August 5, 2008
Journal Article

Correlation of Secondary Organic Aerosol with Odd Oxygen in Mexico City

Abstract

Data collected from a mountain location within the Mexico City limits are used to demonstrate a correlation between secondary organic aerosol and odd-oxygen (O3 + NO2). Positive matrix factorization techniques are employed to separate organic aerosol components: hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol; oxidized-organic aerosol; and biomass burning organic aerosol. The measured hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol is correlated with urban CO (8±1) µg m-3 ppmv-1. The measured oxidized-organic aerosol is associated with photochemical oxidation products and correlates with odd-oxygen with an apparent slope of (70-120) µg m-3 ppmv-1. The dependence of the oxidized-organic aerosol to odd-oxygen correlation on the nature of the gas-phase hydrocarbon profile is discussed.

Revised: April 7, 2011 | Published: August 5, 2008

Citation

Herndon S.C., T.B. Onasch, E.C. Wood, J.H. Kroll, M.R. Canagaratna, J.T. Jayne, and M.A. Zavala, et al. 2008. Correlation of Secondary Organic Aerosol with Odd Oxygen in Mexico City. Geophysical Research Letters 35, no. 15:L15804. PNNL-SA-58157. doi:10.1029/2008GL034058