Journal
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
Volume 31, Issue 6, Pages -Publisher
AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION
DOI: 10.1029/2003GL019229
Keywords
-
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Production of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) by lightning (LtNO(x)) is the most uncertain among the global NOx sources, with recent estimates ranging from about 1 20 Tg(N)/yr. Previous studies of LtNO(x) have focused mainly on its role in the tropospheric NOy (reactive nitrogen) and O-3 budgets. We show that the global mean OH concentration is also very sensitive to LtNO(x). Furthermore, despite the fact that the largest changes in NOx due to lightning are in the upper troposphere, where reactions with OH are generally slower, we find that the sensitivity of the mean tropospheric lifetime of methane (CH4) and methylchloroform (CH3CCl3) to assumptions about LtNO(x) are as large as the sensitivity of the tropospheric O-3 burden. Thus, an improved understanding of LtNO(x) will be important for our ability to accurately simulate the tropospheric oxidizing efficiency and its changes over time.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available