Impact of reactive nitrogen emissions from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning on atmospheric chemistry

Conference · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5469786

Dignon, J; Penner, J E; Atherton, C S; Walton, J J

The increasing desire for energy in our society has caused changes in our environment. One of the byproducts of energy consumption is the emission of nitrogen oxides from combustion processes. Nitrogen oxides play an important role in atmospheric chemistry on local, regional, and global scales. They are considered primary pollutants which can chemically react and contribute to photochemical smog. They are also precursors to the chemical formation of nitric acid (HNO{sub 3}). Nitric acid is a major contributor to acidic deposition, more commonly referred to as acid rain.'' Reactive nitrogen is also a major limiting nutrient in some soil and ocean ecosystems. NO{sub x} is also important because it interacts with other trace gases in the atmosphere. In this study, using a Lagrangian chemical-transport-deposition model adapted to the nitrogen cycle, we will look at all of the known sources, both natural and man-made. We will attempt to quantify the relative affect that man-made sources including fossil fuel and biomass burning have had on the nitrogen cycle and the chemistry of the atmosphere throughout the globe. 50 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5469786
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-108038; CONF-910809--2; ON: DE91017651
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOMASS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COMBUSTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NITROGEN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTANTS
POLLUTION
RAIN
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS