Observations of nitryl chloride and modeling its source and effect on ozone in the planetary boundary layer of southern China

• Published in: Journal of geophysical research. Atmospheres Vol. 121; no. 5; pp. 2476 - 2489
• Main Authors: Wang, Tao, Tham, Yee Jun, Xue, Likun, Li, Qinyi, Zha, Qiaozhi, Wang, Zhe, Poon, Steven C. N., Dubé, William P., Blake, Donald R., Louie, Peter K. K., Luk, Connie W. Y., Tsui, Wilson, Brown, Steven S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Blackwell Publishing Ltd 16-03-2016
• Subjects: Air masses; Atmospheric chemistry; Atmospheric models; Boundary layers; Brackish; chemical ionization mass spectrometry; Chemistry; China; Chlorides; Chlorine; Computer integrated manufacturing; Computer simulation; Daytime; dinitrogen pentoxide; Geophysics; Haze; heterogeneous uptake; Industrial pollution; Ionization; Marine; Mass spectrometry; Mathematical models; Mixing ratio; Modelling; Mountains; nitryl chloride; Nitryl chlorides; Ozone; Ozone production; Photochemical models; Photochemicals; Photochemistry; Planetary boundary layer; Polluted environments; Pollution dispersion; Sea level; Wind; Winds; ISEW, China, People's Rep., Hong Kong; China, People's Rep
• ISSN: 2169-897X; 2169-8996
• DOI: 10.1002/2015JD024556

Nitryl chloride (ClNO2) plays potentially important roles in atmospheric chemistry, but its abundance and effect are not fully understood due to the small number of ambient observations of ClNO2 to date. In late autumn 2013, ClNO2 was measured with a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) at a mountain top (957 m above sea level) in Hong Kong. During 12 nights with continuous CIMS data, elevated mixing ratios of ClNO2 (>400 parts per trillion by volume) or its precursor N2O5 (>1000 pptv) were observed on six nights, with the highest ever reported ClNO2 (4.7 ppbv, 1 min average) and N2O5 (7.7 ppbv, 1 min average) in one case. Backward particle dispersion calculations driven by winds simulated with a mesoscale meteorological model show that the ClNO2/N2O5‐laden air at the high‐elevation site was due to transport of urban/industrial pollution north of the site. The highest ClNO2/N2O5 case was observed in a later period of the night and was characterized with extensively processed air and with the presence of nonoceanic chloride. A chemical box model with detailed chlorine chemistry was used to assess the possible impact of the ClNO2 in the well‐processed regional plume on next day ozone, as the air mass continued to downwind locations. The results show that the ClNO2 could enhance ozone by 5–16% at the ozone peak or 11–41% daytime ozone production in the following day. This study highlights varying importance of the ClNO2 chemistry in polluted environments and the need to consider this process in photochemical models for prediction of ground‐level ozone and haze.
Key Points
First observation of ClNO2 in the planetary boundary layer of China
Combined high‐resolution meteorological and measurement‐constrained chemical models in data analysis
ClNO2 enhances daytime ozone peak by 5‐16% in well‐processed PRD air