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Bertagni MB, Socolow RH, Martirez JMP, Carter EA, Greig C, Ju Y, Lieuwen T, Mueller ME, Sundaresan S, Wang R, Zondlo MA, Porporato A. Minimizing the impacts of the ammonia economy on the nitrogen cycle and climate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311728120. [PMID: 37931102 PMCID: PMC10655559 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311728120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ammonia (NH3) is an attractive low-carbon fuel and hydrogen carrier. However, losses and inefficiencies across the value chain could result in reactive nitrogen emissions (NH3, NOx, and N2O), negatively impacting air quality, the environment, human health, and climate. A relatively robust ammonia economy (30 EJ/y) could perturb the global nitrogen cycle by up to 65 Mt/y with a 5% nitrogen loss rate, equivalent to 50% of the current global perturbation caused by fertilizers. Moreover, the emission rate of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting molecule, determines whether ammonia combustion has a greenhouse footprint comparable to renewable energy sources or higher than coal (100 to 1,400 gCO2e/kWh). The success of the ammonia economy hence hinges on adopting optimal practices and technologies that minimize reactive nitrogen emissions. We discuss how this constraint should be included in the ongoing broad engineering research to reduce environmental concerns and prevent the lock-in of high-leakage practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo B. Bertagni
- High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Robert H. Socolow
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - John Mark P. Martirez
- Applied Materials and Sustainability Sciences, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ08540
| | - Emily A. Carter
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Applied Materials and Sustainability Sciences, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ08540
- Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Chris Greig
- Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Yiguang Ju
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Tim Lieuwen
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30332-0150
| | - Michael E. Mueller
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Sankaran Sundaresan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Mark A. Zondlo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Amilcare Porporato
- High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
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Van Damme M, Clarisse L, Stavrakou T, Wichink Kruit R, Sellekaerts L, Viatte C, Clerbaux C, Coheur PF. On the weekly cycle of atmospheric ammonia over European agricultural hotspots. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12327. [PMID: 35853953 PMCID: PMC9296528 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15836-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of a weekly cycle in the abundance of an atmospheric constituent is a typical fingerprint for the anthropogenic nature of its emission sources. However, while ammonia is mainly emitted as a consequence of human activities, a weekly cycle has never been detected in its abundances at large scale. We expose here for the first time the presence of a weekend effect in the NH3 total columns measured by the IASI satellite sounder over the main agricultural source regions in Europe: northwestern Europe (Belgium-the Netherlands-northwest Germany), the Po Valley, Brittany, and, to a lesser extent, the Ebro Valley. A decrease of 15% relative to the weekly mean is seen on Sunday-Monday observations in northwestern Europe, as a result of reduced NH3 emissions over the weekend. This is confirmed by in situ NH3 concentration data from the National Air Quality Monitoring Network in the Netherlands, where an average reduction of 10% is found around midnight on Sunday. The identified weekend effect presents a strong seasonal variability, with two peaks, one in spring and one in summer, coinciding with the two main (manure) fertilization periods. In spring, a reduction on Sunday-Monday up to 53 and 26% is found in the NH3 satellite columns and in situ concentrations, respectively, as fertilization largely drives atmospheric NH3 abundances at this time of the year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Van Damme
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium.
