Atmospheric Reactive Gases and Particles Generated by Electrical Discharges: Laboratory and Modeling Studies

该项目涉及实验室研究，以提高对放电（如闪电）产生羟基自由基（OH）和羟基过氧自由基（HO2）的条件的理解。这项研究还将调查闪电产生臭氧和氮氧化物的原因。这些努力将改善化学运输和气候模型中闪电产生的氧化氢自由基的参数化，从而更好地预测空气质量和气候变化。该项目包括7项任务：(1)在更大的温度、压力和水汽范围内进行更多的实验室研究，以匹配不同高度的大气条件；(2)检测雷击产生的氧化氢自由基（LHOx）、雷击产生的臭氧（LO3）、雷击产生的氮氧化物（LNOx）对不同云水含量的云粒子存在的依赖性；(3)用不同的方法产生可见和不可见的放电；(4)探索LHOx、LO3和LNOx在更大的电荷转移范围内产生不可见的放电、电晕和火花；(5)确定火花产生的LNOx存在100 ppbv至ppmv水平时LHOx衰变慢于预期的原因；(6)检查颗粒产量；(7)与云建模器和化学传输建模器对参数化工作。这项工作包括培养本科生和研究生以及一名将参与研究的博士后学者。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project involves laboratory studies to improve the understanding of the conditions by which hydroxyl radical (OH) and hydroperoxyl radical (HO2) are produced by electrical discharges such as lightning. This research will also investigate the generation of lightning produced ozone and nitrogen oxides. These efforts will improve the parameterizations of the production of lightning-produced hydrogen oxide radicals in chemical transport and climate models, leading to better predictions for air quality and climate change.This project includes 7 tasks: (1) Performing more laboratory studies over a greater range of temperature, pressure, and water vapor ranges that match atmospheric conditions at different altitudes; (2) Testing the dependence of lightning-produced hydrogen oxide radicals, (LHOx), lightning-produced ozone (LO3), and lightning-produced nitrogen oxides (LNOx) on the presence of cloud particles with different cloud water content; (3) Generating the visible and subvisible electrical discharges by different methods; (4) Exploring the generation of LHOx, LO3, and LNOx with subvisible discharges, corona, and sparks over a wider range of charge transfer; (5) Determining the cause of the slower-than-expected decay of LHOx in the presence of 100’s of ppbv to ppmv levels of spark-generated LNOx; (6) Examining particle production; and (7) Working with cloud modelers and chemical transport modelers on parameterizations.This effort includes the training of both undergraduate and graduate students and a postdoctoral scholar who will participate in the research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.