Atmospheric chemistry in the Arctic and subarctic - influence of natural fires, industrial emissions, and stratospheric inputs

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JD00622· OSTI ID:6918996

Wofsy, S C; Sachse, G W; Gregory, G L; Blake, D R; Bradshaw, J D; Sandholm, S T; Singh, H B; Barrick, J A; Harriss, R C; Talbot, R W ^[1]

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1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA (United States) California Univ., Irvine (United States) Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta (United States) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States) New Hampshire Univ., Durham (United States)

Layers with enhanced concentrations of trace gases intercepted by the NASA Electra aircraft over Alaska during the Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition (ABLE 3A) in July-August 1988 are discussed. Haze layers apparently associated with boreal fires were enriched in hydrocarbons and NO(y), with emission factors corresponding closely to laboratory data for smoldering combustion. It is argued that atmospheric composition was strongly modified by wildfires during several periods of the ABLE 3A mission. The associated enhancement of NO(y) was smaller than observed for most other combustion processes but was nonetheless significant in the context of very low background concentrations. Ozone production in fire plumes was negligible. Ambient O3 was supplied by the stratosphere, with little direct input from midlatitude source during summer. It is argued that NO(y) was supplied about equally by the stratosphere and by wildfires. Hydrocarbons and CO appear to derive from biomass fires and from human activities. 47 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6918996
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 97; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARCTIC REGIONS
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
FIRES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
STATIONARY POLLUTANT SOURCES
HYDROCARBONS
NASA
TUNDRA
CHEMISTRY
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
US ORGANIZATIONS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)