Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006

Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) plays a fundamental role in the global ozone budget and is the primary reservoir of tropospheric reactive nitrogen over much of the globe. However, large uncertainties exist in how surface emissions, transport and lightning affect the global distribution, particularly in t...

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Main Authors: V. H. Payne, E. V. Fischer, J. R. Worden, Z. Jiang, L. Zhu, T. P. Kurosu, S. S. Kulawik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2017-05-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/6341/2017/acp-17-6341-2017.pdf
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author V. H. Payne
E. V. Fischer
J. R. Worden
Z. Jiang
L. Zhu
T. P. Kurosu
S. S. Kulawik
author_facet V. H. Payne
E. V. Fischer
J. R. Worden
Z. Jiang
L. Zhu
T. P. Kurosu
S. S. Kulawik
author_sort V. H. Payne
collection DOAJ
description Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) plays a fundamental role in the global ozone budget and is the primary reservoir of tropospheric reactive nitrogen over much of the globe. However, large uncertainties exist in how surface emissions, transport and lightning affect the global distribution, particularly in the tropics. We present new satellite observations of free-tropospheric PAN in the tropics from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer. This dataset allows us to test expected spatiotemporal distributions that have been predicted by models but previously not well observed. We compare here with the GEOS-Chem model with updates specifically for PAN. We observe an austral springtime maximum over the tropical Atlantic, a feature that model predictions attribute primarily to lightning. Over northern central Africa in December, observations show strong interannual variability, despite low variation in fire emissions, that we attribute to the combined effects of changes in biogenic emissions and lightning. We observe small enhancements in free-tropospheric PAN corresponding to the extreme burning event over Indonesia associated with the 2006 El Niño.
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spelling doaj.art-2d3a438db50941c3ae8107baf0e67b3e2022-12-21T18:44:59ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242017-05-0117106341635110.5194/acp-17-6341-2017Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006V. H. Payne0E. V. Fischer1J. R. Worden2Z. Jiang3L. Zhu4T. P. Kurosu5S. S. Kulawik6Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USADepartment of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USANational Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USADepartment of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USABay Area Environmental Research Institute, Mountain View, California, USAPeroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) plays a fundamental role in the global ozone budget and is the primary reservoir of tropospheric reactive nitrogen over much of the globe. However, large uncertainties exist in how surface emissions, transport and lightning affect the global distribution, particularly in the tropics. We present new satellite observations of free-tropospheric PAN in the tropics from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer. This dataset allows us to test expected spatiotemporal distributions that have been predicted by models but previously not well observed. We compare here with the GEOS-Chem model with updates specifically for PAN. We observe an austral springtime maximum over the tropical Atlantic, a feature that model predictions attribute primarily to lightning. Over northern central Africa in December, observations show strong interannual variability, despite low variation in fire emissions, that we attribute to the combined effects of changes in biogenic emissions and lightning. We observe small enhancements in free-tropospheric PAN corresponding to the extreme burning event over Indonesia associated with the 2006 El Niño.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/6341/2017/acp-17-6341-2017.pdf
spellingShingle V. H. Payne
E. V. Fischer
J. R. Worden
Z. Jiang
L. Zhu
T. P. Kurosu
S. S. Kulawik
Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006
title_full Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006
title_fullStr Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006
title_full_unstemmed Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006
title_short Spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006
title_sort spatial variability in tropospheric peroxyacetyl nitrate in the tropics from infrared satellite observations in 2005 and 2006
url http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/6341/2017/acp-17-6341-2017.pdf
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