Analysis of Volatile Organic Compound Oxidation Chemistry and Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation with Novel Instrumentation for in Situ Carbonyl Detection

该项目涉及在加利福尼亚州内华达山脉的Blodgett森林使用最先进的仪器测量树冠内和之上的甲醛和α-二酮(主要是乙二醛)浓度梯度和通量，作为2009年生物圈对气溶胶的影响和光化学实验(BEARPEX-09)活动的一部分。所得数据将与光化学模拟相结合，为二次有机气溶胶(SOA)的形成机制和生物来源的挥发性有机化合物(VOC)氧化化学提供新的见解。将改进用于测量甲醛的激光诱导荧光仪和用于测量α-二羰基的激光诱导磷光仪。现场数据将与其他研究人员将获得的气溶胶物理和化学成分数据结合在一起，并使用基于主化学机制的光化学传输模型进行分析。这项工作的更广泛影响将包括(1)提高对VOC氧化和SOA形成的理解，这是影响城市空气质量和区域/全球气候强迫的重要过程，(2)两名研究生的参与和培训，(3)本科生通过威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的本科生研究经验项目参与，以及(4)首席研究员参与一个促进与当地公立学校科学教师互动的项目。该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。

This project involves measuring formaldehyde and alpha-dicarbonyl (mainly glyoxal) concentration gradients and fluxes within and above the canopy at Blodgett Forest in the Sierra Nevada of California using state of the art instrumentation as part of the multi-investigator Biosphere Effects on AeRosols and Photochemistry Experiment - 2009 (BEARPEX-09) campaign. Resulting data will be combined with photochemical modeling to provide new insights into the mechanisms of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation and biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) oxidation chemistry. Improvements will be made to a laser-induced fluorescence instrument for measuring formaldehyde and to a laser-induced phosphorescence instrument for measuring alpha-dicarbonyls. The field data will be combined with aerosol physical and chemical composition data to be obtained by other investigators and analyzed using a photochemical transport model based on the Master Chemical Mechanism.The broader impacts of this work will include (1) improved understanding of VOC oxidation and SOA formation, which are important processes affecting urban air quality as well as regional/global climate forcing, (2) participation and training of two graduate students, (3) participate of undergraduates through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and (4) participation of the Principal Investigator in a program that facilitates interactions with local public school science teachers. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).