Variability of hydroxyl radical (OH) reactivity in the Landes maritime pine forest: results from the LANDEX campaign 2017

Total hydroxyl radical (OH) reactivity measurements were conducted during the LANDEX intensive field campaign in a coniferous temperate forest located in the Landes area, southwestern France, during July 2017. In order to investigate inter-canopy and intra-canopy variability, measurements were performed inside (6 m) and above the canopy level (12 m), as well as at two different locations within the canopy, using a comparative reactivity method (CRM) and a laser photolysis–laser-induced fluorescence (LP-LIF) instrument. The two techniques were intercompared at the end of the campaign by performing measurements at the same location. Volatile organic compounds were also monitored at both levels with a proton transfer time-of-flight mass spectrometer and online gas chromatography instruments to evaluate their contribution to total OH reactivity, with monoterpenes being the main reactive species emitted in this forest dominated by Pinus pinaster Aiton. Total OH reactivity varied diurnally, following the trend of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), the emissions and concentrations of which were dependent on meteorological parameters. Average OH reactivity was around 19.2 and 16.5 s−1 inside and above the canopy, respectively. The highest levels of total OH reactivity were observed during nights with a low turbulence (u*≤0.2 m s−1), leading to lower mixing of emitted species within the canopy and thus an important vertical stratification characterized by a strong concentration gradient. Comparing the measured and the calculated OH reactivity highlighted an average missing OH reactivity of 22 % and 33 % inside and above the canopy, respectively. A day–night variability was observed on missing OH reactivity at both heights. Investigations showed that during daytime, missing OH sinks could be due to primary emissions and secondary products linked to a temperature-enhanced photochemistry. Regarding nighttime missing OH reactivity, higher levels were seen for the stable and warm night of 4–5 July, showing that these conditions could have been favorable for the accumulation of long-lived species (primary and secondary species) during the transport of the air mass from nearby forests.

Variability of OH reactivity in the Landes maritime Pine forest: Results from the LANDEX campaign 2017

Total OH reactivity measurements were conducted during the LANDEX intensive field campaign in a coniferous temperate forest located in the Landes area, south-western France, during July 2017. In order to investigate inter-canopy and intra-canopy variability, measurements were performed inside (6 m) and above the canopy level (12 m), as well as at two different locations within the canopy, using a Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM) and a Laser Photolysis-Laser Induced Fluorescence (LP-LIF) instrument. The two techniques were intercompared at the end of the campaign by performing measurements at the same location. Volatile organic compounds were also monitored at both levels with a proton transfer-time of flight mass spectrometer and online gas Chromatography instruments to evaluate their contribution to total OH reactivity, with monoterpenes being the main reactive species emitted in this Pinus pinaster Aiton dominated forest. Total OH reactivity varied diurnally, following the trend of BVOCs of which emissions and concentrations were dependent on meteorological parameters. Highest levels of total OH reactivity were observed during nights with a low turbulence (u* ≤ 0.2 m/s) leading to lower mixing of emitted species within the canopy and thus an important vertical stratification, characterized by a strong concentration gradient. By comparing the calculated OH reactivity from contributions of individually measured compounds to the measured OH reactivity, a discrepancy was seen at both heights mainly related to ambient temperature during day-time. It highlights that missing OH sinks could be due to temperature-dependent missing primary emissions or secondary products linked to a temperature-enhanced photochemistry. During night-time hours, atmospheric stability and relative humidity played a key role in the missing reactivity. Lower turbulence showed to be favourable for night-time chemistry, inducing a higher missing OH reactivity. Humid surfaces may have represented an additional sink for oxygenated compounds, escaping de facto total OH reactivity, and leading to lower or no missing OH reactivity.

