Ions in oceanic and continental air masses

Abstract

Measurements of tropospheric ions and several trace atmospheric neutral species have been performed at Cheeka Peak Research Station and at Mauna Loa Observatory. Two new positive ion species at masses 114 and 102 have been identified as protonated caprolactam and a saturated 6‐carbon primary amine, respectively. In the negative ion spectrum, methane sulfonic acid (MSA) has been identified as the parent species responsible for an ion commonly observed at mass 95 during these two studies. The diurnal variations of gas phase H2SO4 and MSA were also measured at Cheeka Peak and have typically been found to be present in the sub‐ppt range. Ion assisted measurements at Mauna Loa Observatory of pyridine and ammonia indicate concentrations of 2.5 and 70 ppt, respectively, with at least a factor of 2 uncertainty. Interesting variations and potential sources of several of the observed ions are also discussed.