Based on 6 years of outdoor measurements at a boreal forest site in Southern Finland, scavenging coefficients were calculated for aerosol particles having diameter between 10 and 510 nm: Median scavenging coefficients varied between 7 Â 10 À6 and 4 Â 10 À5 s À1 in this size-range. The dependence of scavenging coefficients on rain intensity was studied, and the scavenging coefficients were parameterized as a function of particle size for particle diameters of 10-500 nm and for rain intensities 0-20 mm h À1 : r

Abstract. Atmospheric gaseous sulphuric acid was measured and its influence on particle formation and growth was investigated building on aerosol data. The measurements were part of the EU-project QUEST and took place at two different measurement sites in Northern and Central Europe (Hyytiälä, Finland, March-April 2003 and Heidelberg, Germany, March-April 2004). From a comprehensive data set including sulphuric acid, particle number size distributions and meteorological data, particle growth rates, particle formation rates and source rates of condensable vapors were inferred. Growth rates were determined in two different ways, from particle size distributions as well as from a so-called timeshift analysis. Moreover, correlations between sulphuric acid and particle number concentration between 3 and 6 nm were examined and the influence of air masses of different origin was investigated. Measured maximum concentrations of sulphuric acid were in the range from 1×10 6 to 16×10 6 cm −3 . The gaseous sulphuric acid lifetime with respect to condensation on aerosol particles ranged from 2 to 33 min in Hyytiälä and from 0.5 to 8 min in Heidelberg. Most calculated values (growth rates, formation rates, vapor source rates) were considerably higher in Central Europe (Heidelberg), due to the more polluted air and higher preexistent aerosol concentrations. Close correlations between H 2 SO 4 and nucleation mode particles (size range: 3-6 nm) were found on most days at both sites. The percentage contribution of sulphuric acid to particle growth was below 10% at both places and to initial growth below 20%. An air mass analysis indicated that at Heidelberg new particles were formed predominantly in air advected from southwesterly directions.

Abstract. In this study we present measurements of selected trace gases and aerosols made in a boreal forest during the BACCI-QUEST IV intensive field campaign in Hyytiälä, Finland in April 2005. Springtime diel and vertical variations of VOCs are discussed in connection with the variations in other trace gases and with the prevailing meteorological conditions. A daytime and a nighttime event have been analysed in detail. The nighttime particle event occurred synchronously with huge increases in monoterpenes, while the second event type involved nucleation and was anti-correlated with sulphuric acid. Here we discuss the possible origins of these two distinct forms of aerosol production at the Hyytiälä site using the measurement data, air mass back trajectories and the optical stereoisomery of monoterpenes. Optical stereoisomery is used in source identification to distinguish between unnatural and natural monoterpene emissions.

Abstract.A large SO 2 -rich pollution plume of East Asian origin was detected by aircraft based CIMS (Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry) measurements at 3-7.5 km altitude over the North Atlantic. The measurements, which took place on 3 May 2006 aboard of the German research aircraft Falcon, were part of the INTEX-B (Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment-B) campaign. Additional trace gases (NO, NO y , CO, H 2 O) were measured and used for comparison and source identification. The atmospheric SO 2 mole fraction was markedly increased inside the plume and reached up to 900 pmol/mol. Accompanying lagrangian FLEXPART particle dispersion model simulations indicate that the probed pollution plume originated at low altitudes from densely populated and industrialized regions of East Asia, primarily China, about 8-12 days prior to the measurements.