scholarly journals Microbiology and atmospheric processes: an upcoming era of research on bio-meteorology

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Morris ◽  
D. C. Sands ◽  
M. Bardin ◽  
R. Jaenicke ◽  
B. Vogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Atmospheric Processes ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽  
Important Challenge ◽  
Micro Organisms

Abstract. For the past 200 years, the field of aerobiology has explored the abundance, diversity, survival and transport of micro-organisms in the atmosphere. Micro-organisms have been explored as passive and severely stressed riders of atmospheric transport systems. Recently, an interest in the active roles of these micro-organisms has emerged along with proposals that the atmosphere is a global biome for microbial metabolic activity and perhaps even multiplication. As part of a series of papers on the sources, distribution and roles in atmospheric processes of biological particles in the atmosphere, here we describe the pertinence of questions relating to the potential roles that air-borne micro-organisms might play in meteorological phenomena. For the upcoming era of research on the role of air-borne micro-organisms in meteorological phenomena, one important challenge is to go beyond descriptions of abundance of micro-organisms in the atmosphere toward an understanding of their dynamics in terms of both biological and physico-chemical properties and of the relevant transport processes at different scales. Another challenge is to develop this understanding under contexts pertinent to their potential role in processes related to atmospheric chemistry, the formation of clouds, precipitation and radiative forcing. This will require truly interdisciplinary approaches involving collaborators from the biological and physical sciences, from disciplines as disparate as agronomy, microbial genetics and atmosphere physics, for example.

scholarly journals Microbiology and atmospheric processes: research challenges concerning the impact of airborne micro-organisms on the atmosphere and climate

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Morris ◽  
D. C. Sands ◽  
M. Bardin ◽  
R. Jaenicke ◽  
B. Vogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Atmospheric Processes ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approaches ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. For the past 200 years, the field of aerobiology has explored the abundance, diversity, survival and transport of micro-organisms in the atmosphere. Micro-organisms have been explored as passive and severely stressed riders of atmospheric transport systems. Recently, an interest in the active roles of these micro-organisms has emerged along with proposals that the atmosphere is a global biome for microbial metabolic activity and perhaps even multiplication. As part of a series of papers on the sources, distribution and roles in atmospheric processes of biological particles in the atmosphere, here we describe the pertinence of questions relating to the potential roles that air-borne micro-organisms might play in meteorological phenomena. For the upcoming era of research on the role of air-borne micro-organisms in meteorological phenomena, one important challenge is to go beyond descriptions of abundance of micro-organisms in the atmosphere toward an understanding of their dynamics in terms of both biological and physico-chemical properties and of the relevant transport processes at different scales. Another challenge is to develop this understanding under contexts pertinent to their potential role in processes related to atmospheric chemistry, the formation of clouds, precipitation and radiative forcing. This will require truly interdisciplinary approaches involving collaborators from the biological and physical sciences, from disciplines as disparate as agronomy, microbial genetics and atmosphere physics, for example.

scholarly journals Microbiology and atmospheric processes: chemical interactions of primary biological aerosols

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 1073-1084 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Deguillaume ◽  
M. Leriche ◽  
P. Amato ◽  
P. A. Ariya ◽  
A.-M. Delort ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Activity ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Chemical Constituents ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Chemical Interactions ◽  
Biological Aerosols ◽  
Micro Organisms

Abstract. This paper discusses the influence of primary biological aerosols (PBA) on atmospheric chemistry and vice versa through microbiological and chemical properties and processes. Several studies have shown that PBA represent a significant fraction of air particulate matter and hence affect the microstructure and water uptake of aerosol particles. Moreover, airborne micro-organisms, namely fungal spores and bacteria, can transform chemical constituents of the atmosphere by metabolic activity. Recent studies have emphasized the viability of bacteria and metabolic degradation of organic substances in cloud water. On the other hand, the viability and metabolic activity of airborne micro-organisms depend strongly on physical and chemical atmospheric parameters such as temperature, pressure, radiation, pH value and nutrient concentrations. In spite of recent advances, however, our knowledge of the microbiological and chemical interactions of PBA in the atmosphere is rather limited. Further targeted investigations combining laboratory experiments, field measurements, and modelling studies will be required to characterize the chemical feedbacks, microbiological activities at the air/snow/water interface supplied to the atmosphere.

