Significant effects of transport on nanoparticles during new particle formation events in the atmosphere of Beijing

Abstract

The mechanisms of new particle formation (NPF) events that occurred under high aerosol loadings (“polluted” NPF) in the atmosphere have been unclear, which has inhibited the precision of particle pollution control. To deepen the understanding of how the “polluted” NPF events occur, a one-month comprehensive measurement was conducted in the atmosphere of Beijing during the summer of 2016. The “clean” NPF events (frequency = 22%) (condensation sink, CS < 0.015 s−1) were found to be caused by local nucleation and growth. The “polluted” NPF events (frequency = 28%) (CS > 0.015 s−1) were influenced by both local nucleation-growth and regional transport, and the contributions from the two factors to 6–25 nm particle number concentration were 60% and 40%, respectively. This study emphasized the importance of the transport for nanoparticles in relatively polluted atmospheres, and for that the regional joint particle pollution control would be an essential policy.