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Abstract

Measurements of atmospheric gases and fine particle chemistry were made in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) at a site ∼30 km down wind of the city center. Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) dominated the inorganic aerosol fraction and showed a distinct diurnal signature characterized by rapid morning production and a rapid mid-day concentration decrease. Between the hours of 08:00ĝ€"12:45, particulate water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) concentrations increased and decreased in a manner consistent with that of NO3−, and the two were highly correlated (R2=0.88) during this time. A box model was used to analyze these behaviors and showed that, for both NO3− and WSOC, the concentration increase was caused primarily (∼75ĝ€"85%) by secondary formation, with a smaller contribution (∼15ĝ€"25%) from the entrainment of air from the free troposphere. For NO3 −, a majority (∼60%) of the midday concentration decrease was caused by dilution from boundary layer expansion, though a significant fraction (∼40%) of the NO3− loss was due to particle evaporation. The WSOC concentration decrease was due largely to dilution (∼75%), but volatilization did have a meaningful impact (∼25%) on the decrease, as well. The results provide an estimate of ambient SOA evaporation losses and suggest that a significant fraction (∼35%) of the fresh MCMA secondary organic aerosol (SOA) measured at the surface volatilized.

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