scholarly journals Convergent Estimates of Biomass Burning-Derived Atmospheric Ammonia in Peninsular Southeast Asia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunhua Chang ◽  
Yan-Lin Zhang ◽  
Sawaeng Kawichai ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Martin Van Damme ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Tropical Monsoon ◽  
Rural Sites

Abstract. Ammonia (NH3) is an important agent involved in atmospheric chemistry and nitrogen cycling. Current estimates of NH3 emissions from biomass burning (BB) differ by more than a factor of two, impeding a reliable assessment of their environmental consequences. Combining high-resolution satellite observations of NH3 columns with network measurements of the concentration and stable nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) of NH3, we present coherent estimates on the amount of NH3 derived from BB in the heartland of Southeast Asia, a tropical monsoon environment. Our results reveal a strong variability of atmospheric NH3 levels in time and space across different landscapes. All evidence in hand suggests that anthropogenic activities are the most important modulating control with regards to the observed patterns of NH3 distribution in the study area. N-isotope balance considerations revealed that during the intensive fire period, the atmospheric input from BB accounts for not more than 21 ± 5 % (1σ) of the ambient NH3, even at the rural sites and in the proximity of burning areas. Our N-isotope based assessment of the variation of the relative contribution of BB-derived NH3 is further validated independently through the measurements of particulate K+, a chemical tracer of BB. Our findings underscore that BB-induced NH3 emissions in the tropical monsoon environments can be much lower than previously anticipated, with important implications for future modeling studies to better constrain the climate and air quality effects of wildfires.

scholarly journals Convergent evidence for the pervasive but limited contribution of biomass burning to atmospheric ammonia in peninsular Southeast Asia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 7187-7198
Author(s):  
Yunhua Chang ◽  
Yan-Lin Zhang ◽  
Sawaeng Kawichai ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Martin Van Damme ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Tropical Monsoon ◽  
Rural Sites

Abstract. Ammonia (NH3) is an important agent involved in atmospheric chemistry and nitrogen cycling. Current estimates of NH3 emissions from biomass burning (BB) differ by more than a factor of 2, impeding a reliable assessment of their environmental consequences. Combining high-resolution satellite observations of NH3 columns with network measurements of the concentration and stable nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) of NH3, we present coherent estimates of the amount of NH3 derived from BB in the heartland of Southeast Asia, a tropical monsoon environment. Our results reveal a strong variability in atmospheric NH3 levels in time and space across different landscapes. All of the evidence on hand suggests that anthropogenic activities are the most important modulating control with respect to the observed patterns of NH3 distribution in the study area. N-isotope balance considerations revealed that during the intensive fire period, the atmospheric input from BB accounts for no more than 21±5 % (1σ) of the ambient NH3, even at the rural sites and in the proximity of burning areas. Our N-isotope-based assessment of the variation in the relative contribution of BB-derived NH3 is further validated independently through the measurements of particulate K+, a chemical tracer of BB. Our findings underscore that BB-induced NH3 emissions in tropical monsoon environments can be much lower than previously anticipated, with important implications for future modeling studies to better constrain the climate and air quality effects of wildfires.

Characterizing two distinct biomass burning regimes over Southeast Asia and their impacts on regional air quality

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Marvin ◽  
Paul Palmer ◽  
Fei Yao ◽  
Barry Latter ◽  
Richard Siddans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Agricultural Waste ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Regional Air Quality

<p>Mainland and maritime Southeast Asia is home to more than 655 million people, representing nearly 10% of the global population. The dry season in this region is typically associated with intense biomass burning activity, which leads to a significant increase in surface air pollutants that are harmful to human health, including ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) and fine (radii smaller than 2.5 microns) particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>). Latitude-based differences in dry season timing and land use distinguish two regional biomass burning regimes: (1) agricultural waste burning on the peninsular mainland from February through April and (2) coastal peat burning across the equatorial islands in September and October. The type and amount of material burned determines the chemical composition of emissions and subsequently their impact on regional air quality. Understanding the individual and collective roles of these biomass burning regimes is a crucial step towards developing effective air quality mitigation strategies for Southeast Asia. Here, we use the nested GEOS-Chem atmospheric chemistry transport model (horizontal resolution of 0.25° x 0.3125°) to simulate fire-atmosphere interactions over Southeast Asia during March and September of 2014, when emissions peak from the two regional burning seasons. Based on our analysis of model output, we report how these two distinct biomass burning regimes impact the photochemical environment over Southeast Asia and what the resulting consequences are for surface air quality. We will also present a critical evaluation of our model using ground-based and satellite observations of atmospheric composition across the region.</p>

scholarly journals Photochemical environment over Southeast Asia primed for hazardous ozone levels with influx of nitrogen oxides from seasonal biomass burning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret R. Marvin ◽  
Paul I. Palmer ◽  
Barry G. Latter ◽  
Richard Siddans ◽  
Brian J. Kerridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Oxides ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Ozone Exposure ◽  
Ozone Production ◽  
Ozone Levels

