Governing processes for reactive nitrogen compounds in the European atmosphere

Hertel, Ole; Skjøth, C.; Reis, Stefan; Bleeker, A.; Harrison, Roy M.; Cape, J. N.; Fowler, D.; Skiba, U.; Simpson, David; Jickells, TD; Kulmala, Markku; Gyldenkærne, Steen; Sørensen, Lise Lotte; Erisman, J. W.; Sutton, Mark A.

doi:10.5194/bg-9-4921-2012

Cited by 83 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 284 publications

(285 reference statements)

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“…It means that local sources inside the satellite footprint could have a strong influence on the IASI column values but not be represented in the ground-based data sets due to the high horizontal gradient of NH 3 concentrations around the source Sutton et al, 1998;Hertel et al, 2012). Conversely, background concentrations within the IASI pixel will tend to mask single local sources.…”

Section: Hourly Resolved Data Setmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Monitoring NH 3 from the ground is not straightforward due to technical limitations and to high variability of concentrations in time and space (von Bobrutzki et al, 2010;Hertel et al, 2012). While the availability of NH 3 concentration and flux measurements at sub-landscape scales is increasing, measurements at landscape to regional scale are sparser (Flechard et al, 2013).…”

Section: Ground-based Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the major basic species in the atmosphere, NH 3 reacts rapidly with acid gases and drives the acidity of precipitations and particulate matter (Behera et al, 2013). Its role in aerosol formation (Hertel et al, 2012) makes it an important component in air quality and climate issues (Pope et al, 2009;Erisman et al, 2011). In addition to being directly toxic to plants at high concentrations (Krupa, 2003), NH 3 and its derivatives are also quickly deposited in the ecosystems, increasing their eutrophication and reducing biodiversity EEA-European Environment Agency, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Towards validation of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) measurements from the IASI satellite

et al. 2015

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Abstract. Limited availability of ammonia (NH 3 ) observations is currently a barrier for effective monitoring of the nitrogen cycle. It prevents a full understanding of the atmospheric processes in which this trace gas is involved and therefore impedes determining its related budgets. Since the end of 2007, the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite has been observing NH 3 from space at a high spatio-temporal resolution. This valuable data set, already used by models, still needs validation. We present here a first attempt to validate IASI-NH 3 measurements using existing independent ground-based and airborne data sets. The yearly distributions reveal similar patterns between ground-based and space-borne observations and highlight the scarcity of local NH 3 measurements as well as their spatial heterogeneity and lack of representativity. By comparison with monthly resolved data sets in Europe, China and Africa, we show that IASI-NH 3 observations are in fair agreement, but they are characterized by a smaller variation in concentrations. The use of hourly and airborne data sets to compare with IASI individual observations allows investigations of the impact of averaging as well as the representativity of independent observations for the satellite footprint. The importance of considering the latter and the added value of densely located airborne measurements at various altitudes to validate IASI-NH 3 columns are discussed. Perspectives and guidelines for future validation work on NH 3 satellite observations are presented.

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Section: Hourly Resolved Data Setmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ground-based Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Towards validation of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) measurements from the IASI satellite

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“…Recent opinions by Erisman et al (2011) do not take this effect into account, probably because the scientific understanding has not been available (e.g. Hertel et al, 2012). A scientific meeting in the Royal Society, 5-6 December 2011, on the global nitrogen cycle had an entire session dedicated to the ammonia issue.…”

Section: Relevance Of Including Dynamical Modelling Of Nh 3 Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of climate and climate change on ammonia emissions in Europe

Skjøth

Geels

2013

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. We present here a dynamical method for modelling temporal and geographical variations in ammonia emissions in regional-scale chemistry transport models (CTMs) and chemistry climate models (CCMs). The method is based on the meteorology in the models and gridded inventories. We use the dynamical method to investigate the spatiotemporal variability of ammonia emissions across part of Europe and study how these emissions are related to geographical and year-to-year variations in atmospheric temperature alone. For simplicity we focus on the emission from a storage facility related to a standard Danish pig stable with 1000 animals and display how emissions from this source would vary geographically throughout central and northern Europe and from year to year. In view of future climate changes, we also evaluate the potential future changes in emission by including temperature projections from an ensemble of climate models. The results point towards four overall issues. (1) Emissions can easily vary by 20 % for different geographical locations within a country due to overall variations in climate. The largest uncertainties are seen for large countries such as the UK, Germany and France. (2) Annual variations in overall climate can at specific locations cause uncertainties in the range of 20 %. (3) Climate change may increase emissions by 0-40 % in central to northern Europe. (4) Gradients in existing emission inventories that are seen between neighbour countries (e.g. between the UK and France) can be reduced by using a dynamical methodology for calculating emissions. Acting together these four factors can cause substantial uncertainties in emission. Emissions are generally considered among the largest uncertainties in the model calculations made with CTM and CCM models. Efforts to reduce uncertainties are therefore highly relevant.It is therefore recommended that both CCMs and CTMs implement a dynamical methodology for simulating ammonia emissions in a similar way as for biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOCs) -a method that has been used for more than a decade in CTMs. Finally, the climate penalty on ammonia emissions should be taken into account at the policy level such as the NEC and IPPC directives.

