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30 - Nitrogen, Chemistry, and Climate

from Part VI - Terrestrial Forcings and Feedbacks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2015

Gordon Bonan
Gordon Bonan
Affiliation:
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
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Summary

Chapter Summary

The flows of reactive nitrogen (Nr) in the Earth system affect climate through several processes. Additional Nr increases the production of nitrous oxide (N2O). Deposition of Nr onto terrestrial ecosystems increases carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake and reduces methane (CH4) consumption by soils. Increases in N2O destroy stratospheric ozone (O3). The NOx and NH3 emitted to the atmosphere are short lived and have little or no direct radiative effects. However, they react in the atmosphere to produce aerosols, and NOx additionally forms tropospheric ozone and destroys CH4, all of which are key radiative forcings. High concentrations of tropospheric ozone additionally damage plants and reduce CO2 uptake. This chapter provides an overview of reactive nitrogen and its impact on climate. This includes the effect of nitrogen on terrestrial carbon storage, the direct radiative forcing from N2O emissions, and the chemistry of Nr in the atmosphere as its affects CH4, tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, and secondary aerosols. The chemistry of NOx in the presence of carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to form ozone and increase the oxidation capacity of the troposphere by producing the hydroxyl radical (OH), and thereby consuming CH4, is a key perturbation to tropospheric chemistry. While these processes affect climate, the net effect of anthropogenic Nr on climate is uncertain.

The Nitrogen Cascade

The amount of reactive nitrogen cycling in the Earth system has increased since the preindustrial era due to anthropogenic activities. Reactive nitrogen (Nr) is all nitrogen compounds except N2. This includes the gases ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2); the inorganic ions, nitrite, and nitrate and organic compounds. The compound NHx is the general expression for reduced nitrogen The compound NOx is the general expression for the nitrogen oxides. The compound NOy represents all oxidized nitrogen including NOx, nitric acid (HNO3), organic nitrates, and other compounds. Nitric acid is an oxidation product of NO2 in the atmosphere.

Type
Chapter
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Ecological Climatology
Concepts and Applications
 , pp. 594 - 605
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2015

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  • Nitrogen, Chemistry, and Climate
  • Gordon Bonan, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
  • Book: Ecological Climatology
  • Online publication: 05 November 2015
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107339200.031
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  • Nitrogen, Chemistry, and Climate
  • Gordon Bonan, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
  • Book: Ecological Climatology
  • Online publication: 05 November 2015
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107339200.031
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

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  • Nitrogen, Chemistry, and Climate
  • Gordon Bonan, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
  • Book: Ecological Climatology
  • Online publication: 05 November 2015
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107339200.031
Available formats
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