RAPID: Nitrogen Oxide Measurements to Support Dynamics of Emissions, Nucleation, and Aerosols to predict Land-atmosphere-climate Interactions (DENALI) Field Campaign in Alaska

This RAPID project will support the participation of US scientists in a field campaign named the Dynamics of Emissions, Nucleation, and Aerosols to predict Land-atmosphere-climate Interactions (DENALI). This campaign is being led by the University of Helsinki in Finland. The project features a comparative analysis of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions between the boreal forests in Hyytiälä and those in North America.

Differences in the biogenic emissions from these forests can lead to differences in oxidation chemistry and new particle formation, with implications for atmospheric composition.

A CAPS NOX-NO2 instrument will be deployed at the Delta Junction site in Alaska from May of 2025 to August of 2025 to supplement the suite of instruments supported by European colleagues. This measurement is important because NOx may significantly influence new particle formation processes. The NOx measurement also will provide a fundamental understanding of the fate of organic peroxy radicals that can affect the formation of highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) in this environment.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.