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“…Sutton et al (1993cSutton et al ( , 1995b, Asman et al (1998), Nemitz et al (2001a), Hertel et al (2006Hertel et al ( , 2012, Loubet et al (2009a), van Pul et al (2009), Sutton et al (2007), Fowler et al (2009), Wu et al (2009), Massad et al (2010b), Zhang et al (2010), Sutton et al (2013). The present contribution seeks to bring together the most recent advances in measurements, understanding and modelling of surface/atmosphere NH 3 exchange over the vegetated land area, including the application of fertilizers, manures and slurry to farmland.…”

Section: Scope Of the Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in understanding, models and parameterizations of biosphere-atmosphere ammonia exchange

et al. 2013

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Atmospheric ammonia (NH₃) dominates global emissions of total reactive nitrogen (N_r), while emissions from agricultural production systems contribute about two-thirds of global NH₃ emissions; the remaining third emanates from oceans, natural vegetation, humans, wild animals and biomass burning. On land, NH₃ emitted from the various sources eventually returns to the biosphere by dry deposition to sink areas, predominantly semi-natural vegetation, and by wet and dry deposition as ammonium (NH₄⁺) to all surfaces. However, the land/atmosphere exchange of gaseous NH₃ is in fact bi-directional over unfertilized as well as fertilized ecosystems, with periods and areas of emission and deposition alternating in time (diurnal, seasonal) and space (patchwork landscapes). The exchange is controlled by a range of environmental factors, including meteorology, surface layer turbulence, thermodynamics, air and surface heterogeneous-phase chemistry, canopy geometry, plant development stage, leaf age, organic matter decomposition, soil microbial turnover, and, in agricultural systems, by fertilizer application rate, fertilizer type, soil type, crop type, and agricultural management practices. We review the range of processes controlling NH₃ emission and uptake in the different parts of the soil-canopy-atmosphere continuum, with NH₃ emission potentials defined at the substrate and leaf levels by different [NH₄⁺] / [H⁺] ratios (Γ). Surface/atmosphere exchange models for NH₃ are necessary to compute the temporal and spatial patterns of emissions and deposition at the soil, plant, field, landscape, regional and global scales, in order to assess the multiple environmental impacts of airborne and deposited NH₃ and NH₄⁺. Models of soil/vegetation/atmosphere NH₃ exchange are reviewed from the substrate and leaf scales to the global scale. They range from simple steady-state, "big leaf" canopy resistance models, to dynamic, multi-layer, multi-process, multi-chemical species schemes. Their level of complexity depends on their purpose, the spatial scale at which they are applied, the current level of parameterization, and the availability of the input data they require. State-of-the-art solutions for determining the emission/sink Γ potentials through the soil/canopy system include coupled, interactive chemical transport models (CTM) and soil/ecosystem modelling at the regional scale. However, it remains a matter for debate to what extent realistic options for future regional and global models should be based on process-based mechanistic versus empirical and regression-type models. Further discussion is needed on the extent and timescale by which new approaches can be used, such as integration with ecosystem models and satellite observations

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Governing processes for reactive nitrogen compounds in the European atmosphere

Cited by 83 publications

References 284 publications

Towards validation of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) measurements from the IASI satellite

Towards validation of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) measurements from the IASI satellite

The effect of climate and climate change on ammonia emissions in Europe

Advances in understanding, models and parameterizations of biosphere-atmosphere ammonia exchange

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Governing processes for reactive nitrogen compounds in the European atmosphere

Cited by 83 publications

References 284 publications

Towards validation of ammonia (NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;) measurements from the IASI satellite

Towards validation of ammonia (NH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;) measurements from the IASI satellite

The effect of climate and climate change on ammonia emissions in Europe

Advances in understanding, models and parameterizations of biosphere-atmosphere ammonia exchange

Contact Info

Product

Resources

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Towards validation of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) measurements from the IASI satellite

Towards validation of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) measurements from the IASI satellite