Identification

Title

Derivation of atmospheric reaction mechanisms for volatile organic compounds by the SAPRC mechanism generation system (MechGen)

Abstract

This paper describes the methods that are used in the SAPRC mechanism generation system, MechGen, to estimate rate constants and derive mechanisms for gas-phase reactions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the lower atmosphere. Versions of this system have been used for over 20 years in the development of the SAPRC mechanisms for air quality models, but this is the first complete documentation of the scientific basis for the chemical mechanisms it derives. MechGen can be used to derive explicit gas-phase mechanisms for most compounds with C, H, O, or N atoms. Included are reactions of organic compounds with hydroxy (OH) and nitrate (NO3) radicals, O3, and O3P; photolysis or unimolecular reactions; and the reactions of the radicals they form in the presence of O2 and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) at lower-atmospheric temperatures and pressures. Measured or theoretically calculated rate constants and branching ratios are used when data are available, but in most cases rate constants and branching ratios are estimated using various structure–reactivity or other estimation methods. Types of reactions include initial reactions of organics with atmospheric oxidants or by photolysis; unimolecular and bimolecular reactions of carbon-centered, alkoxy, and peroxy radicals; and those of Criegee and other intermediates that are formed. This paper documents the methods, assignments, and estimates currently used to derive these reactions and provides examples of MechGen predictions. Many of the estimation methods discussed here have not been published previously, and others have not been used previously in developing comprehensive mechanisms. Our knowledge of atmospheric reactions of organic compounds rapidly and continuously evolves, and therefore mechanism generation systems such as MechGen also need to evolve to continue to represent the current state of the science. This paper points out areas where MechGen may need to be modified when the system is next updated. This paper concludes with a summary of the major areas of uncertainty where further experimental, theoretical, or mechanism development research is most needed to improve predictions of atmospheric reaction mechanisms of volatile organic compounds.

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document

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Unique resource identifier

code

https://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7z03dg6

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

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geoscientificInformation

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Text

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title

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reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

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date type

publication

effective date

2025-01-08T00:00:00Z

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<style type="text/css"></style><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-style:normal;" data-sheets-root="1">Copyright author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</span>

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None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2025-07-10T19:55:05.524539

Metadata language

eng; USA