The transformation of nitrogen oxides in the polluted troposphere

C. S. Atherton; J. E. Penner

doi:10.3402/tellusb.v40i5.16003

The transformation of nitrogen oxides in the polluted troposphere

Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology

Volume 40 (1988): Issue 5

By: C. S. Atherton and J. E. Penner

Open Access

|Jan 1988

Abstract

The transformation of nitrogen oxide was investigated using an explicit chemical reaction mechanism developed for use in tropospheric photochemical models. Through box-model simulations, the mechanism was first used to study the formation of organic nitrate species in an urban setting for a range of hydrocarbon to NO_x ratios. Next, several changes to the basic mechanism were incorporated to study their effect on organic nitrate formation. The results show organic nitrates are present and their amounts depend on the ratio of hydrocarbons to NO_x. At high HC/NO_x ratios, as much as 24% of the nitrogen emitted into an urban area may be transformed to organic nitrates. Experimental evidence on the yields and rates of some reactions is scarce.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v40i5.16003 | Journal eISSN: 1600-0889

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Language: English

Page range: 380 - 392

Submitted on: Nov 2, 1987

Accepted on: Mar 18, 1988

Published on: Jan 1, 1988

Published by: Stockholm University Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 1988 C. S. Atherton, J. E. Penner, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 40 (1988): Issue 5