Loading [MathJax]/jax/output/HTML-CSS/fonts/TeX/fontdata.js
Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-860
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-860
30 May 2023
 | 30 May 2023

Observations of cyanogen bromide (BrCN) in the global troposphere and their relation to polar surface O3 destruction

James M. Roberts, Siyuan Wang, Patrick R. Veres, J. Andrew Neuman, Michael A. Robinson, Ilann Bourgeois, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Chelsea R. Thompson, Hannah M. Allen, John D. Crounse, Paul O. Wennberg, Samuel R. Hall, Kirk Ullmann, Simone Meinardi, Isobel J. Simpson, and Donald Blake

Abstract. Active bromine (e.g., Br2, BrCl, BrO, HOBr) promotes atmospheric ozone destruction and mercury removal. Here we report a previously unidentified participant in active-Br chemistry, cyanogen bromide (BrCN), measured during the NASA Atmospheric Tomography (ATom) mission. BrCN was confined to polar boundary layers, often appearing at concentrations higher than other Br compounds. The chemistry of BrCN determines whether it promotes or inhibits ozone and mercury removal. This dataset provides evidence that much of the BrCN was from atmospheric Br chemistry involving surface reactions with reduced nitrogen compounds. Since gas phase loss processes are known to be relatively slow, surface reactions must also be the major loss processes, with vertical profiles implying a BrCN atmospheric lifetime in the range 1–10 days. Liquid phase reactions of BrCN tend to convert Br to bromide (Br¯) or C-Br bonded organics, constituting a loss of active Br. Thus, accounting for BrCN chemistry is crucial to understanding polar Br cycling.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Share

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

20 Mar 2024
| Highlight paper
Observations of cyanogen bromide (BrCN) in the global troposphere and their relation to polar surface O3 destruction
James M. Roberts, Siyuan Wang, Patrick R. Veres, J. Andrew Neuman, Michael A. Robinson, Ilann Bourgeois, Jeff Peischl, Thomas B. Ryerson, Chelsea R. Thompson, Hannah M. Allen, John D. Crounse, Paul O. Wennberg, Samuel R. Hall, Kirk Ullmann, Simone Meinardi, Isobel J. Simpson, and Donald Blake
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 3421–3443, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3421-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3421-2024, 2024
Short summary Executive editor
Download

The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Bromine chemistry in polar regions is important for the composition of the atmosphere as well as...
Short summary
We measured cyanogen bromide (BrCN) in the troposphere for the first time as part of a series of...
Share