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Elucidating New Particle Formation in Complex Terrain During the Winter 2022 Cold Fog Amongst Complex Terrain (CFACT) Campaign
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  • Gerardo Carrillo-Cardenas,
  • Sebastian W Hoch,
  • Eric R. Pardyjak,
  • Maria Aurora Garcia,
  • William O. J. Brown,
  • Zhaoxia Pu,
  • A. Gannet Hallar
Gerardo Carrillo-Cardenas
University of Utah
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Sebastian W Hoch
University of Utah
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Eric R. Pardyjak
University of Utah
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Maria Aurora Garcia
University of Utah
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William O. J. Brown
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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Zhaoxia Pu
University of Utah
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A. Gannet Hallar
University of Utah

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

New particle formation (NPF) is a complex atmospheric phenomenon defined by the gas-to-particle conversion that leads to the sudden burst and growth in aerosol particles. Extensive prior ambient, laboratory and chamber studies have demonstrated chemical mechanisms within the atmosphere that allow for aerosol nucleation and subsequent growth. A deeper understanding of the physical mechanisms within the atmosphere enhancing NPF are beginning to emerge with recent studies. For example, processes within the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), such as turbulent mixing, can lead to the decoupling and recoupling of different atmospheric reservoirs to create favorable conditions that help initiate NPF. Using observations from the 2022 CFACT (Cold Fog Amongst Complex Terrain) field study conducted in the Heber Valley of northern Utah, this study demonstrates an interconnection between turbulence and the occurrence of NPF. The CFACT field study incorporated spatially distributed boundary layer instrumentation on a scale not typically seen in previous literature. Three case studies are presented that depict unique boundary layer conditions that modulate the development of NPF, characterized by sustained turbulence and weak intermittent turbulence. This analysis presents in situ measurements and derived variables to quantify the relationship between specific boundary layer processes and NPF.
27 Aug 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
29 Aug 2024Published in ESS Open Archive