Co-evolution of carbon cycle and air quality fluxes constrained by CMS-Flux and MOMO-Chem assimilation systems

Rapid regional changes in anthropogenic emissions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored the contribution of fossil fuel (FF) emission uncertainty to regional carbon budgets. &#160;Typical methods for spatially-explicit FF emissions are dependent on national reporting, which can incur substantial latencies.&#160; However, the concomitant changes in short-lived pollutants from common emission sources point to opportunities to develop independent low-latency estimates of fossil fuel emissions and to better understand anthropogenic processes. Here we combine state-of-the-art Multiple Model Multi Constituent chemical data assimilation system (MOMO-Chem) with bottom-up FF emissions to repartition the net carbon fluxes from the NASA Carbon Monitoring System Flux (CMS-Flux) project.&#160; To that end, we implement a novel Kalman filtering algorithm that predicts emission ratio co-evolution of air quality (AQ) and carbon species. &#160;Based upon top-down estimates of AQ emissions, FF CO2 emissions and uncertainties can be rapidly determined.&#160; We show overall good agreement between predicted FF fluxes and the latest bottom-up inventories.&#160; These data are in turn used to interpret the decadal evolution of CMS-Flux net carbon exchange.&#160; This approach is an important step in quantifying both regional fossil fuel and natural carbon fluxes contributions to the atmospheric CO2 growth rate.

Download Full-text

High Contribution of Biomass Combustion to PM2.5 in the City Centre of Naples (Italy)

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos10080451 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 451 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carmina Sirignano ◽

Angelo Riccio ◽

Elena Chianese ◽

Haiyan Ni ◽

Katrin Zenker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Fossil Fuel ◽

Total Carbon ◽

Carbonaceous Aerosol ◽

City Centre ◽

Biomass Combustion ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The City ◽

Fossil Fuel Emissions

A better knowledge of the local and regional sources of the atmospheric particulate matter provides policy makers with the proper awareness when acting to improve air quality, in order to protect public health. A source apportionment study of the carbonaceous aerosol in Naples (Italy) is presented here, in order to improve this understanding in a vulnerable urban area. The aim of this study is quantifying directly fossil and non-fossil contributions to carbonaceous aerosol, by means of radiocarbon measurements. This is the first time that such an approach is implemented in this area. Fine particles with diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) were collected daily on top of a building in the city center, from November 2016 until January 2017. The carbonaceous aerosol was separated into organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), by a two-step thermal desorption method. Subsequent radiocarbon analysis enabled the partitioning of the major sources of carbonaceous aerosol into fossil and non-fossil ones by applying radiocarbon isotopic mass balance. The PM2.5 concentration was on average 29 ± 3 µg⁄m3 (mean ± standard error; n = 18), with a maximum of 68.6 ± 0.7 µg⁄m3 on a day when air masses back-trajectories suggest a local origin and stagnant airflow conditions in the region. The carbonaceous component accounts for roughly half of the PM2.5 mass. Fossil fuel emissions are a minor source of OC (23%), but the dominant source of EC (66%), which is directly emitted during combustion processes. However, overall only 30% of the total carbon is of fossil origin, accounting for 14% of PM2.5 mass. Surprisingly, a comparable contribution is due to primary biomass burning carbon, which accounts in total for 15% of PM2.5 mass. Traffic pollution, the main cause of fossil fuel emissions in urban areas, is a significant, but not the predominant source of carbonaceous particle concentration. These findings support the conclusion of a predominant contribution from non-fossil sources to the carbon in airborne particulate matter, which policy makers should take into account when planning mitigation strategies to improve urban air quality.

Download Full-text

Mangrove blue carbon strategies for climate change mitigation are most effective at the national scale

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2018.0251 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 20180251 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Pierre Taillardat ◽

Daniel A. Friess ◽

Massimo Lupascu

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Mitigation ◽

Fossil Fuel ◽

Global Scale ◽

Blue Carbon ◽

National Scale ◽

Nationally Determined Contributions ◽

Natural Carbon ◽

Change Mitigation ◽

Fossil Fuel Emissions

Carbon fixed by vegetated coastal ecosystems (blue carbon) can mitigate anthropogenic CO 2 emissions, though its effectiveness differs with the spatial scale of interest. A literature review compiling carbon sequestration rates within key ecosystems confirms that blue carbon ecosystems are the most efficient natural carbon sinks at the plot scale, though some overlooked biogeochemical processes may lead to overestimation. Moreover, the limited spatial extent of coastal habitats minimizes their potential at the global scale, only buffering 0.42% of the global fossil fuel carbon emissions in 2014. Still, blue carbon plays a role for countries with moderate fossil fuel emissions and extensive coastlines. In 2014, mangroves mitigated greater than 1% of national fossil fuel emissions for countries such as Bangladesh, Colombia and Nigeria. Considering that the Paris Agreement is based on nationally determined contributions, we propose that mangrove blue carbon may contribute to climate change mitigation at this scale in some instances alongside other blue carbon ecosystems.

Download Full-text

Measurements of Local Sources of Particulates with a Portable Monitor along the Coast of an Insular City

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13010261 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 261

Author(s):

Christos Petsas ◽

Marinos Stylianou ◽

Antonis Zorpas ◽

Agapios Agapiou

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Significant Contribution ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Portable Monitor ◽

Traffic Jam ◽

Modern Cities ◽

Anthropogenic Processes ◽

The City ◽

Coastal Front

The air quality of modern cities is considered an important factor for the quality of life of humans and therefore is being safeguarded by various international organizations, concentrating on the mass concentration of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10, 2.5 and 1 μm. However, the different physical and anthropogenic processes and activities within the city contribute to the rise of fine (<1 μm) and coarse (>1 μm) particles, directly impacting human health and the environment. In order to monitor certain natural and anthropogenic events, suspecting their significant contribution to PM concentrations, seven different events taking place on the coastal front of the city of Limassol (Cyprus) were on-site monitored using a portable PM instrument; these included both natural (e.g., dust event) and anthropogenic (e.g., cement factory, meat festival, tall building construction, tire factory, traffic jam, dust road) emissions taking place in spring and summer periods. The violations of the limits that were noticed were attributed mainly to the various anthropogenic activities taking place on-site, revealing once more the need for further research and continuous monitoring of air quality.

