Abstract
The threshold concentrations of gaseous methane sulfonic acid (MSA) required for homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation of MSA solution droplets in the MSA-water system have been calculated as a function of environmental relative humidity. The MSA concentration required to supersaturate the atmosphere (with respect to aqueous MSA solutions) at 80% r.h. is of the order of 10 −12 atm (1 pptv), whereas the concentration required for spontaneous production of new MSA aerosol is of the order of 10 −8 atm (10 ppbv). The calculations also show a strong dependence of the saturation curve on relative humidity. At 80 % r.h., 1 pptv MSA vapor supersaturates the atmosphere, whereas at 10 % r.h. about 5 ppbv is required to supersaturate the environment. The role which the conversion of dimethylsulfide (DMS) to MSA and H 2SO 4 might play in the formation and growth of sub-μm particles in remote oceanic regions is discussed.
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