scholarly journals Comparison of CMAM simulations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) with observations from Odin/SMR, ACE-FTS, and Aura/MLS

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 3233-3252 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Jin ◽  
K. Semeniuk ◽  
S. R. Beagley ◽  
V. I. Fomichev ◽  
A. I. Jonsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Negative Bias ◽  
Quasi Biennial Oscillation ◽  
The Difference

Abstract. Simulations of CO, N2O and CH4 from a coupled chemistry-climate model (CMAM) are compared with satellite measurements from Odin Sub-Millimeter Radiometer (Odin/SMR), Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS), and Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura/MLS). Pressure-latitude cross-sections and seasonal time series demonstrate that CMAM reproduces the observed global CO, N2O, and CH4 distributions quite well. Generally, excellent agreement with measurements is found between CO simulations and observations in the stratosphere and mesosphere. Differences between the simulations and the ACE-FTS observations are generally within 30%, and the differences between CMAM results and SMR and MLS observations are slightly larger. These differences are comparable with the difference between the instruments in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. Comparisons of N2O show that CMAM results are usually within 15% of the measurements in the lower and middle stratosphere, and the observations are close to each other. However, the standard version of CMAM has a low N2O bias in the upper stratosphere. The CMAM CH4 distribution also reproduces the observations in the lower stratosphere, but has a similar but smaller negative bias in the upper stratosphere. The negative bias may be due to that the gravity drag is not fully resolved in the model. The simulated polar CO evolution in the Arctic and Antarctic agrees with the ACE and MLS observations. CO measurements from 2006 show evidence of enhanced descent of air from the mesosphere into the stratosphere in the Arctic after strong stratospheric sudden warmings (SSWs). CMAM also shows strong descent of air after SSWs. In the tropics, CMAM captures the annual oscillation in the lower stratosphere and the semiannual oscillations at the stratopause and mesopause seen in Aura/MLS CO and N2O observations and in Odin/SMR N2O observations. The Odin/SMR and Aura/MLS N2O observations also show a quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in the upper stratosphere, whereas, the CMAM does not have QBO included. This study confirms that CMAM is able to simulate middle atmospheric transport processes reasonably well.

scholarly journals COSMOGENIC 14CO FOR ASSESSING THE OH-BASED SELF-CLEANING CAPACITY OF THE TROPOSPERE

Radiocarbon ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Carl A M Brenninkmeijer ◽  
Sergey S Gromov ◽  
Patrick Jöckel
Keyword(s):  
Point Source ◽  
Hydroxyl Radicals ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Unique Application

ABSTRACT An application of radiocarbon (14C) in atmospheric chemistry is reviewed. 14C produced by cosmic neutrons immediately forms 14CO, which reacts with hydroxyl radicals (OH) to 14CO2. By this the distribution and seasonality (the lifetime of 14CO is ∼1 month) of the pivotal atmospheric oxidant OH can be established. 14CO measurement is a complex but unique application which benefitted enormously from the realization of AMS, bearing in mind that 14CO abundance is of the order of merely 10 molecules per cm3 not only provides 14CO an independent measure for the OH based self-cleansing capacity of the troposphere, but also enabled detection of 14C production due to high energy solar protons in 1989. Although its production takes place throughout the atmosphere and does not have the character of a point source, transport processes in the atmosphere affect the distribution of 14CO. Vertical mixing in the troposphere renders gradients in its production rate less critical, but considerable meridional gradients exist. One question has remained open, namely confirmation of calculated 14C production by direct measurement. A new sampling method is proposed. The conclusions are a guide to future work on 14CO in relation to OH and atmospheric transport.

scholarly journals Comparison of CMAM simulations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) with observations from Odin/SMR, ACE-FTS, and Aura/MLS

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 13063-13123 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Jin ◽  
K. Semeniuk ◽  
S. R. Beagley ◽  
V. I. Fomichev ◽  
A. I. Jonsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Excellent Agreement ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Lower Stratosphere ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Wave Drag ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Vertical Diffusion ◽  
The Difference

Abstract. Simulations of CO, N2O and CH4 from a coupled chemistry-climate model (CMAM) are compared with satellite measurements from Odin Sub-Millimeter Radiometer (Odin/SMR), Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS), and Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (Aura/MLS). Pressure-latitude cross-sections and seasonal time series demonstrate that CMAM reproduces the observed global distributions and the polar winter time evolutions of the CO, N2O, and CH4 measurements quite well. Generally, excellent agreement with measurements is found in CO monthly zonal mean profiles in the stratosphere and mesosphere for various latitudes and seasons. The difference between the simulations and the observations are generally within 30%, which is comparable with the difference between the instruments in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. In general, the CO measurements also show an excellent agreement between themselves although MLS retrievals are noisier than other retrievals above 10 hPa (~32 km). The measurements also show large difference in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere. Comparisons of N2O show that CMAM results usually have a less than 15% difference to the measurements in the lower and middle stratosphere, and the observations are consistent as well. However, the standard version of CMAM has a serious low bias in the upper stratosphere. The CMAM CH4 distribution is also close to the observations in the lower stratosphere, but has a similar but smaller negative bias in the upper stratosphere. These negative biases can be reduced by introducing a vertical diffusion coefficient related to gravity wave drag. CO measurements from 2004 and 2006 show evidence of enhanced descent of air from the mesosphere into the stratosphere in the Arctic after strong stratospheric sudden warmings (SSWs). CMAM also shows strong descent of air after SSWs, but further investigation is needed. In the tropics, CMAM captures the "tape recorder" (or annual oscillation) in the lower stratosphere and the semiannual oscillations (SAO) at the stratopause and mesopause shown in MLS CO and SMR N2O observations. The inter-annual variation of the SAO at the stratopause in SMR N2O observations also shows a biennial oscillation, but CMAM cannot does not reproduce this feature. However, this study confirms that CMAM is able to simulate middle atmospheric transport processes reasonably well.

scholarly journals Microbiology and atmospheric processes: chemical interactions of Primary Biological Aerosols

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 841-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Deguillaume ◽  
M. Leriche ◽  
P. Amato ◽  
P. A. Ariya ◽  
A.-M. Delort ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Activity ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Chemical Constituents ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Chemical Interactions ◽  
Modelling Studies ◽  
Micro Organisms

Abstract. This paper discusses the influence of bioaerosols on atmospheric chemistry and vice versa through microbiological and chemical properties and processes. Several studies have shown that biological matter represents a significant fraction of air particulate matter and hence affects the microstructure and water uptake of aerosol particles. Moreover, airborne micro-organisms can transform chemical constituents of the atmosphere by metabolic activity. Recent studies have emphasized the viability of bacteria and metabolic degradation of organic substances in cloud water. On the other hand, the viability and metabolic activity of airborne micro-organisms depend strongly on physical and chemical atmospheric parameters such as temperature, pressure, radiation, pH value and nutrient concentrations. In spite of recent advances, however, our knowledge of the microbiological and chemical interactions of primary biological particles in the atmosphere is rather limited. Further targeted investigations combining laboratory experiments, field measurements, and modelling studies will be required to characterize the chemical feedbacks, microbiological activities at the air/snow/water interface supplied to the atmosphere.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the atmospheric transport in a GCM using radon measurements: sensitivity to cumulus convection parameterization

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 2811-2832 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Zhang ◽  
H. Wan ◽  
M. Zhang ◽  
B. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Radon Concentration ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
Surface Concentration ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Cumulus Convection ◽  
Models Comparison ◽  
Convection Schemes ◽  
Convection Parameterization

