Performance of a corona ion source for measurement of sulfuric acid by chemical ionization mass spectrometry

The performance of an ion source based on corona discharge has been studied. This source is used for the detection of gaseous sulfuric acid by chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) through the reaction of NO−3 ions with H2SO4. The ion source is operated under atmospheric pressure and its design is similar to the one of a radioactive (americium-241) ion source which has been used previously. The results show that the detection limit for the corona ion source is sufficiently good for most applications. For an integration time of 1 min it is ~6×104 molecule cm−3 of H2SO4. In addition, only a small cross-sensitivity to SO2 has been observed for concentrations as high as 1 ppmv in the sample gas. This low sensitivity to SO2 is achieved even without the addition of an OH scavenger. When comparing the new corona ion source with the americium ion source for the same provided H2SO4 concentration, both ion sources yield almost identical values. These features make the corona ion source investigated here favorable over the more commonly used radioactive ion sources for most applications where H2SO4 is measured by CIMS

Aerosol-Schwefelsäure in der Atmosphäre und im Nachlauf von Düsenflugzeugen: Entwicklung und Einsatz einer neuartigen, flugzeuggetragenen Massenspektrometersonde

Ein neuartiges, flugzeuggetragenes Instrument, genannt 'VACA' (Volatile Aerosol Component Analyzer), zur quantitativen Bestimmung von Aerosol-Schwefelsäure (H2SO4(ae)) wurde entwickelt. Die VACA-Methode basiert auf dem Verdampfen von Aerosolteilchen mit anschließendem Nachweis der gasförmigen H2SO4 durch Ionen-Molekül-Reaktions-Massenspektrometrie. Die Methode ist schnell und sehr empfindlich (Zeitauflösung 3 s, Nachweisgrenze 10 pptv) und bietet erstmalig die Möglichkeit zur on-line Messung von Aerosol-Schwefelsäure. Das VACA-System wurde in Laboruntersuchungen charakterisiert und kalibriert. Es wurde für flugzeuggetragene Messungen vorbereitet und bei der internationalen Meßkampagne ACE 2 für Messungen in der Freien Troposphäre eingesetzt. Vertikalprofile der Konzentration der Aerosol-Schwefelsäure zwischen 2 und 13 km Höhe zeigen wiederholt eine ausgeprägte H2SO4-Aerosolschicht in 5 km Höhe. Während der Meßkampagnen SULFUR 5 und SULFUR 6 wurde das VACA-System zur Messung von H2SO4 im Abgas von Düsenflugzeugen im Flug eingesetzt. Es konnte erstmalig direkt Schwefelsäure im Flugzeugabgas nachgewiesen werden. Mischungsverhältnisse bis zu 1.5 ppbv bei einem Abgasalter von 1.1 s wurden beobachtet. Die Bestimmung des Konversionsfaktors e für die Umwandlung von Treibstoffschwefel in Schwefelsäure ergab Werte von e>0.4 (ATTAS, Treibstoffschwefelgehalt=FSC =2700 ppmm) bzw. e=3.3±1.8 (B-737, FSC=56ppmm). Weiterhin zeigten Messungen von Chemi-Ionen, die von Flugzeugtriebwerken emittiert werden, daß zahlreiche Ionen großer Masse (>450 amu) entstehen. Dies bestätigt die Existenz einer ionen-induzierten Aerosol-Mode

Quantifying transport into the lowermost stratosphere using simultaneous in-situ measurements of SF6 and CO2

The seasonality of transport and mixing of air into the lowermost stratosphere (LMS) is studied using distributions of mean age of air and a~mass balance approach, based on in-situ observations of SF6 and CO2 during the SPURT (Spurenstofftransport in der Tropopausenregion, trace gas transport in the tropopause region) aircraft campaigns. Combining the information of the mean age of air and the water vapour distributions we demonstrate that the tropospheric air transported into the LMS above the extratropical tropopause layer (ExTL) originates predominantly from the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). The concept of our mass balance is based on simultaneous measurements of the two passive tracers and the assumption that transport into the LMS can be described by age spectra which are superposition of two different modes. Based on this concept we conclude that the stratospheric influence on LMS composition is strongest in April with tropospheric fractions (α1) below 20% and that the strongest tropospheric signatures are found in October with (α1 greater than 80%. Beyond the fractions, our mass balance concept allows to calculate the associated transit times for transport of tropospheric air from the tropics into the LMS. The shortest transit times (<0.3 years) are derived for the summer, continuously increasing up to 0.8 years by the end of spring. These findings suggest that strong quasi-horizontal mixing across the weak subtropical jet from summer to mid of autumn and the considerably shorter residual transport time-scales within the lower branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation in summer than in winter dominates the tropospheric influence in the LMS until the beginning of next year's summer

Quantifying transport into the lowermost stratosphere using simultaneous in-situ measurements of SF6 and CO2

The seasonality of transport and mixing of air into the lowermost stratosphere (LMS) is studied using distributions of mean age of air and a mass balance approach, based on in-situ observations of SF6 and CO2 during the SPURT (Spurenstofftransport in der Tropopausenregion, trace gas transport in the tropopause region) aircraft campaigns. Combining the information of the mean age of air and the water vapour distributions we demonstrate that the tropospheric air transported into the LMS above the extratropical tropopause layer (ExTL) originates predominantly from the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). The concept of our mass balance is based on simultaneous measurements of the two passive tracers and the assumption that transport into the LMS can be described by age spectra which are superposition of two different modes. Based on this concept we conclude that the stratospheric influence on LMS composition is strongest in April with extreme values of the tropospheric fractions (alpha1) below 20% and that the strongest tropospheric signatures are found in October with alpha1 greater than 80%. Beyond the fractions, our mass balance concept allows us to calculate the associated transit times for transport of tropospheric air from the tropics into the LMS. The shortest transit times (<0.3 years) are derived for the summer, continuously increasing up to 0.8 years by the end of spring. These findings suggest that strong quasi-horizontal mixing across the weak subtropical jet from summer to mid of autumn and the considerably shorter residual transport time-scales within the lower branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation in summer than in winter dominates the tropospheric influence in the LMS until the beginning of next year's summer

Wie in Wolken der Regen entsteht : Kristallisationskeime als Schlüssel

Wolken haben einen maßgeblichen Einfluss auf den Wasserhaushalt der Erde, das Wettergeschehen und das Klima. Sie wissenschaftlich zu beschreiben, ist schwierig – und das erschwert die Niederschlagsvorhersage ebenso wie die Klimamodellierung. Wichtig für die Entstehung von Regen in unseren Breiten sind Eispartikel. Sie machen einen großen Teil der Wolken aus. Doch wie bilden sie sich, und warum sind sie für viele physikalische Prozesse in den Wolken unentbehrlich? Und schließlich: Wirkt sich menschliches Handeln auf die Wolken aus

Maria Luisa as an infant

Indoor medium close-up of a child wearing a necklace. Hand-written inscription in Bulgarian.Maria-Luisa, born 13 January 1933, is the daughter of Tsar Boris III and Tsaritsa Ioanna and the older sister of Simeon II of Bulgaria

Studio portrait of the Ankov family

Head and shoulder shot in an oval frame, depicting a woman and a man as well as a younger man standing between them. All three are wearing urban clothes.Recto: stamp in Bulgarian: "Court Photographer M. Kurtz / former Iv. A. Karastoyanov Sofia.

Portrait of General Vasilev

Studio shoulder close-up of a man in military uniform with insignias of honour.In the lower left corner of the cardboard there is a stamp in Bulgarian: "Court photographer / M. Kurtz / Former Iv. A. Karastoyanov Sofi