Coupled chemistry/climate issues
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States). Global Climate Research Div.
- Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States)
Driven by both natural and anthropogenic causes, the distributions of trace chemical species in the atmosphere has altered the natural state of the chemical distribution and, the authors believe, the climate system. A clear example of this change and its effect on climate is through tropospheric ozone. Evidence shows that over the last decade tropospheric ozone has increased, probably caused by increasing concentrations and emissions of CH{sub 4}, CO, NO{sub x}, and NMHCs (nonmethane hydrocarbons). Tropospheric ozone is photochemically produced when nitrogen oxides react in the presence of carbon monoxide, methane, non-methane hydrocarbons and sunlight. The chemistry of ozone and NO{sub x} is also closely associated with the hydroxyl radical (OH), which governs the atmospheric lifetime of a number of species, including CH{sub 4} and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are major greenhouse gases and which affect the chemical balance of the stratosphere. Increases in the concentrations of CO and CH{sub 4} can lead to decreased concentrations of OH and a positive feedback on the atmospheric lifetimes of CO and methane. The same would occur for other greenhouse gases and for some of the important reactions which form aerosols in the troposphere. This would further enhance the concentrations of the gases and accelerate the radiative effects from these greenhouse species, strongly affecting climate and the accurate prediction of climate. It is believed that warmer climates will also increase the amount of water in the atmosphere, thereby providing another chemistry feedback on OH.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 10117957
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-118434; ON: DE95006443; TRN: AHC29508%%123
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Sep 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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