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Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 3, 3135-3169, 2003
www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/3/3135/2003/ doi:10.5194/acpd-3-3135-2003 © Author(s) 2003. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. |
Role of NO3 radical in oxidation processes in the eastern Mediterranean troposphere during the MINOS campaign
1Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1470, 71409 Heraklion, Greece
2Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie, Abt. Luftchemie, Mainz, Germany
3Deutscher Wetterdienst, Meteorologisches Observatorium, DWD, Germany
Abstract. During the MINOS campaign (28 July–18 August 2001) nitrate (NO3) radical was measured at Finokalia, on the north coast of Crete in South-East Europe using a long path (10.4 km) Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy instrument (DOAS). Hydroxyl (OH) radical was also measured by a Chemical Ionization Mass-Spectrometer (Berresheim et al., this issue). These datasets represent the first simultaneous measurements of OH and NO3 radicals in the area. NO3 radical concentrations ranged from less than 3·107 up to 9·108 radical·cm-3 with an average value of 1.1·108 radical·cm−3.
The observed NO3 mixing ratios are analyzed on the basis of the corresponding meteorological data and the volatile organic compound (VOC) observations simultaneously obtained at Finokalia station. The importance of the NO3 radical relatively to that of OH in the dimethylsulfide (DMS) and nitrate cycles is also investigated. The observed NO3 levels clearly regulate the diurnal variation of DMS. NO3 and N2O5 reactions account for about 21% of the total nitrate (HNO3(g) + NO−3(part)) production.
Citation: Vrekoussis, M., Kanakidou, M., Mihalopoulos, N., Crutzen, P. J., Lelieveld, J., Perner, D., Berresheim, H., and Baboukas, E.: Role of NO3 radical in oxidation processes in the eastern Mediterranean troposphere during the MINOS campaign, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 3, 3135-3169, doi:10.5194/acpd-3-3135-2003, 2003.