Analysis of sources and sinks of atmospheric nitrous oxide (N sub 2 O)

Journal Article · Wed Dec 20 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JD094iD15p18265· OSTI ID:6984867

Cicerone, R J ^[1]

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1. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado (US)

There are major unanswered questions about the sources of atmospheric nitrous oxide. Recent assessments of N{sub 2}O sources are diverging rather than converging. Here I use a simple model to place constraints on the relative sizes of N{sub 2}O sources in the northern and southern hemispheres (NH and SH). Using measurements of the rate of temporal increase of atmospheric nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) concentrations and observations of their cross-equator differences, I calculate the total sources of N{sub 2}O for the (NH and SH). The NH source {Phi}{sub {ital N}} must exceed the SH source {Phi}{sub {ital S}}; their ratio {ital R}(={Phi}{sub {ital N}}/{Phi}{sub {ital S}}) is between 1.7 and 2.4 for the case where the NH concentration is 1 ppb higher than that in the SH. When the NH concentration is 0.75 ppb higher. {ital R} is between 1.5 and 1.9. These values of {ital R} increase by about 50% when more rapid loss to the NH stratosphere is introduced. Slightly wider ranges of {ital R} are calculated for certain choices of parameters. For these calculations I have used a two-box model which permits an array of assumptions to be tested; a range of values is employed for interhemispheric exchange times and for removal times due to stratospheric destruction of N{sub 2}O. In addition to the common case of no uptake of atmospheric N{sub 2}O by soils, I have tested the model sensitivity to two hypothesized nonzero soil sinks. Relatively small soil sinks would decrease the atmospheric residence time of N{sub 2}O to values below those that are calculated from stratospheric removal alone. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989

• OSTI ID: 6984867
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Vol. 94:D15; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
NITROUS OXIDE
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
NITRIC OXIDE
OZONE LAYER
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
POLLUTION SOURCES
SOILS
STRATOSPHERE
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
LAYERS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)