Improving estimates of the atmospheric oxidative capacity and Amazon fire emissions

Abstract

The composition of the air outside, the atmosphere, is the end-result of complex chemistry, dynamical transport and emissions of gases. Anthropogenic activity, such as fossil fuel combustion, refrigeration and large-scale deforestation, contributes to a rapidly changing composition of the atmosphere, often with adverse effects: air quality issues, global warming and depletion of stratospheric ozone are some of the most complex and impactful problems that society has to face. Many gases are removed from the atmosphere through the process of oxidation and the primary atmospheric oxidant is the hydroxyl radical (OH). Gases removed by OH include important pollutants, such as the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH 4) and urban pollutants such as CO and NO x. Therefore, the oxidation capacity of the atmosphere, as determined by the "cleansing-agent" OH, is an important quantity that is central to this thesis.

Greenhouse gas exchange in the Amazon region : carbon dioxide and methane insights from the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO)

“…The net budget presented here might be conservative (i.e. slightly low) as recent studies suggest that the GFAS fire emission estimates are biased low (Naus, 2021). In a year with high fire activity the bias can be a factor 2 higher.…”