CERN Accelerating science

Article
Title	Role of sesquiterpenes in biogenic new particle formation
Author(s)	Dada, Lubna (PSI, Villigen ; Helsinki U.) ; Stolzenburg, Dominik (Helsinki U. ; Vienna U. ; TU Vienna) ; Simon, Mario (Frankfurt U.) ; Fischer, Lukas (Innsbruck U.) ; Heinritzi, Martin (Frankfurt U.) ; Wang, Mingyi (Carnegie Mellon U. ; Caltech) ; Xiao, Mao (PSI, Villigen) ; Vogel, Alexander L (Frankfurt U.) ; Ahonen, Lauri (Helsinki U.) ; Amorim, Antonio (Lisbon U.) ; Baalbaki, Rima (Helsinki U.) ; Baccarini, Andrea (PSI, Villigen ; Ecole Polytechnique, Lausanne) ; Baltensperger, Urs (PSI, Villigen) ; Bianchi, Federico (Helsinki U.) ; Daellenbach, Kaspar R (PSI, Villigen) ; De Vivo, Jenna (Carnegie Mellon U.) ; Dias, Antonio (Lisbon U.) ; Dommen, Josef (PSI, Villigen) ; Duplissy, Jonathan (Helsinki U. ; Helsinki Inst. of Phys.) ; Finkenzeller, Henning (Colorado U.) ; Hansel, Armin (Innsbruck U.) ; He, Xu-Cheng (Jyvaskyla U. ; Helsinki U.) ; Hofbauer, Victoria (Carnegie Mellon U.) ; Hoyle, Christopher R (PSI, Villigen ; Zurich, ETH) ; Kangasluoma, Juha (Helsinki U.) ; Kim, Changhyuk (Rome U. ; Caltech) ; Kürten, Andreas (Frankfurt U.) ; Kvashnin, Aleksander (Lebedev Inst.) ; Mauldin, Roy (Carnegie Mellon U. ; Colorado U.) ; Makhmutov, Vladimir (Lebedev Inst. ; Shaanxi U. Sci. Tech.) ; Marten, Ruby (PSI, Villigen) ; Mentler, Bernhard (Innsbruck U.) ; Nie, Wei (Helsinki U. ; Wigner RCP, Budapest) ; Petäjä, Tuukka (Helsinki U.) ; Quéléver, Lauriane L J (Helsinki U.) ; Saathoff, Harald (KIT, Karlsruhe) ; Tauber, Christian (Vienna U.) ; Tome, Antonio (Beira Interior U., Covilha) ; Molteni, Ugo (PSI, Villigen ; UC, Irvine (main) ; Wake Forest U.) ; Volkamer, Rainer (Jyvaskyla U.) ; Wagner, Robert (Helsinki U.) ; Wagner, Andrea C (Frankfurt U.) ; Wimmer, Daniela (Helsinki U.) ; Winkler, Paul M (Vienna U.) ; Yan, Chao (Helsinki U.) ; Zha, Qiaozhi (Helsinki U.) ; Rissanen, Matti (Tampere U. of Tech. ; Helsinki U.) ; Gordon, Hamish (Carnegie Mellon U.) ; Curtius, Joachim (Frankfurt U.) ; Worsnop, Douglas R (Helsinki U. ; Aerodyne Research, Billerica) ; Lehtipalo, Katrianne (Helsinki U. ; Jyvaskyla U.) ; Donahue, Neil M (Carnegie Mellon U.) ; Kirkby, Jasper (Frankfurt U. ; CERN) ; Haddad, Imad El (PSI, Villigen) ; Kulmala, Markku (Helsinki U.)
Publication	2023
Number of pages	14
In:	Sci. Adv. 9 (2023) adi5297
DOI	10.1126/sciadv.adi5297
Subject category	Physics in General
Abstract	Biogenic vapors form new particles in the atmosphere, affecting global climate. The contributions of monoterpenes and isoprene to new particle formation (NPF) have been extensively studied. However, sesquiterpenes have received little attention despite a potentially important role due to their high molecular weight. Via chamber experiments performed under atmospheric conditions, we report biogenic NPF resulting from the oxidation of pure mixtures of β-caryophyllene, α-pinene, and isoprene, which produces oxygenated compounds over a wide range of volatilities. We find that a class of vapors termed ultralow-volatility organic compounds (ULVOCs) are highly efficient nucleators and quantitatively determine NPF efficiency. When compared with a mixture of isoprene and monoterpene alone, adding only 2% sesquiterpene increases the ULVOC yield and doubles the formation rate. Thus, sesquiterpene emissions need to be included in assessments of global aerosol concentrations in pristine climates where biogenic NPF is expected to be a major source of cloud condensation nuclei.
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