Urban New Particle Formation in Houston

LEE TISZENKEL, James Flynn, Shanhu Lee, University of Alabama Huntsville

     Abstract Number: 121
     Working Group: Urban Aerosols

Abstract
Urban new particle formation (NFP) is one of the main sources of ultrafine particles in highly populated and polluted regions worldwide. Urban NPF also contributes more significantly to the production of cloud condensation nuclei than in less polluted regions. Yet, the urban NPF processes are still poorly understood, mostly because of the lack of detailed chemical analysis of NPF precursors. We have conducted comprehensive measurements of sulfuric acid, ammonia, amines, and a large variety of OOMs (oxygenated organic molecules) produced from anthropogenic and biogenic volatile organic compounds, along with aerosol size distributions including newly nucleated sub-3 nm particles in Houston, Texas in September and October 2022. These chemical analysis helps us to better understand how aerosol nucleation and growth processes are controlled by different chemical species and how these processes are compared with those at other urban sites (e.g., Beijing, Shanghai, and Barcelona).