Heterogeneous Reactive Nitrogen Chemistry

Gas-particle reactions of reactive nitrogen represent an important but variable atmospheric chemical cycle.  For example, uptake of N₂O₅to aerosol regulates the lifetime of NO_x(=NO+NO₂) and oxidant burdens in the troposphere.  Uptake of N₂O₅to chloride-containing aerosol to produce ClNO₂is an efficient halogen activation mechanism that may represent a substantial fraction of tropospheric halogen budgets.  Our group has developed instrumentation and led major ground, ship and aircraft based field intensives in New England, Texas and the Gulf Coast, New York City, California, Colorado and Hong Kong.  The recent WINTER field campaign on the NSF C-130 aircraft on the U.S. East Coast, collaborative with the Thornton Group at the University of Washington, specifically targeted heterogeneous nitrogen chemistry.