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Chemical Feedback From Decreasing Carbon Monoxide Emissions

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074987· OSTI ID:1479337

Understanding changes in the burden and growth rate of atmospheric methane (CH4) has been the focus of several recent studies but still lacks scientific consensus. Here we investigate the role of decreasing anthropogenic carbon monoxide (CO) emissions since 2002 on hydroxyl radical (OH) sinks and tropospheric CH4 loss. We quantify this impact by contrasting two model simulations for 2002–2013: (1) a Measurement of the Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) CO reanalysis and (2) a Control-Run without CO assimilation. These simulations are performed with the Community Atmosphere Model with Chemistry of the Community Earth System Model fully coupled chemistry climate model with prescribed CH4 surface concentrations. The assimilation of MOPITT observations constrains the global CO burden, which significantly decreased over this period by ~20%. We find that this decrease results to (a) increase in CO chemical production, (b) higher CH4 oxidation by OH, and (c) ~8% shorter CH4 lifetime. As a result, we elucidate this coupling by a surrogate mechanism for CO-OH-CH4 that is quantified from the full chemistry simulations.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1479337
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 44; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (16)

On the Causes and Consequences of Recent Trends in Atmospheric Methane journal August 2019
Variability in Atmospheric Methane From Fossil Fuel and Microbial Sources Over the Last Three Decades journal October 2018
Changes in Global Tropospheric OH Expected as a Result of Climate Change Over the Last Several Decades journal September 2018
Quantifying Emissions of CO and NO x Using Observations From MOPITT, OMI, TES, and OSIRIS journal January 2019
Source Contributions to Carbon Monoxide Concentrations During KORUS‐AQ Based on CAM‐chem Model Applications journal March 2019
Interpreting contemporary trends in atmospheric methane journal February 2019
A review of four decades of atmospheric trace gas measurements at Cape Point, South Africa journal May 2018
A review of four decades of atmospheric trace gas measurements at Cape Point, South Africa journal January 2018
Evaluating high-resolution forecasts of atmospheric CO and CO 2 from a global prediction system during KORUS-AQ field campaign journal January 2018
Monitoring global tropospheric OH concentrations using satellite observations of atmospheric methane journal January 2018
New constraints on biogenic emissions using satellite-based estimates of carbon monoxide fluxes journal January 2019
Satellite data reveal a common combustion emission pathway for major cities in China journal January 2019
Monitoring Global Tropospheric OH Concentrations using Satellite Observations of Atmospheric Methane posted_content May 2018
Radiance-based retrieval bias mitigation for the MOPITT instrument: the version 8 product journal January 2019
Radiance-based Retrieval Bias Mitigation for the MOPITT Instrument: The Version 8 Product posted_content March 2019
Global atmospheric carbon monoxide budget 2000–2017 inferred from multi-species atmospheric inversions journal January 2019

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