Abstract. The radioactive species radon (222Rn) has long been used as a test tracer for the numerical simulation of large scale transport processes. In this study, radon transport experiments are carried out using an atmospheric GCM with a finite-difference dynamical core, the van Leer type FFSL advection algorithm, and two state-of-the-art cumulus convection parameterization schemes. Measurements of surface concentration and vertical distribution of radon collected from the literature are used as references in model evaluation. The simulated radon concentrations using both convection schemes turn out to be consistent with earlier studies with many other models. Comparison with measurements indicates that at the locations where significant seasonal variations are observed in reality, the model can reproduce both the monthly mean surface radon concentration and the annual cycle quite well. At those sites where the seasonal variation is not large, the model is able to give a correct magnitude of the annual mean. In East Asia, where radon simulations are rarely reported in the literature, detailed analysis shows that our results compare reasonably well with the observations. The most evident changes caused by the use of a different convection scheme are found in the vertical distribution of the tracer. The scheme associated with weaker upward transport gives higher radon concentration up to about 6 km above the surface, and lower values in higher altitudes. In the lower part of the atmosphere results from this scheme does not agree as well with the measurements as the other scheme. Differences from 6 km to the model top are even larger, although we are not yet able to tell which simulation is better due to the lack of observations at such high altitudes.

Transport Phenomena and Properties in Treelike Networks

2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Xu ◽  
Agus Pulung Sasmito ◽  
Boming Yu ◽  
Arun Sadashiv Mujumdar
Keyword(s):  
Transport Properties ◽  
Scaling Laws ◽  
Transport Phenomena ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Transport Mechanisms ◽  
Branching Structures ◽  
Flow And Heat Transfer ◽  
Flow Heat

Treelike structures abound in natural as well as man-made transport systems, which have fascinated multidisciplinary researchers to study the transport phenomena and properties and understand the transport mechanisms of treelike structures for decades. The fluid flow and heat transfer in treelike networks have received an increasing attention over the past decade as the highly efficient transport processes observed in natural treelike structures can provide useful hints for optimal solutions to many engineering and industrial problems. This review paper attempts to present the background and research progress made in recent years on the transport phenomenon in treelike networks as well as technological applications of treelike structures. The subtopics included are optimization of branching structures, scaling laws of treelike networks, and transport properties for laminar flow, turbulent flow, heat conduction, and heat convection in treelike networks. Analytical expressions for the effective transport properties have been derived based on deterministic treelike networks, and the effect of branching parameters on the transport properties of treelike networks has also been discussed. Furthermore, numerical simulation results for treelike microchannel networks are presented as well. The proposed transport properties may be beneficial to understand the transport mechanisms of branching structures and promote the applications of treelike networks in engineering and industry.

scholarly journals Investigation of water adsorption and hygroscopicity of atmospherically relevant particles using a commercial vapor sorption analyzer

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3821-3832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjun Gu ◽  
Yongjie Li ◽  
Jianxi Zhu ◽  
Xiaohong Jia ◽  
Qinhao Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Water Adsorption ◽  
Theoretical Data ◽  
Atmospheric Particles ◽  
Relative Mass ◽  
Nonspherical Particles ◽  
Vapor Sorption ◽  
Hygroscopic Growth ◽  
Dry Conditions

Abstract. Water adsorption and hygroscopicity are among the most important physicochemical properties of aerosol particles, largely determining their impacts on atmospheric chemistry, radiative forcing, and climate. Measurements of water adsorption and hygroscopicity of nonspherical particles under subsaturated conditions are nontrivial because many widely used techniques require the assumption of particle sphericity. In this work we describe a method to directly quantify water adsorption and mass hygroscopic growth of atmospheric particles for temperature in the range of 5–30 °C, using a commercial vapor sorption analyzer. A detailed description of instrumental configuration and experimental procedures, including relative humidity (RH) calibration, is provided first. It is then demonstrated that for (NH4)2SO4 and NaCl, deliquescence relative humidities and mass hygroscopic growth factors measured using this method show good agreements with experimental and/or theoretical data from literature. To illustrate its ability to measure water uptake by particles with low hygroscopicity, we used this instrument to investigate water adsorption by CaSO4 ⋅ 2H2O as a function of RH at 25 °C. The mass hygroscopic growth factor of CaSO4 ⋅ 2H2O at 95 % RH, relative to that under dry conditions (RH  < 1 %), was determined to be (0.450±0.004) % (1σ). In addition, it is shown that this instrument can reliably measure a relative mass change of 0.025 %. Overall, we have demonstrated that this commercial instrument provides a simple, sensitive, and robust method to investigate water adsorption and hygroscopicity of atmospheric particles.

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