Photochemistry in biomass burning plumes and implications for tropospheric ozone over the tropical South Atlantic

Mauzerall, DL; Logan, JA; Jacob, DJ; Anderson, BE; Blake, DR; Bradshaw, JD; Heikes, B; Sachse, GW; Singh, H; Talbot, B

HERO ID

1508905

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

1998

HERO ID 1508905
In Press No
Year 1998
Title Photochemistry in biomass burning plumes and implications for tropospheric ozone over the tropical South Atlantic
Authors Mauzerall, DL; Logan, JA; Jacob, DJ; Anderson, BE; Blake, DR; Bradshaw, JD; Heikes, B; Sachse, GW; Singh, H; Talbot, B
Journal Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume 103
Issue D7
Page Numbers 8401
Abstract Photochemistry occuring in biomass burning plumes over the tropical south Atlantic is analyzed using data collected during the Transport and Atmospheric Chemistry Near the Equator-Atlantic aircraft expedition conducted during the tropical dry season in September 1992 and a photochemical point model. Enhancement ratios (Delta Y/Delta X, where Delta indicates the enhancement of a compound in the plume above the local background mixing ratio, Y are individual hydrocarbons, CO, O-3, N2O, HNO3, peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), CH2O, acetone, H2O2, CH3OOH, HCOOH, CH3COOH or aerosols and X is CO or CO2) are reported as a function of plume age inferred from the progression of Delta non-methane hydrocarbons/Delta CO enhancement ratios. Emission, formation, and loss of species in plumes can be diagnosed from progression of enhancement ratios from fresh to old plumes. O-3 is produced in plumes over at least a 1 week period with mean Delta O-3/Delta CO = 0.7 in old plumes. However, enhancement ratios in plumes can be influenced by changing background mixing ratios and by photochemical loss of CO. We estimate a downward correction of similar to 20% in enhancement ratios in old plumes relative to Delta CO to correct for CO loss. In a case study of a large persistent biomass burning plume at 4 -km we found elevated concentrations of PAN in the fresh plume. The degradation of PAN helped maintain NOx mixing ratios in the plume where, over the course of a week, PAN was converted to HNO3. Ozone production in the plume was limited by the availability of NOx, and because of the short lifetime of O-3 at 4 -km, net ozone production in the plume was negligible. Within the region, the majority of O-3 production takes place in air above median CO concentration, indicating that most O-3 production occurs in plumes. Scaling up from the mean observed Delta O-3/Delta CO in old plumes, we estimate a minimum regional O-3 production of 17 x 10(10) molecules O-3 cm(-2)s(-1). This O-3 production rate is sufficient to fully explain the observed enhancement in tropospheric 03 over the tropical South Atlantic during the dry season.
Doi 10.1029/97JD02612
Wosid WOS:000073172100016
Url http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1998/97JD02612.shtml
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Comments Source: Web of Science WOS:000073172100016 Journal:JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES 2169-897X
Is Public Yes