Articles | Volume 17, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12327-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12327-2017
Research article
 | 
17 Oct 2017
Research article |  | 17 Oct 2017

Aerosol surface area concentration: a governing factor in new particle formation in Beijing

Runlong Cai, Dongsen Yang, Yueyun Fu, Xing Wang, Xiaoxiao Li, Yan Ma, Jiming Hao, Jun Zheng, and Jingkun Jiang

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Cited articles

Cai, R., Chen, D.-R., Hao, J., and Jiang, J.: A Miniature Cylindrical Differential Mobility Analyzer for sub-3 nm Particle Sizing, J. Aerosol. Sci., 106, 111–119, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2017.01.004, 2017.
Cai, R. and Jiang, J.: A new balance formula to estimate new particle formation rate: reevaluating the effect of coagulation scavenging, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2017-199, in review, 2017.
Dal Maso, M., Kulmala, M., Lehtinen, K. E., Mäkelä, J. M., Aalto, J., and O'Dowd, C. D.: Condensation and coagulation sinks and formation of nucleation mode particles in coastal and boreal forest boundary layers, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001jd001053, 2002.
Dal Maso, M., Kulmala, M., Riipinen, I., Wagner, R., Hussein, T., Aalto, P., and Lehtinen, K. E.: Formation and growth of fresh atmospheric aerosols: eight years of aerosol size distribution data from SMEAR II, Hyytiälä, Finland, Boreal Environ. Res., 10, 323–336, 2005.
Davis, E. J., Ravindran, P., and Ray, A. K.: A Review of Theory and Experiments on Diffusion from Submicroscopic Particles, Chem. Eng. Commun., 5, 251–268, 1980.
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Short summary
The governing factors for new particle formation (NPF) events in Beijing were analyzed. The roles of gaseous precursors and aerosol surface area were illustrated. It appears that the abundance of gaseous precursors in Beijing is high enough to have nucleation; however, it is aerosol surface area that determines the occurrence of NPF events in Beijing. Aerosol loading thresholds (in the form of aerosol surface area and PM2.5 concentration) for predicting NPF days in Beijing were suggested.
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