Abstract. Mainland and maritime Southeast Asia are home to more than 655 million people, representing nearly 10 % of the global population. The dry season in this region is typically associated with intense biomass burning activity, which leads to a significant increase in surface air pollutants that are harmful to human health, including ozone (O3). Latitude-based differences in dry season and land use distinguish two regional biomass burning regimes: (1) burning on the peninsular mainland peaking in March and (2) burning across Indonesia peaking in September. The type and amount of material burned in each regime impacts the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which combine to produce ozone. Here, we use the nested GEOS-Chem atmospheric chemistry transport model (horizontal resolution of 0.25° × 0.3125°), in combination with satellite observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground-based observations from Malaysia, to investigate ozone photochemistry over Southeast Asia in 2014. Seasonal cycles of tropospheric ozone columns from OMI and GEOS-Chem peak with biomass burning emissions. Compared to OMI, the model has a mean annual bias of −11 % but tends to overestimate tropospheric ozone near areas of seasonal fire activity. We find that outside of these burning areas, the underlying photochemical environment is generally NOx-limited, dominated by anthropogenic NOx and biogenic non-methane VOC emissions. Pyrogenic emissions of NOx play a key role in photochemistry, shifting towards more VOC-limited ozone production and contributing about 30 % of the regional ozone formation potential during both biomass burning seasons. Using the GEOS-Chem model, we find that biomass burning activity coincides with widespread ozone exposure at levels that exceed world public health guidelines, resulting in 272 premature deaths on mainland Southeast Asia in March of 2014 and another 273 deaths across Indonesia in September. Despite a positive model bias, hazardous ozone levels are confirmed by surface observations during both burning seasons.

scholarly journals Photochemical environment over Southeast Asia primed for hazardous ozone levels with influx of nitrogen oxides from seasonal biomass burning

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 1917-1935
Author(s):  
Margaret R. Marvin ◽  
Paul I. Palmer ◽  
Barry G. Latter ◽  
Richard Siddans ◽  
Brian J. Kerridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Oxides ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Ozone Exposure ◽  
Ozone Production ◽  
Ozone Levels

Abstract. Mainland and maritime Southeast Asia is home to more than 655 million people, representing nearly 10 % of the global population. The dry season in this region is typically associated with intense biomass burning activity, which leads to a significant increase in surface air pollutants that are harmful to human health, including ozone (O3). Latitude-based differences in the dry season and land use distinguish two regional biomass burning regimes: (1) burning on the peninsular mainland peaking in March and (2) burning across Indonesia peaking in September. The type and amount of material burned in each regime impact the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which combine to produce ozone. Here, we use the nested GEOS-Chem atmospheric chemistry transport model (horizontal resolution of 0.25∘ × 0.3125∘), in combination with satellite observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground-based observations from Malaysia, to investigate ozone photochemistry over Southeast Asia in 2014. Seasonal cycles of tropospheric ozone columns from OMI and GEOS-Chem peak with biomass burning emissions. Compared to OMI, the model has a mean annual bias of −11 % but tends to overestimate tropospheric ozone near areas of seasonal fire activity. We find that outside these burning areas, the underlying photochemical environment is generally NOx-limited and dominated by anthropogenic NOx and biogenic non-methane VOC emissions. Pyrogenic emissions of NOx play a key role in photochemistry, shifting towards more VOC-limited ozone production and contributing about 30 % of the regional ozone formation potential during both biomass burning seasons. Using the GEOS-Chem model, we find that biomass burning activity coincides with widespread ozone exposure at levels that exceed world public health guidelines, resulting in about 260 premature deaths across Southeast Asia in March 2014 and another 160 deaths in September. Despite a positive model bias, hazardous ozone levels are confirmed by surface observations during both burning seasons.

scholarly journals Fishing intensification as response to Late Holocene socio-ecological instability in southeastern South America

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Toso ◽  
Ellen Hallingstad ◽  
Krista McGrath ◽  
Thiago Fossile ◽  
Christine Conlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Isotopic Baseline ◽  
Isotope Mixing Models ◽  
Social Units ◽  
Middle And Late Holocene

