D.R. Blake, D. Sueper, T. Ryerson, J. Burkhart, A. Stohl, Observations of hydroxyl and the sum of peroxy radicals at Summit, Greenland during summer 2003, Atmospheric Environment, Volume 41, Issue 24, August 2007, Pages 5122-5137, ISSN 1352-2310, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.06.065.
Rights
Copyright © 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.