Factors affecting tropospheric nitrate aerosol formation were investigated through a number of sensitivity studies using the thermodynamic equilibrium model ISORROPIA and the condensed gas-phase chemistry model. Results indicate that the equilibrium concentration of nitrate aerosol varies with solar zenith angle, air temperature, relative humidity, initial SO2 concentration, initial NO2 concentration and initial NH3 concentration. NH3 concentration and solar zenith angle play the most important roles, followed by relative humidity and NO2 concentration. It seems that the relations between nitrate aerosol and these four factors, as well as air temperature, are strong and highly nonlinear due to the coupling effect. The influence of SO2 concentration on nitrate aerosol is near-linear and weak.
A one-year study in a typical red soil region of southern China was conducted to determine atmospheric nitrogen (N) fluxes of typical N compounds (NH3, NH4-N, NO3-N, and NO2) and contribution of three sources (gas, rainwater, and particles) to N deposition. From July 2003 to June 2004, the total atmospheric N deposition was 70.7 kg N ha-1, with dry deposition accounting for 75% of the total deposition. Dry NH3 deposition accounted for 73% of the dry deposition and 55% of the total deposition. Moreover, NO2 contributed 11% of the dry deposition and 8% of the total deposition. Reduced N compounds (NH4+ and NH3) were the predominate contributors, accounting for 66% of the total deposition. Therefore, atmospheric N deposition should be considered when soil acidification and critical loads of atmospheric deposition on soils are estimated.
HU Zheng-YiXU Cheng-KaiZHOU Li-NaSUN Ben-HuaHE Yuan-QiuZHOU JingCAO Zhi-Hong
