Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde change the surface of ice under polar snowpack conditions

We’re pleased to announce the publication of our latest research article as a Just Accepted manuscript in J. Phys. Chem. C.  This article is part of the John Hemminger Festschrift.

The interaction of volatile organics with ice is a major factor influencing atmospheric composition in Polar regions. We have shown for the first time that exposure to HCHO and CH₃CHO induces changes in the ice surface state, including the formation of a disordered interfacial layer and opaque domains, at environmentally relevant conditions. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of the interactions of these trace gases with ice, and the interpretation of snow pit and ice core chemical records.

Kuo , M.-H., Moussa , S. G., and McNeill, V. F. Surface Disordering and Film Formation on Ice Induced by Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde (2014) J. Phys. Chem. C, Just Accepted Manuscript.  DOI: 10.1021/jp504285z