DOI:
10.1038/s41467-020-18252-8
Authors:
Gómez Martín J.C., Lewis T.R., Blitz M.A., Plane J.M.C., Kumar M., Francisco J.S., Saiz-Lopez A.
Abstract:
Emitted from the oceans, iodine-bearing molecules are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and a source of new atmospheric aerosol particles of potentially global significance. However, its inclusion in atmospheric models is hindered by a lack of understanding of the first steps of the photochemical gas-to-particle conversion mechanism. Our laboratory results show that under a high humidity and low HOx regime, the recently proposed nucleating molecule (iodic acid, HOIO2) does not form rapidly enough, and gas-to-particle conversion proceeds by clustering of iodine oxides (IxOy), albeit at slower rates than under dryer conditions. Moreover, we show experimentally that gas-phase HOIO2 is not necessary for the formation of HOIO2-containing particles. These insights help to explain new particle formation in the relatively dry polar regions and, more generally, provide for the first time a thermochemically feasible molecular mechanism from ocean iodine emissions to atmospheric particles that is currently missing in model calculations of aerosol radiative forcing. © 2020, The Author(s).
URL:
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85090394741&doi=10.1038%2fs41467-020-18252-8&partnerID=40&md5=7380a05f2fc29da163902de7a2d20853