AbstractThe emergence of plant-based economies have dominated evolutionary models of Middle and Late Holocene pre-Columbian societies in South America. Comparatively, the use of aquatic resources and the circumstances for intensifying their exploitation have received little attention. Here we reviewed the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of 390 human individuals from Middle and Late Holocene coastal sambaquis, a long-lasting shell mound culture that flourished for nearly 7000 years along the Atlantic Forest coast of Brazil. Using a newly generated faunal isotopic baseline and Bayesian Isotope Mixing Models we quantified the relative contribution of marine resources to the diet of some of these groups. Through the analysis of more than 400 radiocarbon dates we show that fishing sustained large and resilient populations during most of the Late Holocene. A sharp decline was observed in the frequency of sambaqui sites and radiocarbon dates from ca. 2200 years ago, possibly reflecting the dissolution of several nucleated groups into smaller social units, coinciding with substantial changes in coastal environments. The spread of ceramics from ca. 1200 years ago is marked by innovation and intensification of fishing practices, in a context of increasing social and ecological instability in the Late Holocene.

scholarly journals Fishing intensification as response to Late Holocene socio-ecological instability in southeastern South America

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Toso ◽  
Ellen Hallingstad ◽  
Krista McGrath ◽  
Thiago Fossile ◽  
Christine Conlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Late Holocene ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Isotopic Baseline ◽  
Isotope Mixing Models ◽  
Social Units ◽  
Middle And Late Holocene

Abstract The emergence of plant-based economies have dominated evolutionary models of Middle and Late Holocene pre-Columbian societies. Comparatively, the use of aquatic resources and the circumstances for intensifying their exploitation, have received little attention. Here we reviewed the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of 390 human individuals from Middle and Late Holocene coastal sambaquis, a long-lasting shell mound culture that flourished for nearly 7000 years along the Atlantic Forest coast of Brazil. Using a newly generated faunal isotopic baseline and Bayesian Isotope Mixing Models we quantified the relative contribution of marine resources to the diet of some of these groups. Through the analysis of more than 400 radiocarbon dates we show that fishing sustained large and resilient populations during most of the Late Holocene. A sharp decline was observed in the chronology of non-ceramic sites from ca. 2200 years ago, possibly reflecting the dissolution of several nucleated groups into smaller social units, coinciding with substantial changes in coastal environments. The adoption of ceramics from ca. 1200 years ago is marked by innovation and intensification of fishing practices, in a context of increasing social and ecological instability in the Late Holocene.

Stable nitrogen isotope composition of NOx of biomass burning in China

2021 ◽  
pp. 149857
Author(s):  
Yasheng Shi ◽  
Ping Tian ◽  
Zanfang Jin ◽  
Yuming Hu ◽  
Yongqi Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Stable Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope Composition

Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Composition of the Wood of Pinus sylvestris, Betula pendula and Populus tremula

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 819-824
Author(s):  
P. Yu. Voronin ◽  
V. A. Mukhin ◽  
T. A. Velivetskaya ◽  
A. V. Ignatiev ◽  
Vl. V. Kuznetsov
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Sylvestris ◽  
Betula Pendula ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Populus Tremula ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope Composition

scholarly journals Nitrogen isotope effects can be used to diagnose N transformations in wastewater anammox systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Magyar ◽  
Damian Hausherr ◽  
Robert Niederdorfer ◽  
Nicolas Stöcklin ◽  
Jing Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Isotope Effect ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Isotope Effects ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Anammox Bacteria ◽  
Ammonium Oxidation ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
N Transformations ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Inverse Isotope Effect

AbstractAnaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) plays an important role in aquatic systems as a sink of bioavailable nitrogen (N), and in engineered processes by removing ammonium from wastewater. The isotope effects anammox imparts in the N isotope signatures (15N/14N) of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate can be used to estimate its role in environmental settings, to describe physiological and ecological variations in the anammox process, and possibly to optimize anammox-based wastewater treatment. We measured the stable N-isotope composition of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate in wastewater cultivations of anammox bacteria. We find that the N isotope enrichment factor 15ε for the reduction of nitrite to N2 is consistent across all experimental conditions (13.5‰ ± 3.7‰), suggesting it reflects the composition of the anammox bacteria community. Values of 15ε for the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate (inverse isotope effect, − 16 to − 43‰) and for the reduction of ammonium to N2 (normal isotope effect, 19–32‰) are more variable, and likely controlled by experimental conditions. We argue that the variations in the isotope effects can be tied to the metabolism and physiology of anammox bacteria, and that the broad range of isotope effects observed for anammox introduces complications for analyzing N-isotope mass balances in natural systems.

Bone nitrogen isotope composition and climate

Nature ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 325 (6101) ◽  
pp. 201-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
STANLEY H. AMBROSE ◽  
MICHAEL J. DENIRO
Keyword(s):  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope Composition
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