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Lieven Clarisse
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Roy Wichink Kruit
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Louise Sellekaerts
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Camille Viatte
- LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Cathy Clerbaux
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
- LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Pierre-François Coheur
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
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Understanding the Simulated Ammonia Increasing Trend from 2008 to 2015 over Europe with CHIMERE and Comparison with IASI Observations. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13071101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study is to assess and understand the NH3 recent trends and to identify the key components driving its concentrations. We have simulated the seasonal cycle, the interannual variability, and the trends in NH3 vertical column densities (VCD) from 2008 to 2015 over Europe, with the CHIMERE regional chemistry–transport model. We have also confronted the simulations against the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite observations. IASI often shows a strong maximum in summer in addition to the spring peak, whereas CHIMERE only shows a slight peak in summer some years. This result could point to a misrepresentation of the temporal profile of the NH3 emissions, i.e., to missing emission sources during summertime either due to more than expected fertilizer use or to increased volatilization under warmer conditions. The simulated NH3 VCDs present an increasing trend over continental Europe (+2.7 ± 1.0 %/yr) but also at the national scale for Spain, Germany, UK, France, and Poland. Sensitivity tests indicate that these simulated positive trends are mainly due to (i) the trends in NH3 emissions, found heterogeneous in the EMEP NH3 emissions with strong disparities depending on the country, and (ii) the negative trends in NOx and SOx emissions. The impact of reductions in NO2 and SO2 emissions on NH3 concentrations should therefore be taken into account in future policies. This simulated NH3 VCD increase at the European scale is confirmed by IASI-v3R satellite observations in spring and summer, when ammonia emissions strongly contribute to the annual budget in accordance with crop requirements. Nevertheless, there are remaining differences about the significance and magnitude between the simulated and observed trends at the national scale, and it warrants further investigation.
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Wang R, Guo X, Pan D, Kelly JT, Bash JO, Sun K, Paulot F, Clarisse L, Damme MV, Whitburn S, Coheur PF, Clerbaux C, Zondlo MA. Monthly Patterns of Ammonia Over the Contiguous United States at 2-km Resolution. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2021; 48:10.1029/2020gl090579. [PMID: 34121780 PMCID: PMC8193802 DOI: 10.1029/2020gl090579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Monthly, high-resolution (∼2 km) ammonia (NH3) column maps from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) were developed across the contiguous United States and adjacent areas. Ammonia hotspots (95th percentile of the column distribution) were highly localized with a characteristic length scale of 12 km and median area of 152 km2. Five seasonality clusters were identified with k-means++ clustering. The Midwest and eastern United States had a broad, spring maximum of NH3 (67% of hotspots in this cluster). The western United States, in contrast, showed a narrower midsummer peak (32% of hotspots). IASI spatiotemporal clustering was consistent with those from the Ammonia Monitoring Network. CMAQ and GFDL-AM3 modeled NH3 columns have some success replicating the seasonal patterns but did not capture the regional differences. The high spatial-resolution monthly NH3 maps serve as a constraint for model simulations and as a guide for the placement of future, ground-based network sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Xuehui Guo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Da Pan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - James T Kelly
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Jesse O Bash
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Kang Sun
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Fabien Paulot
- Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Lieven Clarisse
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Martin Van Damme
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Simon Whitburn
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre-François Coheur
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cathy Clerbaux
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Brussels, Belgium
- LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Mark A Zondlo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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Kuttippurath J, Singh A, Dash SP, Mallick N, Clerbaux C, Van Damme M, Clarisse L, Coheur PF, Raj S, Abbhishek K, Varikoden H. Record high levels of atmospheric ammonia over India: Spatial and temporal analyses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 740:139986. [PMID: 32927535 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric ammonia (NH3) is an alkaline gas and a prominent constituent of the nitrogen cycle that adversely affects ecosystems at higher concentrations. It is a pollutant, which influences all three spheres such as haze formation in the atmosphere, soil acidification in the lithosphere, and eutrophication in water bodies. Atmospheric NH3 reacts with sulfur (SOx) and nitrogen (NOx) oxides to form aerosols, which eventually affect human health and climate. Here, we present the seasonal and inter-annual variability of atmospheric NH3 over India in 2008-2016 using the IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) satellite observations. We find that Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) is one of the largest and rapidly growing NH3 hotspots of the world, with a growth rate of +1.2% yr-1 in summer (June-August: Kharif season), due to intense agricultural activities and presence of many fertilizer industries there. However, our analyses show insignificant decreasing trends in annual NH3 of about -0.8% yr-1 in all India, about -0.4% yr-1 in IGP, and -1.0% yr-1 in the rest of India. Ammonia is positively correlated with total fertilizer consumption (r = 0.75) and temperature (r = 0.5) since high temperature favors volatilization, and is anti-correlated with total precipitation (r = from -0.2, but -0.8 in the Rabi season: October-February) as wet deposition helps removal of atmospheric NH3. This study, henceforth, suggests the need for better fertilization practices and viable strategies to curb emissions, to alleviate the adverse health effects and negative impacts on the ecosystem in the region. On the other hand, the overall decreasing trend in atmospheric NH3 over India shows the positive actions, and commitment to the national missions and action plans to reduce atmospheric pollution and changes in climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kuttippurath
- CORAL, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India.
