American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 37th Annual Conference
October 14 - October 18, 2019
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA

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An Enhanced Submicron Aerosol Event over Long Island and the NYC Metro Area during LISTOS 2018: Influence of a Heat Wave and Marine Air Masses

Jie Zhang, John Mak, Ziran Wei, JAMES SCHWAB, University at Albany, SUNY

     Abstract Number: 331
     Working Group: Urban Aerosols

Abstract
The Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS) was carried out in the summer of 2018 to help researchers, regulators, and policy makers characterize and understand the circumstances leading to ozone NAAQS exceedances in the NYC Metro and Long Island area. During this campaign period in the summer of 2018, the Metro NYC and LI area suffered enhanced aerosol events in association with high ozone, with the highest daily PM1 value (32 µg m-3) approaching the daily EPA standard for PM2.5 (35 µg m-3). The enhanced ozone and aerosol event between 06/29-07/04 was selected for study due to its long duration and its occurrence during an intense heat wave. Using our Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS measurements from the Flax Pond Marine Laboratory near Stony Brook, Long Island, data was analyzed for the time period of 06/25-07/09, which includes the enhanced oxidant and aerosol event (06/29-07/04) and other background cases, such as plumes from the mainland, marine locations, and fireworks displays. The PMF analysis of the aerosol mass spectra identified three organic factors from the aerosol organic compounds-MOOOA, LOOOA and HOA. The LOOOA shows strong correlation between the sum of 4 kinds of gas phase VOC species (acetaldehyde, methanol, acetone, and toluene) with an R2 of 0.63, implying these species and the LOOOA may have same source (possibly from transported urban plumes) or that these VOCs may be the precursors of the measured LOOOA. Nine sub-periods are divided out from the whole period, including four for the enhanced oxidant and aerosol event. The aerosol properties during each sub-period are analyzed, including the aerosol compound mass concentrations, mass fractions, size distributions, and organic oxidation states. The influence of the southerly winds from the marine environment is explored using measurements of the methyl sulfonic acid (MSA) mass concentration. In particular, MSA is enhanced during the heat wave influenced period and showed similar variation to the MOOOA. These results revealed detailed aerosol evolution and processing during this dramatic heat wave influenced period in the NYC area, which can also provide clues for other urban cities with similar conditions.