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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 111, D23S12, doi:10.1029/2006JD007570, 2006

Analysis of the isoprene chemistry observed during the New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS) 2002 intensive experiment

James M. Roberts

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Mathew Marchewka

Department of Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA


Steven B. Bertman

Department of Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA


Paul Goldan

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


William Kuster

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Joost de Gouw

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Carsten Warneke

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Eric Williams

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Brian Lerner

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Paul Murphy

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Eric Apel

Atmospheric Chemistry Division, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Fred C. Fehsenfeld

Chemical Sciences Division, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Abstract

Isoprene and its first and second generation photochemical products, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), methacrolein (MACR), and peroxymethacrylic nitric anhydride (MPAN), were measured off the coast of New England during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS) on board the NOAA Research Vessel Ronald H. Brown. The results of these measurements were analyzed using a simple sequential reaction model that has been used previously to examine regional oxidant chemistry. The highest isoprene impact was observed in air masses that had passed over an area of high isoprene emission WSW of Boston. The relative concentrations of isoprene and its first generation products show that the photochemistry is consistently “older” than the isoprene photochemistry observed at continental sites. The sequential reaction model was also applied to the aldehyde-PANs (Peroxycarboxylic nitric anhydride) system, and the resulting PPN (peroxypropionic nitric anhydride)/propanal and PAN (peroxyacetic nitric anhydride)/acetaldehyde relationships were consistent with additional sources of PAN in this environment, e.g., isoprene photochemistry. This isoprene source was estimated to result in approximately 1.6 to 4 times more PAN in this environment relative to that produced from anthropogenic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) alone.

Received 28 May 2006; accepted 27 September 2006; published 23 November 2006.

Keywords: isoprene; New England; pollution.

Index Terms: 0315 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions (0426, 1610); 0345 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Pollution: urban and regional (0305, 0478, 4251); 0365 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere: composition and chemistry; 0368 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere: constituent transport and chemistry.

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Citation: Roberts, J. M., et al. (2006), Analysis of the isoprene chemistry observed during the New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS) 2002 intensive experiment, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D23S12, doi:10.1029/2006JD007570.