| | - A Singh
- CORAL, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India; Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - S P Dash
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - N Mallick
- Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - C Clerbaux
- LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France; Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Atmospheric Spectroscopy, Brussels, Belgium
| | - M Van Damme
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Atmospheric Spectroscopy, Brussels, Belgium
| | - L Clarisse
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Atmospheric Spectroscopy, Brussels, Belgium
| | - P-F Coheur
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Atmospheric Spectroscopy, Brussels, Belgium
| | - S Raj
- CORAL, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - K Abbhishek
- CORAL, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - H Varikoden
- ESSO-Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology Pune, India
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6
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Quantification of Atmospheric Ammonia Concentrations: A Review of Its Measurement and Modeling. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11101092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia (NH3), the most prevalent alkaline gas in the atmosphere, plays a significant role in PM2.5 formation, atmospheric chemistry, and new particle formation. This paper reviews quantification of [NH3] through measurements, satellite-remote-sensing, and modeling reported in over 500 publications towards synthesizing the current knowledge of [NH3], focusing on spatiotemporal variations, controlling processes, and quantification issues. Most measurements are through regional passive sampler networks. [NH3] hotspots are typically over agricultural regions, such as the Midwest US and the North China Plain, with elevated concentrations reaching monthly averages of 20 and 74 ppbv, respectively. Topographical effects dramatically increase [NH3] over the Indo-Gangetic Plains, North India and San Joaquin Valley, US. Measurements are sparse over oceans, where [NH3] ≈ a few tens of pptv, variations of which can affect aerosol formation. Satellite remote-sensing (AIRS, CrIS, IASI, TANSO-FTS, TES) provides global [NH3] quantification in the column and at the surface since 2002. Modeling is crucial for improving understanding of NH3 chemistry and transport, its spatiotemporal variations, source apportionment, exploring physicochemical mechanisms, and predicting future scenarios. GEOS-Chem (global) and FRAME (UK) models are commonly applied for this. A synergistic approach of measurements↔satellite-inference↔modeling is needed towards improved understanding of atmospheric ammonia, which is of concern from the standpoint of human health and the ecosystem.
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7
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Leifer I, Melton C, Tratt DM, Buckland KN, Chang CS, Clarisse L, Franklin M, Hall JL, Brian Leen J, Lundquist T, Van Damme M, Vigil S, Whitburn S. Estimating exposure to hydrogen sulfide from animal husbandry operations using satellite ammonia as a proxy: Methodology demonstration. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 709:134508. [PMID: 31927425 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Husbandry trace gases that have climate change implications such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) can be quantified through remote sensing; however, many husbandry gases with health implications such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), cannot. This pilot study demonstrates an approach to derive H2S concentrations by coupling in situ and remote sensing data. Using AMOG (AutoMObile trace Gas) Surveyor, a mobile air quality and meteorology laboratory, we measured in situ concentrations of CH4, CO2, NH3, H2S, and wind at a southern California university research dairy. Emissions were 0.13, 1.93, 0.022 and 0.0064 Gg yr-1; emission factors (EF) were 422, 6333, 74, and 21 kg cow-1 yr-1, respectively, for the 306 head herd. Contributing to these strong EF were spillway emissions from a grate between the main cowshed and the waste lagoon identified in airborne remote sensing data acquired by the hyperspectral thermal infrared imager, Mako. NH3 emissions from the Chino Dairy Complex, also in southern California, were calculated from Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite data for 2008-2017 using average morning winds, yielding a flushing time of 2.7 h, and 8.9 Gg yr-1. The ratio of EF(H2S) to EF(NH3) for the research dairy from AMOG data were applied to IASI NH3 emissions to derive H2S exposure concentration maps for the Chino area, which ranged to 10-30 ppb H2S for many populated areas. Combining remote sensing with in situ concentrations of multiple emitted gases can allow derivation of emissions at the sub-facility, facility, and larger scales, providing spatial and temporal coverage that can translate into exposure estimates for use in epidemiology studies and regulation development. Furthermore, with high fidelity information at the sub-facility level we can identify best practices and opportunities to sustainably and holistically reduce husbandry emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira Leifer
- Bubbleology Research International (BRI), Solvang, CA 93463, USA.
