SOA-formation

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) refers to the aerosol material that is formed when volatile organic compounds from biogenic and anthropogenic sources oxidize and form condensable vapors. SOA is known to form a significant fraction of atmospheric aerosols but large uncertainties are still associated with the identities of the participating compounds and their properties. This reflects as an uncertainty in the global atmospheric model simulations. Our group studies SOA formation and properties by combining experimental and modelling methods. The measurement infrastructure includes e.g. multiple atmospheric simulation chambers and the measurements station at the top of the Puijo-tower. In the modelling the emphasis is on the dynamics and thermodynamics of the SOA related processes. In our research on SOA formation and properties we concentrate especially on:

emissions of volatile organic compounds from plants and their SOA yields
gas-particle partitioning and particle phase processes
solid phase and phase transitions of secondary organic aerosols

Relating articles

Tröstl, J., Chuang, W. K., Gordon, H., Heinritzi, M., Yan, C., Molteni, U., Ahlm, L., Frege, C., Bianchi, F., Wagner, R., Simon, M., Lehtipalo, K., Williamson, C., Craven, J. S., Duplissy, J., Adamov, A., Almeida, J., Bernhammer, A., Breitenlechner, M., Brilke, S., Dias, A., Ehrhart, S., Flagan, R. C., Franchin, A., Fuchs, C., Guida, R., Gysel, M., Hansel, A., Hoyle, C. R., Jokinen, T., Junninen, H., Kangasluoma, J., Keskinen, H., Kim, J., Krapf, M., Kürten, A., Laaksonen, A., Lawler, M., Leiminger, M., Mathot, S., Möhler, O., Nieminen, T., Onnela, A., Petäjä, T., Piel, F. M., Miettinen, P., Rissanen, M. P., Rondo, L., Sarnela, N., Schobesberger, S., Sengupta, K., Sipilä, M., Smith, J. N., Steiner, G., Tomè, A., Virtanen, A., Wagner, A. C., Weingartner, E., Wimmer, D., Winkler, P. M., Ye, P., Carslaw, K. S., Curtius, J., Dommen, J., Kirkby, J., Kulmala, M., Riipinen, I., Worsnop, D. R., Donahue, N. M. and Baltensperger, U. (2016)
The role of low-volatility organic compounds in initial particle growth in the atmosphere
Nature, 533, 527-531, doi:10.1038/nature18271.
Lehtipalo, K., Rondo, L., Kontkanen, J., Schobesberger, S., Jokinen, T., Sarnela, N., Kurten, A., Ehrhart, S., Franchin, A., Nieminen, T., Riccobono, F., Sipila, M., Yli-Juuti, T., Duplissy, J., Adamov, A., Ahlm, L., Almeida, J., Amorim, A., Bianchi, F., Breitenlechner, M., Dommen, J., Downard, A. J., Dunne, E. M., Flagan, R. C., Guida, R., Hakala, J., Hansel, A., Jud, W., Kangasluoma, J., Kerminen, V., Keskinen, H., Kim, J., Kirkby, J., Kupc, A., Kupiainen-Maatta, O., Laaksonen, A., Lawler, M. J., Leiminger, M., Mathot, S., Olenius, T., Ortega, I. K., Onnela, A., Petaja, T., Praplan, A., Rissanen, M. P., Ruuskanen, T., Santos, F. D., Schallhart, S., Schnitzhofer, R., Simon, M., Smith, J. N., Trostl, J., Tsagkogeorgas, G., Tome, A., Vaattovaara, P., Vehkamaki, H., Vrtala, A. E., Wagner, P. E., Williamson, C., Wimmer, D., Winkler, P. M., Virtanen, A., Donahue, N. M., Carslaw, K. S., Baltensperger, U., Riipinen, I., Curtius, J., Worsnop, D. R. and Kulmala, M. (2016)
The effect of acid-base clustering and ions on the growth of atmospheric nano-particles
Nature Communications, 7, Article number: 11594, doi:10.1038/ncomms11594.
Yli-Pirilä P., L. Copolovici, A. Kannaste, S. Noe, J. D. Blande, S. Mikkonen, T. Klemola, J. T. Pulkkinen, A. Virtanen, A. Laaksonen, J. Joutsensaari, Ü. Niinemets, and J. K. Holopainen (2016)
Herbivory by an outbreaking moth increases emissions of biogenic volatiles and leads to enhanced secondary organic aerosol formation capacity
Environmental Science & Technology, 50, 11501–11510, doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02800.
Pajunoja, A., Lambe, A. T, Hakala, J.,Rastak, N., Cummings, M. J., Brogan, J. F., Hao, LQ., Paramonov, M., Hong, J., Prisle, N. L., Malila, J., Romakkaniemi, S., Lehtinen, K. E. J., Laaksonen, A., Kulmala, M., Massoli, P., Onasch, T. B., Donahue, N. M., Riipinen, I., Davidovits, P., Worsnop, D. R., Petäjä, T., and Virtanen, A. (2015)
Adsorptive uptake of water by semisolid secondary organic aerosols
Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 3063-3068, doi:10.1002/2015GL063142.
Joutsensaari, J., Yli-Pirilä, P., Korhonen, H., Arola, A., Blande, J. D., Heijari, J., Kivimäenpää, M., Mikkonen, S., Hao, L., Miettinen, P., Lyytikäinen-Saarenmaa, P., Faiola, C. L., Laaksonen, A., and Holopainen, J. K. (2015)
Biotic stress accelerates formation of climate-relevant aerosols in boreal forests
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 12139-12157, doi:10.5194/acp-15-12139-2015.
Hong, J., Kim, J., Nieminen, T., Duplissy, J., Ehn, M., Äijälä, M., Hao, L. Q., Nie, W., Sarnela, N., Prisle, N. L., Kulmala, M., Virtanen, A., Petäjä, T., and Kerminen, V.-M. (2015)
Relating the hygroscopic properties of submicron aerosol to both gas- and particle-phase chemical composition in a boreal forest environment
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 11999-12009, doi:10.5194/acp-15-11999-2015.
Kokkola, H., Yli-Pirilä, P., Vesterinen, M., Korhonen, H., Keskinen, H., Romakkaniemi, S., Hao, L., Kortelainen, A., Joutsensaari, J., Worsnop, D. R., Virtanen, A., and Lehtinen, K. E. J. (2014)
The role of low volatile organics on secondary organic aerosol formation
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 1689-1700, doi:10.5194/acp-14-1689-2014.
Pajunoja, A., Malila, J., Hao L., Joutsensaari, J., Lehtinen, K. E. J. and Virtanen, A. (2014)
Estimating the Viscosity Range of SOA Particles Based on Coalescence Times
Aerosol Science and Technology, Vol. 48, Iss. 2, pages i-iv, doi:10.1080/02786826.2013.870325.
Virtanen, A., Joutsensaari, J., Koop, T., Kannosto, J., Yli-Pirilä, P., Leskinen, J., Mäkelä, J.M., Holopainen, J.K., Pöschl, U, Kulmala, M, Worsnop D.R. and Laaksonen, A. (2010)
An amorphous solid state of biogenic secondary organic aerosol particles
Nature 467 824–827 doi:10.1038/nature09455