Formic sulfuric anhydride: a new chemical species with possible implications for atmospheric aerosol

Mackenzie, Becca

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/79258 Copy

Description

Title

Formic sulfuric anhydride: a new chemical species with possible implications for atmospheric aerosol

Author(s)

Mackenzie, Becca

Contributor(s)

• Leopold, Ken
• Dewberry, Chris

Issue Date

25-Jun-15

Keyword(s)

Atmospheric science

Abstract

Aerosols are important players in the Earth's atmosphere, affecting climate, cloud formation, and human health. In this work, we report the discovery of a previously unknown molecule, formic sulfuric anhydride (FSA), that may influence the formation and composition of atmospheric aerosol particles. Five isotopologues of FSA have been observed by microwave spectroscopy and further characterized using DFT calculations. The system has dipole moment components along all three inertial axes, and indeed textit{a}, textit{b}, and textit{c}-type transitions have been observed. A $pi$$_{2}$ + $pi$$_{2}$ + $sigma$$_{2}$ cycloaddition reaction between SO$_{3}$ and HCOOH is proposed as a possible mechanism for the formation of FSA and calculations indicate that the transformation is effectively barrierless. Facile formation of the anhydride followed by hydrolysis in small water-containing clusters or liquid droplets may provide a mechanism of incorporating volatile organics into atmospheric aerosol. We suggest that FSA and its derivatives be considered in future atmospheric and climate models.

Publisher

International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

Type of Resource

text

Language

English

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/79258

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