Atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) at a rural coastal site in North China: Seasonal variations and effects of biomass burning

Rongrong Gu; Penggang Zheng; Tianshu Chen; Can Dong; Ya'nan Wang; Yiming Liu; Yuhong Liu; Yuanyuan Luo; Guangxuan Han; Xinfeng Wang; Xuehua Zhou; Tao Wang; Wenxing Wang; Likun Xue

doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117429

Atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) at a rural coastal site in North China: Seasonal variations and effects of biomass burning

Rongrong Gu, Penggang Zheng, Tianshu Chen, Can Dong, Ya'nan Wang, Yiming Liu, Yuhong Liu, Yuanyuan Luo, Guangxuan Han, Xinfeng Wang, Xuehua Zhou, Tao Wang, Wenxing Wang, Likun Xue

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nitrous acid (HONO) plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry due to its contribution to hydroxyl radical (OH). However, no scientific consensus has been achieved about the daytime HONO formation mechanisms. To identify the seasonal variations of HONO chemistry and the impacts of biomass burning (BB), we performed a two-phased field study in winter-spring and summer (covering a harvest season) in 2017 at a rural coastal site in North China. Though the mean HONO concentration in winter-spring (0.26 ± 0.28 ppbv) was higher than in summer (0.17 ± 0.19 ppbv), the maximum HONO concentrations were comparable (~2 ppbv) in the two campaigns. Both the HONO/NO_x ratio and nocturnal heterogeneous conversion efficiency of HONO (C_HONO) in summer were over twice of that in winter-spring. The daytime budget analysis also revealed that the strength of P_other (i.e., the HONO sources apart from the reaction of OH + NO) in summer was double of that in winter-spring. BB affected the HONO concentration by enhancing the contribution of heterogeneous HONO production on the aerosol surface but weakening the role of photo-related HONO formation. HONO photolysis was a significant source of OH in both winter-spring and summer, and its contribution could be further enhanced during the BB episode in summer. Our study demonstrates the significant seasonal variations of HONO and the effects of BB, and suggests needs for more multi-season observations and considerations of BB, especially during the harvest time, in HONO research.

Original language	English
Article number	117429
Journal	Atmospheric Environment
Volume	229
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117429
Publication status	Published - 15 May 2020

Keywords

Biomass burning
Hydroxyl radical
Nitrous acid
North China
Seasonal variation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Environmental Science
Atmospheric Science

More information

10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117429

http://hdl.handle.net/10397/101087

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@article{a9f8b8abc0c840d0a8c5fcbb591c9ea2,

title = "Atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) at a rural coastal site in North China: Seasonal variations and effects of biomass burning",

abstract = "Nitrous acid (HONO) plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry due to its contribution to hydroxyl radical (OH). However, no scientific consensus has been achieved about the daytime HONO formation mechanisms. To identify the seasonal variations of HONO chemistry and the impacts of biomass burning (BB), we performed a two-phased field study in winter-spring and summer (covering a harvest season) in 2017 at a rural coastal site in North China. Though the mean HONO concentration in winter-spring (0.26 ± 0.28 ppbv) was higher than in summer (0.17 ± 0.19 ppbv), the maximum HONO concentrations were comparable (~2 ppbv) in the two campaigns. Both the HONO/NOx ratio and nocturnal heterogeneous conversion efficiency of HONO (CHONO) in summer were over twice of that in winter-spring. The daytime budget analysis also revealed that the strength of Pother (i.e., the HONO sources apart from the reaction of OH + NO) in summer was double of that in winter-spring. BB affected the HONO concentration by enhancing the contribution of heterogeneous HONO production on the aerosol surface but weakening the role of photo-related HONO formation. HONO photolysis was a significant source of OH in both winter-spring and summer, and its contribution could be further enhanced during the BB episode in summer. Our study demonstrates the significant seasonal variations of HONO and the effects of BB, and suggests needs for more multi-season observations and considerations of BB, especially during the harvest time, in HONO research.",

keywords = "Biomass burning, Hydroxyl radical, Nitrous acid, North China, Seasonal variation",

author = "Rongrong Gu and Penggang Zheng and Tianshu Chen and Can Dong and Ya'nan Wang and Yiming Liu and Yuhong Liu and Yuanyuan Luo and Guangxuan Han and Xinfeng Wang and Xuehua Zhou and Tao Wang and Wenxing Wang and Likun Xue",

year = "2020",

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doi = "10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117429",

language = "English",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) at a rural coastal site in North China

