Nitric acid, tropospheric photolysis

Tuazon et al. (1984a) investigated the atmospheric reactions of TV-nitrosodimethylamine and dimethylnitramine in an environmental chamber utilizing in situ long-path Fourier transform infared spectroscopy. They irradiated an ozone-rich atmosphere containing A-nitrosodimethyl-amine. Photolysis products identified include dimethylnitramine, nitromethane, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen pentoxide, and nitric acid. The rate constants for the reaction of fV-nitrosodimethylamine with OH radicals and ozone relative to methyl ether were 3.0 X 10 and <1 x 10 ° cmVmolecule-sec, respectively. The estimated atmospheric half-life of A-nitrosodimethylamine in the troposphere is approximately 5 min. 

Nitric acid HNO3 (HONO2) is mainly formed by the chain termination reaction OH -b NO2, and ubiquitously exists in the troposphere. The photolysis rate of HNO3 in the troposphere is not very large, and the formation of ammonium nitrate aerosols... 

The reaction of OH radical with nitric acid (HONO2, HNO3) in the stratosphere is important as it reproduces active nitrogen from the reservoir molecule HONO2 in the NOx cycle. Although in the troposphere, water-soluble nitric acid is mainly removed by wet deposition into cloud and fog, and dry deposition on earth s surface, the OH reaction as well as photolysis are also important as removal processes and as active nitrogen regenerating process in the upper troposphere where clouds are not abundant. 

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