Sodium Nitrate Aerosol
Transmitted Off Circular Polarized Light
The nitrate aerosol in urban areas is due to the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOX) by vehicle catalytic
converters. The NOX reacts with the salt spray aerosol near the ocean coasts, with ammonia in inland areas,
and with carbonates in arid areas. This sample is from a building near Puget Sound in Washington State.
The building was about 800 meters from the Sound and about the same distance from Interstate Highway 5 (I-5).
Sodium nitrate is deliquescent and is generally present in this form are surfaces due to frequent transitions
between the liquid and solid phase as the relative humidity changes in the building. These deposits are not
uncommon along the pacific coast (including Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay) near major freeways.
The nitrate aerosol in urban areas is due to the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOX) by vehicle catalytic
converters. The NOX reacts with the salt spray aerosol near the ocean coasts, with ammonia in inland areas,
and with carbonates in arid areas. This sample is from a building near Puget Sound in Washington State.
The building was about 800 meters from the Sound and about the same distance from Interstate Highway 5 (I-5).
Sodium nitrate is deliquescent and is generally present in this form are surfaces due to frequent transitions
between the liquid and solid phase as the relative humidity changes in the building. These deposits are not
uncommon along the pacific coast (including Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay) near major freeways.
