Aerosol acidity and liquid water content regulate the dry deposition of inorganic reactive nitrogen

Abstract. Ecosystem productivity is strongly modulated by the atmospheric deposition of inorganic reactive nitrogen (the sum ammonium and nitrate). The individual contributions nitrate vary considerably over space time, giving rise to complex patterns deposition. In absence rain, much this complexity driven large difference between dry velocity nitrogen-containing molecules in gas or condensed phase. Here we quantify how aerosol liquid water acidity, through their impact on gas–particle partitioning, modulate total NH3 HNO3 individually while simultaneously affecting nitrogen. Four regimes emerge: (i) – fast, slow, (ii) (iii) (iv) slow. Conditions that favor partitioning species phase reduce local promote accumulation boundary layer potential for long-range transport. Application framework select locations around world reveals fundamentally important insights: ammonia displays little sensitivity pH variations, except under conditions extreme acidity and/or low content. nitric acid, other hand, quite variable, with maximum velocities (close rates) found eastern United States minimum northern Europe China. latter case, leads up 10-fold increases PM2.5 aerosol, thus contributing high levels observed during haze episodes. light, associated content can be considered control parameters drive flux accelerate intense events throughout globe.