T2 - Seasonal variations and effects of biomass burning

AU - Gu, Rongrong

AU - Zheng, Penggang

AU - Chen, Tianshu

AU - Dong, Can

AU - Wang, Ya'nan

AU - Liu, Yiming

AU - Liu, Yuhong

AU - Luo, Yuanyuan

AU - Han, Guangxuan

AU - Wang, Xinfeng

AU - Zhou, Xuehua

AU - Wang, Tao

AU - Wang, Wenxing

AU - Xue, Likun

PY - 2020/5/15

Y1 - 2020/5/15

N2 - Nitrous acid (HONO) plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry due to its contribution to hydroxyl radical (OH). However, no scientific consensus has been achieved about the daytime HONO formation mechanisms. To identify the seasonal variations of HONO chemistry and the impacts of biomass burning (BB), we performed a two-phased field study in winter-spring and summer (covering a harvest season) in 2017 at a rural coastal site in North China. Though the mean HONO concentration in winter-spring (0.26 ± 0.28 ppbv) was higher than in summer (0.17 ± 0.19 ppbv), the maximum HONO concentrations were comparable (~2 ppbv) in the two campaigns. Both the HONO/NOx ratio and nocturnal heterogeneous conversion efficiency of HONO (CHONO) in summer were over twice of that in winter-spring. The daytime budget analysis also revealed that the strength of Pother (i.e., the HONO sources apart from the reaction of OH + NO) in summer was double of that in winter-spring. BB affected the HONO concentration by enhancing the contribution of heterogeneous HONO production on the aerosol surface but weakening the role of photo-related HONO formation. HONO photolysis was a significant source of OH in both winter-spring and summer, and its contribution could be further enhanced during the BB episode in summer. Our study demonstrates the significant seasonal variations of HONO and the effects of BB, and suggests needs for more multi-season observations and considerations of BB, especially during the harvest time, in HONO research.

AB - Nitrous acid (HONO) plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry due to its contribution to hydroxyl radical (OH). However, no scientific consensus has been achieved about the daytime HONO formation mechanisms. To identify the seasonal variations of HONO chemistry and the impacts of biomass burning (BB), we performed a two-phased field study in winter-spring and summer (covering a harvest season) in 2017 at a rural coastal site in North China. Though the mean HONO concentration in winter-spring (0.26 ± 0.28 ppbv) was higher than in summer (0.17 ± 0.19 ppbv), the maximum HONO concentrations were comparable (~2 ppbv) in the two campaigns. Both the HONO/NOx ratio and nocturnal heterogeneous conversion efficiency of HONO (CHONO) in summer were over twice of that in winter-spring. The daytime budget analysis also revealed that the strength of Pother (i.e., the HONO sources apart from the reaction of OH + NO) in summer was double of that in winter-spring. BB affected the HONO concentration by enhancing the contribution of heterogeneous HONO production on the aerosol surface but weakening the role of photo-related HONO formation. HONO photolysis was a significant source of OH in both winter-spring and summer, and its contribution could be further enhanced during the BB episode in summer. Our study demonstrates the significant seasonal variations of HONO and the effects of BB, and suggests needs for more multi-season observations and considerations of BB, especially during the harvest time, in HONO research.

KW - Biomass burning

KW - Hydroxyl radical

KW - Nitrous acid

KW - North China

KW - Seasonal variation

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U2 - 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117429

DO - 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117429

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85082960659

SN - 1352-2310

VL - 229

JO - Atmospheric Environment

JF - Atmospheric Environment

M1 - 117429

ER -

Atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) at a rural coastal site in North China: Seasonal variations and effects of biomass burning

Abstract

Keywords

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