A large atomic chlorine source inferred from mid-continental reactive nitrogen chemistry

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dc.contributor.authorThornton, Joel A.
dc.contributor.authorKercher, James P.
dc.contributor.authorRiedel, Theran P.
dc.contributor.authorWagner, Nicholas L.
dc.contributor.authorCozic, Julie
dc.contributor.authorHolloway, John S.
dc.contributor.authorDubé, William P.
dc.contributor.authorWolfe, Glenn M.
dc.contributor.authorQuinn, Patricia K.
dc.contributor.authorMiddlebrook, Ann M.
dc.contributor.authorAlexander, Becky
dc.contributor.authorBrown, Steven S.
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-14T17:34:37Z
dc.date.available2020-09-14T17:34:37Z
dc.date.issued2010-03-11
dc.description.abstractHalogen atoms and oxides are highly reactive and can profoundly affect atmospheric composition. Chlorine atoms can decrease the lifetimes of gaseous elemental mercury1 and hydrocarbons such as the greenhouse gas methane2. Chlorine atoms also influence cycles that catalytically destroy or produce tropospheric ozone3, a greenhouse gas potentially toxic to plant and animal life. Conversion of inorganic chloride into gaseous chlorine atom precursors within the troposphere is generally considered a coastal or marine air phenomenon4. Here we report mid-continental observations of the chlorine atom precursor nitryl chloride at a distance of 1,400 km from the nearest coastline. We observe persistent and significant nitryl chloride production relative to the consumption of its nitrogen oxide precursors. Comparison of these findings to model predictions based on aerosol and precipitation composition data from long-term monitoring networks suggests nitryl chloride production in the contiguous USA alone is at a level similar to previous global estimates for coastal and marine regions5. We also suggest that a significant fraction of tropospheric chlorine atoms6 may arise directly from anthropogenic pollutants.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipFunding for the ClNO2 observations and analysis was provided by NSF grants ATM-0633897 and ATM-0846183 to J.A.T. Boulder field measurements were supported in part by the NOAA Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Program. J.P.K. thanks the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation for a postdoctoral fellowship in environmental chemistry. N.L.W. thanks the National Research Council for a postdoctoral fellowshipen_US
dc.description.urihttps://www.nature.com/articles/nature08905en_US
dc.format.extent4 pagesen_US
dc.genrejournal articlesen_US
dc.identifierdoi:10.13016/m26j7n-h9qq
dc.identifier.citationThornton, J., Kercher, J., Riedel, T. et al. A large atomic chlorine source inferred from mid-continental reactive nitrogen chemistry. Nature 464, 271–274 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08905en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1038/nature08905
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/19649
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherNature Researchen_US
dc.relation.isAvailableAtThe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Physics Department
dc.rightsThis item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
dc.rightsPublic Domain Mark 1.0*
dc.rightsThis work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/*
dc.titleA large atomic chlorine source inferred from mid-continental reactive nitrogen chemistryen_US
dc.typeTexten_US

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