A gas-to-particle conversion mechanism helps to explain atmospheric particle formation through clustering of iodine oxides

Juan Carlos Gómez Martín (), Thomas R. Lewis, Mark A. Blitz, John M. C. Plane, Manoj Kumar, Joseph S. Francisco and Alfonso Saiz-Lopez ()
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Juan Carlos Gómez Martín: Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC
Thomas R. Lewis: Department of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC
Mark A. Blitz: University of Leeds
John M. C. Plane: University of Leeds
Manoj Kumar: University of Pennsylvania
Joseph S. Francisco: University of Pennsylvania
Alfonso Saiz-Lopez: Department of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18252-8

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