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The hydrolysis of CH2OO is not only a dominant sink for the CH2OO intermediate in the atmosphere but also a key process in the formation of aerosols. Herein, the reaction mechanism and kinetics for the hydrolysis of CH2OO catalyzed by the precursors of atmospheric aerosols, including H2SO4, H2SO4···H2O, and (H2SO4)2, have been studied theoretically at the CCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVDZ-F12//B3LYP/6-311+G(2df,2pd) level. The calculated results show that the three catalysts decrease the energy barrier by over 10.3 kcal·mol-1; at the same time, the product formation of HOCH2OOH is more strongly bonded to the three catalysts than to the reactants CH2OO and H2O, revealing that small clusters of sulfuric acid promote the hydrolysis of CH2OO both kinetically and thermodynamically. Kinetic simulations show that the H2SO4-assisted reaction is more favorable than the H2SO4···H2O- (the pseudo-first-order rate constant being 27.9-11.5 times larger) and (H2SO4)2- (between 2.8 × 104 and 3.4 × 105 times larger) catalyzed reactions. Additionally, due to relatively lower concentration of H2SO4, the hydrolysis of CH2OO with H2SO4 cannot compete with the CH2OO + H2O or (H2O)2 reaction within the temperature range of 280-320 K, since its pseudo-first-order rate ratio is smaller by 4-7 or 6-8 orders of magnitude, respectively. However, the present results provide a good example of how small clusters of sulfuric acid catalyze the hydrolysis of an important atmospheric species.

The H2O2 + HO → HO2 + H2O reaction is an important reservoir for both radicals of HO and HO2 catalyzing the destruction of O3. Here, this reaction assisted by NH3 and HCOOH catalysts was explored using the CCSD(T)-F12a/cc-pVDZ-F12//M06-2X/aug-cc-pVTZ method and canonical variational transition state theory with small curvature tunneling. Two possible sets of mechanisms, (i) one-step routes and (ii) stepwise processes, are possible. Our results show that in the presence of both NH3 and HCOOH catalysts under relevant atmospheric temperature, mechanism (i) is favored both energetically and kinetically than the corresponding mechanism (ii). At 298 K, the relative rate for mechanism (i) in the presence of NH3 (10, 2900 ppbv) and HCOOH (10 ppbv) is respectively 3–5 and 2–4 orders of magnitude lower than that of the water-catalyzed reaction. This is due to a comparatively lower concentration of NH3 and HCOOH than H2O which indicates the positive water effect under atmospheric conditions. Although NH3 and HCOOH catalysts play a negligible role in the reservoir for both radicals of HO and HO2 catalyzing the destruction of O3, the current study provides a comprehensive example of how acidic and basic catalysts assisted the gas-phase reactions.

The hydrolysis of CH

The H

Hydrolysis of NO2 dimer is of great interest in atmospheric chemistry because it can form HONO, a major source of OH in polluted urban atmospheres. Herein, the reaction mechanism and kinetics for the hydrolysis of trans-ONONO2 (the favorable route in the hydrolysis of NO2 dimer) catalyzed by catalyst X (X = H2SO4, H2SO4⋯H2O, and (H2SO4)2) have been studied theoretically. The calculated results show that the addition of X not only increases the stabilization energy of the reactant complex, but also decreases the energy barrier by over 7.0 kcal⋅mol−1. Kinetic simulations show that H2SO4⋯H2O exerts the strongest catalytic role as compared with H2SO4, and (H2SO4)2 with its pseudo-first-order rate constant kt′(SW) respectively larger by 6–5 and 10–11 orders of magnitude. Additionally, compared with the rate constant of t-ONONO2 + H2O reaction, the kt′(SW) of t-ONONO2 + H2SO4···(H2O)2 reaction increase by 13 times at 298 K. Therefore, the present work may suggest that formation of nitrous acid from the hydrolysis reaction of t-N2O4 is promoted significantly by pre-existing aerosols of small clusters of sulfuric acid.

A detailed effects of catalyst X (X = H2O, (H2O)2, NH3, NH3···H2O, H2O···NH3, HCOOH and H2SO4) on the HO4H → O3 + H2O reaction have been investigated by using quantum chemical calculations and canonical vibrational transition state theory with small curvature tunnelling. The calculated results show that (H2O)2-catalysed reactions much faster than H2O-catalysed one because of the former bimolecular rate constant larger by 2.6–25.9 times than that of the latter one. In addition, the basic H2O···NH3 catalyst was found to be a better than the neutral catalyst of (H2O)2. However it is marginally less efficient than the acidic catalysts of HCOOH, and H2SO4. The effective rate constant (k't) in the presence of catalyst X have been assessed. It was found from k't that H2O (at 100% RH) completely dominates over all other catalysts within the temperature range of 280–320 K at 0 km altitude. However, compared with the rate constant of HO4H → H2O + O3 reaction, the k eff values for H2O catalysed reaction are smaller by 1–2 orders of magnitude, indicating that the catalytic effect of H2O makes a negligible contribution to the gas phase reaction of HO4H → O3 + H2O. Highlights A detailed effects of catalyst of H2O, (H2O)2, NH3, NH3···H2O, H2O···NH3, HCOOH and H2SO4 on the HO4H → O3 + H2O reaction has been performed.From energetic viewpoint, H2SO4 exerts the strongest catalytic role in HO4H → O3 + H2O reaction as compared with the other catalysts.At 0 km altitude H2O (at 100% RH) completely dominates over all other catalysts within the temperature range of 280–320 K.HO4H → H2O + O3 reaction with H2O cannot be compete with the reaction without catalyst, due to the fact that the effective rate constants in the presence of H2O are smaller. A detailed effects of catalyst of H2O, (H2O)2, NH3, NH3···H2O, H2O···NH3, HCOOH and H2SO4 on the HO4H → O3 + H2O reaction has been performed. From energetic viewpoint, H2SO4 exerts the strongest catalytic role in HO4H → O3 + H2O reaction as compared with the other catalysts. At 0 km altitude H2O (at 100% RH) completely dominates over all other catalysts within the temperature range of 280–320 K. HO4H → H2O + O3 reaction with H2O cannot be compete with the reaction without catalyst, due to the fact that the effective rate constants in the presence of H2O are smaller.

This paper determined the delta 13C annual series of three Cryptomeria fortunei tree rings at West Tianmu Mountain, and analyzed their similarities and differences. In the period of 1837 to approximately 1982, the correlations among the three delta 13C series were significant, with r12 = 0.47, r13 = 0.65 and r23 = 0.52 (P0.001, n = 146), respectively. After removing the high-frequencies from the original delta 13C series by using polynomial function model, a significant correlation was observed among three low-frequencies, with the correlation coefficient varied from 0. 95 to 0.998. A significant correlation was also observed between original low-frequencies and simulated high-frequencies, with the correlation coefficient being 0.79 to approximately 0.84. The three delta 13C annual series had similar high-frequency and low-frequency variations. High-frequency variation recorded similar climate variation information, while low-frequency reflected the information of atmospheric CO2 changes. It was the common case for different individuals of trees that in the three delta 13C annual series, climatic factors caused high-frequency change, while atmospheric CO2 concentration caused low-frequency variation. The differences among the three delta 13C annual series were mainly caused by the local environmental conditions at the growth sites of trees, while the individual difference among the three delta 13C series caused by local environmental conditions had very small effects on the changes of the three delta 13C series. It could be concluded that the differences among the three delta 13C series did not affect the suitability of using tree ring's delta 13C annual series as the indirect evidence in climatic variation study, and the reliability and coherence of reconstructing historical climate changes.