Sources and sinks of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide: Atmospheric candidates and their implications for global change
- Creative Research Enterprises, Pleasanton, CA (United States)
Nitrous oxide has important roles in regulating global changes, including climate warming, because it is not only a greenhouse gas but also the dominant source of the odd nitrogen radicals which catalytically destroy ozone. Currently, it is thought that microbiological activities in the ground and the oceans are the dominant sources of this gas. A variety of anthropogenic activities also produce the gas, but that production is relatively minor. Photodissociations and reactions with excited oxygen atoms in the stratosphere are thought to be the only sinks. Unfortunately, these sources are insufficient to balance the observed accumulation and the stratospheric sinks. New sources are needed. The observed enrichment of the heavier isotopes in this gas also call for new sources and sinks, particularly in the atmosphere itself. On the basis of several laboratory experiments it is quite possible that nitrous oxide may be produced in the troposphere by the reactions of excited ozone and nitrogen dioxide with N{sub 2}. Hydroxyl radical optically pumped to their excited A state is likely to be a new stratospheric source. Vibrationally highly excited O{sub 2} may be a new stratospheric sink. It is important to further study these sources and sinks. Otherwise one may run the risk of making wrong policy decisions regarding human activities that perturb the natural atmospheric loading of this gas. 70 refs., 2 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 182916
- Journal Information:
- World Resource Review, Vol. 7, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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