Important Role of Low Cloud and Fog in Sulfate Aerosol Formation During Winter Haze Over the North China Plain

Abstract

Sulfate aerosol greatly contributes to wintertime haze pollution in emission‐intensive regions like the North China Plain (NCP) in China. Fast sulfate increase and accumulation are usually recorded during winter haze; however, the multiphase oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and the physical processes affecting near‐surface sulfate are not fully understood. By combining in situ observations and numerical simulations, we found that high sulfur oxidation ratios (>0.6) under heavily polluted conditions are associated with low clouds and fog over NCP, induced by the moist southerly airflow. Thick low clouds and high SO2 levels in NCP provide a reaction environment for sulfate production. The sulfate production rate in cloud water can reach 0.5–1.3 μg m−3 h−1. The results demonstrate that the vertical mixing of sulfate generated within the cloud water to the surface plays a significant role in rapid sulfate production, highlighting the importance of understanding cloud‐water processes in haze pollution.