| | | | - David M Tratt
- The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA 90245, USA
| | | | | | - Lieven Clarisse
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Meredith Franklin
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA 90033, USA
| | | | | | - Tryg Lundquist
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Martin Van Damme
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sam Vigil
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Simon Whitburn
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Service de Chimie Quantique et Photophysique, Brussels, Belgium
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8
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Atmospheric ammonia (NH 3) emanations from Lake Natron's saline mudflats. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4441. [PMID: 30872637 PMCID: PMC6418304 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39935-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In a recent global analysis of satellite-derived atmospheric NH3 data, a hotspot was observed in the vicinity of Lake Natron, Tanzania. The lake is in the centre of an endorheic (limited drainage) basin and has shallow, saline-alkaline waters. Its remote location and the absence of nearby large anthropogenic sources suggest that the observed NH3 is mainly of natural origin. Here we explore 10 years of IASI NH3 satellite data and other publicly available datasets over the area to characterize the natural NH3 emissions in this unique ecosystem. Temporal analysis reveals that the emissions are episodic and linked with the lake’s surface area. The largest NH3 column loadings generally occur at the end of the dry season in September–November over Lake Natron’s largest mudflat, that is exposed with receding water levels. The timing is different from the agricultural dominated NH3 emissions in the wider Natron area, which peak early in the year, after the first wet season. The likely source of NH3 at Lake Natron is decomposition of organic material, either from rivers and springs or produced in the lake (plankton, bird excreta). High temperatures and alkalinity are known to promote NH3 losses from soda lakes. We formulate six processes that may explain why the largest losses are observed specifically over concentrated brines and/or exposed sediments. As a by-product, we also show that hyperspectral infrared sounders such as IASI are capable of mapping different types of evaporative minerals such as trona and thermonatrite.
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9
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Industrial and agricultural ammonia point sources exposed. Nature 2018; 564:99-103. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0747-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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10
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A molecular perspective for global modeling of upper atmospheric NH 3 from freezing clouds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:6147-6152. [PMID: 29848636 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1719949115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ammonia plays a key role in the neutralization of atmospheric acids such as sulfate and nitrates. A few in situ observations have supported the theory that gas-phase NH3 concentrations should decrease sharply with altitude and be extremely low in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). This theory, however, seems inconsistent with recent satellite measurements and is also not supported by the aircraft data showing highly or fully neutralized sulfate aerosol particles by ammonium in the UTLS in many parts of the world. Here we reveal the contributions of deep convective clouds to NH3 in the UTLS by using integrated cross-scale modeling, which includes molecular dynamic simulations, a global chemistry transport model, and satellite and aircraft measurements. We show that the NH3 dissolved in liquid cloud droplets is prone to being released into the UTLS upon freezing during deep convection. Because NH3 emission is not regulated in most countries and its future increase is likely persistent from agricultural growth and the warmer climate, the effect of NH3 on composition and phase of aerosol particles in the UTLS can be significant, which in turn can affect cirrus cloud formation, radiation, and the budgets of NOx and O3.
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Leifer I, Melton C, Tratt DM, Buckland KN, Clarisse L, Coheur P, Frash J, Gupta M, Johnson PD, Leen JB, Van Damme M, Whitburn S, Yurganov L. Remote sensing and in situ measurements of methane and ammonia emissions from a megacity dairy complex: Chino, CA. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 221:37-51. [PMID: 27993424 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.09.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) directly and indirectly affect the atmospheric radiative balance with the latter leading to aerosol generation. Both have important spectral features in the Thermal InfraRed (TIR) that can be studied by remote sensing, with NH3 allowing discrimination of husbandry from other CH4 sources. Airborne hyperspectral imagery was collected for the Chino Dairy Complex in the Los Angeles Basin as well as in situ CH4, carbon dioxide (CO2) and NH3 data. TIR data showed good spatial agreement with in situ measurements and showed significant emissions heterogeneity between dairies. Airborne remote sensing mapped plume transport for ∼20 km downwind, documenting topographic effects on plume advection. Repeated multiple gas in situ measurements showed that emissions were persistent on half-year timescales. Inversion of one dairy plume found annual emissions of 4.1 × 105 kg CH4, 2.2 × 105 kg NH3, and 2.3 × 107 kg CO2, suggesting 2300, 4000, and 2100 head of cattle, respectively, and Chino Dairy Complex emissions of 42 Gg CH4 and 8.4 Gg NH3 implying ∼200k cows, ∼30% more than Peischl et al. (2013) estimated for June 2010. Far-field data showed chemical conversion and/or deposition of Chino NH3 occurs within the confines of the Los Angeles Basin on a four to six h timescale, faster than most published rates, and likely from higher Los Angeles oxidant loads. Satellite observations from 2011 to 2014 confirmed that observed in situ transport patterns were representative and suggests much of the Chino Dairy Complex emissions are driven towards eastern Orange County, with a lesser amount transported to Palm Springs, CA. Given interest in mitigating husbandry health impacts from air pollution emissions, this study highlights how satellite observations can be leveraged to understand exposure and how multiple gas in situ emissions studies can inform on best practices given that emissions reduction of one gas could increase those of others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira Leifer
- Bubbleology Research International (BRI), Solvang, CA 93463, United States.
| | - Christopher Melton
- Bubbleology Research International (BRI), Solvang, CA 93463, United States
| | - David M Tratt
- The Aerospace Corporation, 2310 E. El Segundo Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245, United States
| | - Kerry N Buckland
- The Aerospace Corporation, 2310 E. El Segundo Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245, United States
| | | | - Pierre Coheur
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jason Frash
- Bubbleology Research International (BRI), Solvang, CA 93463, United States
| | - Manish Gupta
- ABB, 3055 Orchard Drive, San Jose, CA 95134, United States
| | - Patrick D Johnson
- The Aerospace Corporation, 2310 E. El Segundo Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245, United States
| | - J Brian Leen
- ABB, 3055 Orchard Drive, San Jose, CA 95134, United States
| | | | | | - Leonid Yurganov
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, MD 21250, United States
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12
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Hayden CJ, Beman JM. High abundances of potentially active ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea in oligotrophic, high-altitude lakes of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111560. [PMID: 25402442 PMCID: PMC4234299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrification plays a central role in the nitrogen cycle by determining the oxidation state of nitrogen and its subsequent bioavailability and cycling. However, relatively little is known about the underlying ecology of the microbial communities that carry out nitrification in freshwater ecosystems—and particularly within high-altitude oligotrophic lakes, where nitrogen is frequently a limiting nutrient. We quantified ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in 9 high-altitude lakes (2289–3160 m) in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, in relation to spatial and biogeochemical data. Based on their ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes, AOB and AOA were frequently detected. AOB were present in 88% of samples and were more abundant than AOA in all samples. Both groups showed >100 fold variation in abundance between different lakes, and were also variable through time within individual lakes. Nutrient concentrations (ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate) were generally low but also varied across and within lakes, suggestive of active internal nutrient cycling; AOB abundance was significantly correlated with phosphate (r2 = 0.32, p<0.1), whereas AOA abundance was inversely correlated with lake elevation (r2 = 0.43, p<0.05). We also measured low rates of ammonia oxidation—indicating that AOB, AOA, or both, may be biogeochemically active in these oligotrophic ecosystems. Our data indicate that dynamic populations of AOB and AOA are found in oligotrophic, high-altitude, freshwater lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Curtis J. Hayden
- Life and Environmental Sciences and Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - J. Michael Beman
- Life and Environmental Sciences and Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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