Formation of HNO2 on aerosol surfaces during foggy periods in the presence of NO and NO2

A commercial Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer (DOAS), measuring trace gases absorbing in the u.v./vis region was used for obtaining information on aerosol parameters (e.g. total surface) based on the observed Mie scattering. This procedure allows simultaneous measurements of trace gas concentrations and aerosol parameters within the same air volume. A series of measurements of HNO₂, NO₂, NO, SO₂ and aerosol parameters was performed at Ispra in northern Italy. The observations show a rapid formation of gaseous HNO₂ during foggy episodes and give direct evidence of an important contribution of reactions on wet aerosols to the transformation of tropospheric NO_x into HNO₂.