NOx in the remote troposphere during ATom: Reconciling measurements and models
Abstract
Reactions of nitric oxide radicals (NOx= NO+NO2) in Earth's lower atmosphere play a central role in formation of tropospheric ozone, a pollutant and climate forcing agent; partitioning of hydroxyl radical, the primary tropospheric oxidant; and transportation of biomass burning and anthropogenic emissions far from their source regions. Previous work has identified shortcomings in global models' ability to simulate NOx concentrations in remote regions. Subsequent studies have indicated possible issues in the measurement of NOx, and/or in reaction rate constants determined in the laboratory and central to our understanding of NOx chemistry. Focusing on NOx measurements from ATom, we use both box and global model simulations to examine uncertainties in small- and large-scale processes affecting NOx distributions. ATom-4 included a second NO2 instrument in its payload, providing an opportunity for instrument intercomparison and evaluation of measurement artifacts, both which will be included in the presentation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFM.A11K2708S
- Keywords:
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- 0305 Aerosols and particles;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0312 Air/sea constituent fluxes;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0317 Chemical kinetic and photochemical properties;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0341 Middle atmosphere: constituent transport and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE