Evaluating the Atmospheric Dynamics of Nitrate and Sulfate in Southern New England in Response to Emission Regulations

评估新英格兰南部硝酸盐和硫酸盐的大气动态以响应排放法规

• 批准号: 2414561
• 负责人: Wendell Walters
• 金额: $ 48.57万
• 依托单位: University of South Carolina at Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-02-15 至 2025-04-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2414561&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Evaluating; Atmospheric; Dynamics; Nitrate; Sulfate

Atmospheric particulate nitrate and sulfate concentrations have decreased significantly during the last decades, yet, the processes that control their production from emitted precursor gases remain ill-defined. The project seeks to fill this knowledge gap by chemically and isotopically analyzing stored filter samples collected between 2005 and 2018 at various locations in southern New England. The 13-year record obtained through this study will help inform diverse fields including atmospheric chemistry, ecology, health, climate and policy. The project aims at using a unique combination of concentration and isotopic compositions to help constrain atmospheric mechanisms of nitrate and sulfate formation. Archived filters will provide a seasonal record that spans a period during which significant declines in emission of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide gases have led to associated, albeit non-linear decreases in particulate nitrate and sulfate. The cause for non-linearity is investigated by using fractionation of stable isotopes of (i) nitrogen and sulfur for fingerprinting and source apportionment of emission sources, and (ii) oxygen to inform production pathways for nitrate and sulfate. Novel data generated from this work will impact fields beyond atmospheric chemistry by inferring trends in ecological systems and global climate. The PI team will work with staff at various facilities and supervise one graduate and several undergraduate students to complete this labor-intensive analytical study. Results will also be incorporated into the atmospheric chemistry curriculum and shared in an annual outreach event for local elementary schools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在过去的几十年中，大气颗粒硝酸盐和硫酸盐浓度显着降低，但是，控制其从发射的前体气体中控制其产生的过程仍然不确定。该项目旨在通过化学和同位素分析2005年至2018年之间在新英格兰南部各个地方收集的储存过滤样品来填补这一知识空白。通过这项研究获得的13年记录将有助于告知各种领域，包括大气化学，生态学，健康，气候和政策。该项目旨在利用浓度和同位素组成的独特组合来帮助限制硝酸盐和硫酸盐形成的大气机制。存档过滤器将提供季节性记录，该记录跨越一个时期，在此期间，氮氧化物和二氧化硫气体排放的显着下降导致相关，尽管颗粒状硝酸盐和硫酸盐的非线性降低。通过使用（i）（i）氮和硫的稳定同位素分馏来进行非线性的原因，以指纹和源分配发射源，以及（ii）氧气为硝酸盐和硫酸盐的生产途径提供了信息。这项工作产生的新数据将通过推断生态系统和全球气候的趋势来影响大气化学以外的领域。 PI团队将与各种设施的员工合作，并监督一名研究生和几名本科生，以完成这项劳动密集型的分析研究。结果还将纳入大气化学课程中，并在当地小学的年度外展活动中共享。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估审查标准通过评估来获得支持的。