Kinetics of the OH + NO₂ reaction: Rate coefficients (217–333 K, 16–1200 mbar) and fall-off parameters for N₂ and O₂ bath-gases

The radical terminating, termolecular reaction between OH and NO2 exerts great influence on the NOy / NOx ratio and O3 formation in the atmosphere. Evaluation panels (IUPAC and NASA) recommend rate coefficients for this reaction that disagree by as much as a factor 1.6 at low temperature and pressure. In this work, the title reaction was studied by pulsed laser photolysis-laser induced fluorescence over the pressure range 16–1200 mbar and temperature 217–333 K in N2 bath-gas, with experiments at 295 K (67–333 mbar) for O2. In-situ measurement of NO2 using two optical-absorption set-ups enabled generation of highly precise, accurate rate coefficients in the fall-off pressure range, appropriate for atmospheric conditions. We found, in agreement with previous work, that O2 bath-gas has a lower collision efficiency than N2 with a relative collision efficiency to N2 of 0.74. Using the widely used Troe-type formulation for termolecular reactions we present a new set of parameters with k0(N2) = 2.6 × 10−30 cm6 molecule−2 s−1, k0(O2) = 2.0 × 10−30 cm6 molecule−2 s−1, m = 3.6, k∞ = 6.3 × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1, Fc = 0.39 and compare our results to previous studies in N2 and O2 bath-gases.

The Reaction Kinetics of Amino Radicals with Sulfur Dioxide

Application of the laser photolysis–laser-induced fluorescence method to the reaction NH

Daytime tropospheric loss of hexanal and <I>trans</I>-2-hexenal: OH kinetics and UV photolysis

The ultraviolet (λ=250–370 nm) photolysis and the OH-initiated oxidation of hexanal and trans-2-hexenal, which are relevant atmospheric processes, have been investigated at room temperature and as a function of temperature (T=263–353 K), respectively. This kinetic study as a function of temperature is reported here for the first time. Absolute absorption cross sections (σλ) were obtained using a recently built system operating in the UV region. The obtained σλ allowed the estimation of the photolysis rates (J) across the troposphere. Kinetic measurements of the gas-phase reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with hexanal and trans-2-hexenal were performed by using the laser pulsed photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique. Rate coefficients kOH for both aldehydes were determined at temperatures between 263 and 353 K at 50 Torr in helium or argon bath gases. The temperature dependence of kOH for both aldehydes was found to be slightly negative. The tropospheric lifetime of hexanal and trans-2-hexenal due to the chemical removal by OH radicals has been estimated across the troposphere. The loss rate due to the OH chemical removal was compared with the estimated photolysis rates. Our results show that OH-reaction is the main loss process for these aldehydes in the troposphere, although photolysis is not negligible for hexanal.

Daytime tropospheric loss of hexanal and <i>trans</i>-2-hexenal: OH kinetics and UV photolysis

The ultraviolet (λ=250–370 nm) photolysis and the OH-initiated oxidation of hexanal and trans-2-hexenal, which are relevant atmospheric processes, have been investigated at room temperature and as a function of temperature (T=263–353 K), respectively. This kinetic study as a function of temperature is reported here for the first time. Absolute absorption cross sections (σλ) were obtained using a recently built system operating in the UV region. This work represents the first reported σλ for trans-2-hexenal. The obtained σλ allowed the estimation of the photolysis rates (J) of hexanal and trans-2-hexenal across the troposphere. Kinetic measurements of the gas-phase reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with hexanal and trans-2-hexenal were performed by using the laser pulsed photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique. Rate coefficients kOH for both aldehydes were determined at temperatures between 263 and 353 K at 50 Torr in helium or argon bath gases. The temperature dependence of kOH for both aldehydes was found to be slightly negative. The tropospheric lifetime of hexanal and trans-2-hexenal due to the chemical removal by OH radicals has been estimated across the troposphere. The loss rate due to the OH chemical removal was compared with the estimated photolysis rates. Our results show that OH-reaction and UV photolysis are the main loss processes for these aldehydes in the troposphere. For hexanal, both processes compete across the troposphere, however, UV photolysis can contribute up to 70% to the overall loss of trans-2-hexenal.

Singlet Methylene Removal Rate Constants from the (0,1,0) Vibrational Level: Enhancement via Complex-Mediated Vibrational Relaxation

The technique of laser flash photolysis/laser absorption has been used to obtain absolute removal rate constants for singlet methylene,