Natural Marine Precursors Boost Continental New Particle Formation and Production of Cloud Condensation Nuclei

Abstract

Marine dimethyl sulfide (DMS) emissions are the dominant source of natural sulfur in the atmosphere. DMS oxidizes to produce low-volatility acids that potentially nucleate to form particles that may grow into climatically important cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). In this work, we utilize the chemistry transport model ADCHEM to demonstrate that DMS emissions are likely to contribute to the majority of CCN during the biological active period (May-August) at three different forest stations in the Nordic countries. DMS increases CCN concentrations by forming nucleation and Aitken mode particles over the ocean and land, which eventually grow into the accumulation mode by condensation of low-volatility organic compounds from continental vegetation. Our findings provide a new understanding of the exchange of marine precursors between the ocean and land, highlighting their influence as one of the dominant sources of CCN particles over the boreal forest.

Abstract

Little is known on the role of natural marine precursors in the formation of aerosol particles over land. Here we demonstrate that dimethyl sulfide in particular gives rise to a substantial fraction of aerosol particles in the cloud condensation nuclei size range observed over the Nordic boreal forest.