Halogen activation in the plume of Masaya volcano: field observations and box model investigations
Volcanic emissions are a source of halogens in the atmosphere. Rapid reactions convert the initially emitted hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, and HI) into reactive species such as BrO, Br2, BrCl, ClO, OClO, and IO. The activation reaction mechanisms in the plume consume ozone (O3), which is entrained by ambient air that is mixed into the plume. In this study, we present observations of the oxidation of bromine, chlorine, and iodine during the first 11 min following emission, examining the plume from Santiago crater of the Masaya volcano in Nicaragua. Two field campaigns were conducted: one in July 2016 and one in September 2016. The sum of the reactive species of each halogen was determined by g…
Implementation of the chemistry module MECCA (v2.5) in the modal aerosol version of the Community Atmosphere Model component (v3.6.33) of the Community Earth System Model
Abstract. A coupled atmospheric chemistry and climate system model was developed using the modal aerosol version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Atmosphere Model (modal-CAM; v3.6.33) and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry's Module Efficiently Calculating the Chemistry of the Atmosphere (MECCA; v2.5) to provide enhanced resolution of multiphase processes, particularly those involving inorganic halogens, and associated impacts on atmospheric composition and climate. Three Rosenbrock solvers (Ros-2, Ros-3, RODAS-3) were tested in conjunction with the basic load-balancing options available to modal-CAM (1) to establish an optimal configuration of the implicitly-sol…
Implementation of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) version 1.2.1 as a new base model into version 2.50 of the MESSy framework
Abstract. The Community Earth System Model (CESM1), maintained by the United States National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is connected with the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy). For the MESSy user community, this offers many new possibilities. The option to use the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) atmospheric dynamical cores, especially the state-of-the-art spectral element (SE) core, as an alternative to the ECHAM5 spectral transform dynamical core will provide scientific and computational advances for atmospheric chemistry and climate modelling with MESSy. The well-established finite volume core from CESM1(CAM) is also made available. This offers the possibility to compare …
Corrigendum to "Impact of dust on tropospheric chemistry over polluted regions: a case study of the Beijing megacity" published in Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 3855–3873, 2010
Earth System Chemistry integrated Modelling (ESCiMo) with the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) version 2.51
Abstract. Three types of reference simulations, as recommended by the Chemistry–Climate Model Initiative (CCMI), have been performed with version 2.51 of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts – Hamburg (ECHAM)/Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) model: hindcast simulations (1950–2011), hindcast simulations with specified dynamics (1979–2013), i.e. nudged towards ERA-Interim reanalysis data, and combined hindcast and projection simulations (1950–2100). The manuscript summarizes the updates of the model system and details the different model set-ups used, including the on-line calculated diagnostics. Simulations have been performed with two diff…
Supplementary material to "Halogen activation in the plume of Masaya volcano: field observations and box model investigations"
New tracer compounds for secondary organic aerosol formation from β-caryophyllene oxidation
Abstract Five products from β-caryophyllene oxidation (β-caryophyllonic acid (I), 3,3-dimethyl-2-(3-oxobutyl)cyclobutanecarboxylic acid (βCA198) (II), β-nocaryophyllonic acid (III), β-caryophyllinic acid (IV), and 2-(2-carboxyethyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclobutanecarboxylic acid (βCA200) (V)) were synthesized and their structures confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Reaction chamber experiments with β-caryophyllene at two different ozone mixing ratios were performed and the carboxylic acid oxidation products in the particle phase were characterized by APCI–MS and HPLC–ESI–MS. All five synthesized acids were found as β-caryophyllene oxidation products in the reaction chamber aerosol…
Simulation of organics in the atmosphere: evaluation of EMACv2.54 with the Mainz Organic Mechanism (MOM) coupled to the ORACLE (v1.0) submodel
Abstract. An updated and expanded representation of organics in the chemistry general circulation model EMAC (ECHAM5/MESSy for Atmospheric Chemistry) has been evaluated. First, the comprehensive Mainz Organic Mechanism (MOM) in the submodel MECCA (Module Efficiently Calculating the Chemistry of the Atmosphere) was activated with explicit degradation of organic species up to five carbon atoms and a simplified mechanism for larger molecules. Second, the ORACLE submodel (version 1.0) considers now condensation on aerosols for all organics in the mechanism. Parameterizations for aerosol yields are used only for the lumped species that are not included in the explicit mechanism. The simultaneous…
Sensitivity of tropospheric chemical composition to halogen-radical chemistry using a fully coupled size-resolved multiphase chemistry–global climate system: halogen distributions, aerosol composition, and sensitivity of climate-relevant gases
Observations and model calculations indicate that highly non-linear multiphase atmospheric processes involving inorganic Cl and Br significantly impact tropospheric chemistry and composition, aerosol evolution, and radiative transfer. The sensitivity of global atmospheric chemistry to the production of marine aerosol and the associated activation and cycling of inorganic Cl and Br was investigated using a size-resolved multiphase coupled chemistry–global climate model (National Center for Atmospheric Research's Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) v3.6.33). Simulated results revealed strong meridional and vertical gradients in Cl and Br species. They also point to possible physicochemical mecha…