Major Regional-Scale Production of O-3 and Secondary Organic Aerosol in Remote Amazon Regions from the Dynamics and Photochemistry of Urban and Forest Emissions

The Amazon rainforest suffers increasing pressure from anthropogenic activities. A key aspect not fully understood is how anthropogenic atmospheric emissions within the basin interact with biogenic emissions and impact the forest's atmosphere and biosphere. We combine a high-resolution atmospheric chemical transport model with an improved emissions inventory and in-situ measurements to investigate a surprisingly high concentration of ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) 150-200 km downwind of Manaus city in an otherwise pristine forested region. We show that atmospheric dynamics and photochemistry determine a gross production of secondary pollutants seen in the simulation. After sunrise, the erosion of the nocturnal boundary layer mixes natural forest emissions, rich in biogenic volatile organic compounds, with a lofted pollution layer transported overnight, rich in nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde. As a result, O3 and SOA concentrations greater than similar to 47 ppbv and 1.8 mu g m-3, respectively, were found, with maximum concentrations occurring at 2 pm LT, 150-200 km downwind of Manaus city. These high concentrations affect a large primary forested area of about 11,250 km2. These oxidative areas are under a NOx-limited regime so that changes in NOx emissions from Manaus have a significant impact on O3 and SOA production.

Automated summary

In the Amazon rainforest, anthropogenic atmospheric emissions interact with biogenic emissions and result in high concentrations of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. These high concentrations affect a large primary forested area and atmospheric dynamics and photochemistry play a key role in their production.