Rates of wintertime atmospheric SO2 oxidation based on aircraft observations during clear-sky conditions over the Eastern United States

In this study, we use plume intercepts from the Wintertime INvestigation of Transport, Emission and Reactivity (WINTER) campaign to estimate the oxidation rates of SO2 under wintertime conditions and the factors that determine SO2 removal. Observations suggest that OH governs the rate SO2 oxidation in the eastern United States during winter.

The range of mean oxidation rates during the day from power plants were 0.22–0.71%/hr, producing SO2 lifetimes of 13–43 days, if SO2 consumption is assumed to occur during 10.5 hr of daylight in cloudless conditions. Though most nighttime rate measurements were zero within uncertainty, there is some evidence of nighttime removal, which suggests alternate oxidation mechanisms. The fastest nighttime observed SO2 oxidation rate was 0.25±0.07%/hr, producing a combined day/night SO2 lifetime of 8.5–21 days.