Articles | Volume 15, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-539-2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-539-2022
Research article
 | 
31 Jan 2022
Research article |  | 31 Jan 2022

Characterisation of the Manchester Aerosol Chamber facility

Yunqi Shao, Yu Wang, Mao Du, Aristeidis Voliotis, M. Rami Alfarra, Simon P. O'Meara, S. Fiona Turner, and Gordon McFiggans

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Cited articles

Alfarra, M. R., Hamilton, J. F., Wyche, K. P., Good, N., Ward, M. W., Carr, T., Barley, M. H., Monks, P. S., Jenkin, M. E., Lewis, A. C., and McFiggans, G. B.: The effect of photochemical ageing and initial precursor concentration on the composition and hygroscopic properties of β-caryophyllene secondary organic aerosol, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 6417–6436, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-6417-2012, 2012. 
Alfarra, M. R., Good, N., Wyche, K. P., Hamilton, J. F., Monks, P. S., Lewis, A. C., and McFiggans, G.: Water uptake is independent of the inferred composition of secondary aerosols derived from multiple biogenic VOCs, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 11769–11789, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-11769-2013, 2013. 
Allan, J. D., Jimenez, J. L., Williams, P. I., Alfarra, M. R., Bower, K. N., Jayne, J. T., Coe, H., and Worsnop, D. R.: Quantitative sampling using an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer 1. Techniques of data interpretation and error analysis, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 108, 4090, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002jd002358, 2003. 
Allan, J. D., Delia, A. E., Coe, H., Bower, K. N., Alfarra, M. R., Jimenez, J. L., Middlebrook, A. M., Drewnick, F., Onasch, T. B., Canagaratna, M. R., Jayne, J. T., and Worsnop, D. R.: A generalised method for the extraction of chemically resolved mass spectra from Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer data, J. Aerosol Sci., 35, 909–922, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2004.02.007, 2004. 
Atkinson, R., Aschmann, S. M., and Arey, J.: Reactions of hydroxyl and nitrogen trioxide radicals with phenol, cresols, and 2-nitrophenol at 296±2 K, Environ. Sci. Technol., 26, 1397–1403, https://doi.org/10.1021/es00031a018, 1992. 
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Short summary
A comprehensive description and characterisation of the Manchester Aerosol Chamber (MAC) was conducted. The MAC has good temperature and relative humidity homogeneity, fast mixing times, and comparable losses of gases and particles with other chambers. The MAC's bespoke control system allows improved duty cycles and repeatable experiments. Moreover, the effect of contamination on performance was also investigated. It is highly recommended to regularly track the chamber's performance.
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