Download Full-text

Bottom-Up Emission Inventory and Its Spatio-Temporal Distribution from Paved Road Dust Based on Field Investigation: A Case Study of Harbin, Northeast China

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12040449 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 449

Author(s):

Lili Li ◽

Kun Wang ◽

Zhijian Sun ◽

Weiye Wang ◽

Qingliang Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Emission Inventory ◽

Road Dust ◽

Field Investigation ◽

Pollutant Emissions ◽

County Level ◽

Bottom Up ◽

Spatial Allocation ◽

Paved Road

Road dust is one of the primary sources of particulate matter which has implications for air quality, climate and health. With the aim of characterizing the emissions, in this study, a bottom-up approach of county level emission inventory from paved road dust based on field investigation was developed. An inventory of high-resolution paved road dust (PRD) emissions by monthly and spatial allocation at 1 km × 1 km resolution in Harbin in 2016 was compiled using accessible county level, seasonal data and local parameters based on field investigation to increase temporal-spatial resolution. The results demonstrated the total PRD emissions of TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 in Harbin were 270,207 t, 54,597 t, 14,059 t, respectively. The temporal variation trends of pollutant emissions from PRD was consistent with the characteristics of precipitation, with lower emissions in winter and summer, and higher emissions in spring and autumn. The spatial allocation of emissions has a strong association with Harbin’s road network, mainly concentrating in the central urban area compared to the surrounding counties. Through scenario analysis, positive control measures were essential and effective for PRD pollution. The inventory developed in this study reflected the level of fugitive dust on paved road in Harbin, and it could reduce particulate matter pollution with the development of mitigation strategies and could comply with air quality modelling requirements, especially in the frigid region of northeastern China.

Download Full-text

Natural climate solutions for Canada

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.abd6034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (23) ◽

pp. eabd6034

Author(s):

C. Ronnie Drever ◽

Susan C. Cook-Patton ◽

Fardausi Akhter ◽

Pascal H. Badiou ◽

Gail L. Chmura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Fossil Fuel ◽

Paris Agreement ◽

Soil Productivity ◽

Potential Contribution ◽

Mitigation Potential ◽

Natural Systems ◽

Clean Air ◽

Natural Climate ◽

Fossil Fuel Emissions

Alongside the steep reductions needed in fossil fuel emissions, natural climate solutions (NCS) represent readily deployable options that can contribute to Canada’s goals for emission reductions. We estimate the mitigation potential of 24 NCS related to the protection, management, and restoration of natural systems that can also deliver numerous co-benefits, such as enhanced soil productivity, clean air and water, and biodiversity conservation. NCS can provide up to 78.2 (41.0 to 115.1) Tg CO2e/year (95% CI) of mitigation annually in 2030 and 394.4 (173.2 to 612.4) Tg CO2e cumulatively between 2021 and 2030, with 34% available at ≤CAD 50/Mg CO2e. Avoided conversion of grassland, avoided peatland disturbance, cover crops, and improved forest management offer the largest mitigation opportunities. The mitigation identified here represents an important potential contribution to the Paris Agreement, such that NCS combined with existing mitigation plans could help Canada to meet or exceed its climate goals.

Download Full-text

Cleaning up the air: Effectiveness of air quality policy for SO2 and NOx emissions in China

10.5194/acp-2016-445 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ronald J. van der A ◽

Bas Mijling ◽

Jieying Ding ◽

Maria Elissavet Koukouli ◽

Fei Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Fuel Consumption ◽

Fossil Fuel ◽

Transport Sector ◽

Nox Emissions ◽

So2 Emissions ◽

Provincial Level ◽

Fossil Fuel Consumption ◽

Public Data ◽

Quality Policy

Abstract. Air quality observations by satellite instruments are spatially consistent, and have a regular temporal resolution, which make them very useful in studying long-term trends in atmospheric species. To monitor air quality trends in China for the period 2005–2015 we derive SO2 columns and NOx emissions on a provincial level with an unprecedented accuracy. To put these trends into perspective they are compared with public data on energy consumption and the environmental policies of China. We distinguish the effect of air quality regulations from economic growth by comparing them relatively to fossil fuel consumption. Pollutant levels, per unit of fossil fuel, are used to assess the effectiveness of air quality regulations. We note that the desulphurisation regulations enforced in 2005–2006 only had a significant effect in the years 2008–2009 when a much stricter control of the actual use of the installations began. For national NOx emissions a distinct decreasing trend is only visible since 2012, but the emission peak year differs from province to province. Unlike SO2, emissions of NOx are highly related to traffic. Furthermore, regulations for NOx emissions are partly decided on a provincial level. The last three years show both a reduction in SO2 and NOx emissions per fossil fuel unit, since the authorities have implemented several new environmental regulations. Despite an increasing fossil fuel consumption and a growing transport sector, the effects of air quality policy in China are clearly visible. Without the air quality regulations the concentration of SO2 would be almost 3 times higher and the NO2 concentrations would be at least 30 % higher than they are today in China.

Download Full-text