Isoprene nitrates drive new particle formation in Amazon’s upper troposphere

Joachim Curtius (), Martin Heinritzi, Lisa J. Beck, Mira L. Pöhlker, Nidhi Tripathi, Bianca E. Krumm, Philip Holzbeck, Clara M. Nussbaumer, Lianet Hernández Pardo, Thomas Klimach, Konstantinos Barmpounis, Simone T. Andersen, Roman Bardakov, Birger Bohn, Micael A. Cecchini, Jean-Pierre Chaboureau, Thibaut Dauhut, Dirk Dienhart, Raphael Dörich, Achim Edtbauer, Andreas Giez, Antonia Hartmann, Bruna A. Holanda, Philipp Joppe, Katharina Kaiser, Timo Keber, Hannah Klebach, Ovid O. Krüger, Andreas Kürten, Christian Mallaun, Daniel Marno, Monica Martinez, Carolina Monteiro, Carolina Nelson, Linda Ort, Subha S. Raj, Sarah Richter, Akima Ringsdorf, Fabio Rocha, Mario Simon, Sreedev Sreekumar, Anywhere Tsokankunku, Gabriela R. Unfer, Isabella D. Valenti, Nijing Wang, Andreas Zahn, Marcel Zauner-Wieczorek, Rachel I. Albrecht, Meinrat O. Andreae, Paulo Artaxo, John N. Crowley, Horst Fischer, Hartwig Harder, Dirceu L. Herdies, Luiz A. T. Machado, Christopher Pöhlker, Ulrich Pöschl, Anna Possner, Andrea Pozzer, Johannes Schneider, Jonathan Williams and Jos Lelieveld
Additional contact information
Joachim Curtius: Goethe University Frankfurt
Martin Heinritzi: Goethe University Frankfurt
Lisa J. Beck: Goethe University Frankfurt
Mira L. Pöhlker: Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Nidhi Tripathi: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Bianca E. Krumm: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Philip Holzbeck: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Clara M. Nussbaumer: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Lianet Hernández Pardo: Goethe University Frankfurt
Thomas Klimach: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Konstantinos Barmpounis: Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Simone T. Andersen: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Roman Bardakov: Stockholm University
Birger Bohn: Institute of Climate and Energy Systems (ICE-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Micael A. Cecchini: University of São Paulo
Jean-Pierre Chaboureau: Laboratoire d’Aérologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UT3, IRD
Thibaut Dauhut: Laboratoire d’Aérologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UT3, IRD
Dirk Dienhart: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Raphael Dörich: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Achim Edtbauer: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Andreas Giez: German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Antonia Hartmann: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Bruna A. Holanda: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Philipp Joppe: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Katharina Kaiser: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Timo Keber: Goethe University Frankfurt
Hannah Klebach: Goethe University Frankfurt
Ovid O. Krüger: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Andreas Kürten: Goethe University Frankfurt
Christian Mallaun: German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Daniel Marno: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Monica Martinez: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Carolina Monteiro: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Carolina Nelson: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Linda Ort: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Subha S. Raj: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Sarah Richter: Goethe University Frankfurt
Akima Ringsdorf: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Fabio Rocha: National Institute for Space Research
Mario Simon: Goethe University Frankfurt
Sreedev Sreekumar: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Anywhere Tsokankunku: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Gabriela R. Unfer: Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research
Isabella D. Valenti: University of São Paulo
Nijing Wang: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Andreas Zahn: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Marcel Zauner-Wieczorek: Goethe University Frankfurt
Rachel I. Albrecht: University of São Paulo
Meinrat O. Andreae: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Paulo Artaxo: University of São Paulo
John N. Crowley: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Horst Fischer: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Hartwig Harder: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Dirceu L. Herdies: National Institute for Space Research
Luiz A. T. Machado: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Christopher Pöhlker: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Ulrich Pöschl: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Anna Possner: Goethe University Frankfurt
Andrea Pozzer: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Johannes Schneider: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Jonathan Williams: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Jos Lelieveld: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry

Nature, 2024, vol. 636, issue 8041, 124-130

Abstract: Abstract New particle formation (NPF) in the tropical upper troposphere is a globally important source of atmospheric aerosols1–4. It is known to occur over the Amazon basin, but the nucleation mechanism and chemical precursors have yet to be identified2. Here we present comprehensive in situ aircraft measurements showing that extremely low-volatile oxidation products of isoprene, particularly certain organonitrates, drive NPF in the Amazonian upper troposphere. The organonitrates originate from OH-initiated oxidation of isoprene from forest emissions in the presence of nitrogen oxides from lightning. Nucleation bursts start about 2 h after sunrise in the outflow of nocturnal deep convection, producing high aerosol concentrations of more than 50,000 particles cm−3. We report measurements of characteristic diurnal cycles of precursor gases and particles. Our observations show that the interplay between biogenic isoprene, deep tropical convection with associated lightning, oxidation photochemistry and the low ambient temperature uniquely promotes NPF. The particles grow over time, undergo long-range transport and descend through subsidence to the lower troposphere, in which they can serve as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) that influence the Earth’s hydrological cycle, radiation budget and climate1,4–8.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08192-4

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