First-Order-Kinetics

Combined atmospheric lifetime from parallel removal pathways — Seinfeld & Pandis (2006) Ch. 2 (Atmospheric Trace Constituents), Eqs. 2.7-2.9. When a trace species is removed by two independent first-order processes acting simultaneously (rate constants k_1 and k_2), the removal rates add: the inverse lifetimes (1/τ) sum while the lifetimes themselves combine harmonically. This observed-only algebraic component implements four relations: the two individual pathway lifetimes tau_1 = 1/k_1 and tau_2 = 1/k_2 (Eq. 2.6 applied per pathway), the summed inverse lifetime inverse_tau = k_1 + k_2 = 1/tau_1 + 1/tau_2 (Eqs. 2.7-2.8), and the combined lifetime tau_combined = (tau_1·tau_2)/(tau_1+tau_2) = 1/(k_1+k_2) (Eq. 2.9). The combined lifetime is always shorter than either individual pathway lifetime, and the faster (shorter-lifetime) pathway dominates: a fast removal process sets the overall atmospheric lifetime even when a slow pathway is also present; when the two pathways are equal the combined lifetime is exactly half of either. Observed-only algebraic system (no time derivatives): four state variables (tau_1, tau_2, tau_combined in s; inverse_tau in s⁻¹) computed from two rate-constant parameters (k_1, k_2 in s⁻¹) by four algebraic equations. Migrated from GasChem.jl@280ee50f src/AtmosphericLifetime.jl:204 (`MultipleRemovalLifetime` @component).