Mechanisms of Formation of Atmospheric Nitrous Oxide

通过这个奖项，无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目和大气化学项目为一个关于大气氧化亚氮来源的跨学科项目提供了支持。这项工作将由加州大学圣地亚哥分校化学系的William C. Trogler博士和Mark H. Thiemens博士负责。他们将研究硝酸铵分解的机理，羟胺和一氧化氮的反应，以及其他可能产生一氧化二氮的反应。还将研究气溶胶和微粒对这些过程的影响。阐明反应机理，并将各种反应产生的氧化亚氮与大气中的氧化亚氮联系起来的手段将是对氮和氧进行同位素标记。近年来，大气中一氧化二氮的浓度一直在增加，但这种增加的来源还没有得到很好的了解。Trogler和Thiemens将研究各种反应产生氧化亚氮的细节，这些反应模拟了潜在的环境来源。Trogler在反应机理、催化和光化学方面的专业知识，以及Thiemens在气相动力学和质谱方面的专业知识，将有助于在相关条件下研究这些反应。一氧化二氮是一种温室气体，也与大气臭氧平衡有关。

By means of this award, the Inorganic, Bioninorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program and the Atmospheric Chemistry Program provide support for an interdisciplinary project on sources of atmospheric nitrous oxide. The work will be carried out by Dr. William C. Trogler and Dr. Mark H. Thiemens of the Chemistry Department of the University of California at San Diego. They will examine the mechanism of decomposition of ammonium nitrate, the reaction of hydroxylamine and nitric oxide, and other reactions by which nitrous oxide might be produced. The influence of aerosols and particulates on these processes will also be investigated. The means of elucidating the reaction mechanism, as well as linking the nitrous oxide produced by various reactions to nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, will be isotopic labeling of nitrogen and oxygen. %%% The concentration of atmospheric nitrous oxide has been increasing in recent years, but the sources of this increase are not well understood. Trogler and Thiemens will investigate the details of nitrous oxide production from various reactions that model potential environmental sources. Trogler's expertise in reaction mechanisms, catalysis, and photochemistry, and Thiemens' in gas phase kinetics and mass spectrometry will be helpful in this collaborative effort to examine these reactions under relevant conditions. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas and is also involved in the atmospheric ozone balance.