Global distribution of natural freshwater wetlands and rice paddies,their net primary productivity,seasonality and possible methane emissions

A global data set on the geographic distribution and seasonality of freshwater wetlands and rice paddies has been compiled, comprising information at a spatial resolution of 2.5° by latitude and 5° by longitude. Global coverage of these wetlands total 5.7×10⁶ km² and 1.3×10⁶ km², respectively. Natural wetlands have been grouped into six categories following common terminology, i.e. bog, fen, swamp, marsh, floodplain, and shallow lake. Net primary productivity (NPP) of natural wetlands is estimated to be in the range of 4–9×10¹⁵ g dry matter per year. Rice paddies have an NPP of about 1.4×10¹⁵ g y^–1. Extrapolation of measured CH₄ emissions in individual ecosystems lead to global methane emission estimates of 40–160 Teragram (1 Tg=10¹² g) from natural wetlands and 60–140 Tg from rice paddies per year. The mean emission of 170–200 Tg may come in about equal proportions from natural wetlands and paddies. Major source regions are located in the subtropics between 20 and 30° N, the tropics between 0 and 10° S, and the temperate-boreal region between 50 and 70° N. Emissions are highly seasonal, maximizing during summer in both hemispheres. The wide range of possible CH₄ emissions shows the large uncertainties associated with the extrapolation of measured flux rates to global scale. More investigations into ecophysiological principals of methane emissions is warranted to arrive at better source estimates.     

Field study of the emissions of methyl chloride and other halocarbons from biomass burning in Western Africa

A field study of trace gas emissions from biomass burning in Equatorial Africa gave methyl chloride emission ratios of 4.3×10^–5±0.8×10^–5 mol CH₃Cl/mol CO₂. Based on the global emission rates for CO₂ from biomass burning we estimate a range of 226–904×10⁹ g/y as global emission rate with a best estimate of 515×10⁹ g/y. This is somewhat lower than a previous estimate which has been based on laboratory studies. Nevertheless, our emission rate estimates correspond to 10–40% of the global turnover of methyl chloride and thus support the importance of biomass burning as methyl chloride source. The emission ratios for other halocarbons (CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃, CCl₄, CH₃CCl₃, C₂HCl₃, C₂Cl₄, F-113) are lower. In general there seems to be a substantial decrease with increasing complexity of the compounds and number of halogen atoms. For dichloromethane biomass burning still contributes significantly to the total global budget and in the Southern Hemisphere biomass burning is probably the most important source for atmospheric dichloromethane. For the global budgets of other halocarbons biomass burning is of very limited relevance.     

CH4 emission from various rice fields in P.R. China

Summary The CH₄ emission rates from Chinese rice fields have been measured in five typical areas representing all of the five major rice culture regions in People's Republic of China (P.R. China). Four types of diurnal variations (afternoon peak, night peak, afternoon-night double peaks and random pattern) of CH₄ emission rates have been found. The first pattern was normally found in clear weather, the second and the third types were only found occasionally in particular place, while the fourth were found in cloudy or rainy weather. Due to the irregular pattern of the methane production observed in the morning-afternoon comparison experiment, the transport pathway influenced by certain factors, may be the major factor governing the diurnal variation of CH₄ emission. Seasonal variation patterns of CH₄ emission differ slightly with different field locations, where climate system, cropping system and other factors are different. Two and three emission peaks were generally found during single and early rice vegetation periods, with the peak magnitude and time of appearance differing to small degree in individual sites. A decreasing trend of seasonal variation was always observed in late rice season. A combination of seasonal change of transport efficiency and that of CH₄ production rate in the paddy soil explains well the CH₄ emission. The role of rice plant in transporting CH₄ varied over a large range in different rice growing stages. The reasons for internnual changes of CH₄ flux are not yet clear.Great spatial variation of the CH₄ emission has been found, which can be attributed to the differences in soil type and soil properties, local climate condition, rice species, fertilizer and water treatment. Experiments showed that while the application of some mineral fertilizers will reduce the CH₄ emission and CH₄ production in the soil, the application of organic manure will enhance CH₄ emission and CH₄ production in the soil. Any measures which can get off easily decomposed carbon from organic manure may reduce C supply for CH₄ production, and hence reduce CH₄ emission. Fermented sludges from biogas generators and farmyard-stored manure seem to be promising. In some parts of China, separate application of the organic and mineral manure instead of mixed application could be another option. Frequent Scientific drainage and ridge cultivation, which are often used water management techniques in Chinese rice agriculture, have been proved in the experiments to be a very efficient mitigation measures to reduce CH₄ emission from rice fields.By summarizing the present available data, China's rice fields contribute about 13.3 Tg yr^–1 (11.4–15.2) CH₄ to the atmosphere. The total methane emission from global rice fields can be estimated 33–60 Tg yr^–1, much less than the estimates made before.If we extrapolate the measured data in China with a consideration of measured data in other Asian country, the total global emission of CH₄ from rice fields are estimated to be about 35–60 Tg yr^–1 With 2 Figures     

Managing atmospheric CO2

A coupled carbon cycle-climate model is used to compute global atmospheric CO₂ and temperature variation that would result from several future CO₂ emission scenarios. The model includes temperature and CO₂ feedbacks on the terrestrial biosphere, and temperature feedback on the oceanic uptake of CO₂. The scenarios used include cases in which fossil fuel CO₂ emissions are held constant at the 1986 value or increase by 1% yr^–1 until either 2000 or 2020, followed by a gradual transition to a rate of decrease of 1 or 2% yr^–1. The climatic effect of increases in non-CO₂ trace gases is included, and scenarios are considered in which these gases increase until 2075 or are stabilized once CO₂ emission reductions begin. Low and high deforestation scenarios are also considered. In all cases, results are computed for equilibrium climatic sensitivities to CO₂ doubling of 2.0 and 4.0 °C.Peak atmospheric CO₂ concentrations of 400–500 ppmv and global mean warming after 1980 of 0.6–3.2 °C occur, with maximum rates of global mean warming of 0.2–0.3 °C decade^–1. The peak CO₂ concentrations in these scenarios are significantly below that commonly regarded as unavoidable; further sensitivity analyses suggest that limiting atmospheric CO₂ to as little as 400 ppmv is a credible option.Two factors in the model are important in limiting atmospheric CO₂: (1) the airborne fraction falls rapidly once emissions begin to decrease, so that total emissions (fossil fuel + land use-induced) need initially fall to only about half their present value in order to stabilize atmospheric CO₂, and (2) changes in rates of deforestation have an immediate and proportional effect on gross emissions from the biosphere, whereas the CO₂ sink due to regrowth of forests responds more slowly, so that decreases in the rate of deforestation have a disproportionately large effect on net emission.If fossil fuel emissions were to decrease at 1–2% yr^–1 beginning early in the next century, emissions could decrease to the rate of CO₂ uptake by the predominantly oceanic sink within 50–100 yrs. Simulation results suggest that if subsequent emission reductions were tied to the rate of CO₂ uptake by natural CO₂ sinks, these reductions could proceed more slowly than initially while preventing further CO₂ increases, since the natural CO₂ sink strength decreases on time scales of one to several centuries. The model used here does not account for the possible effect on atmospheric CO₂ concentration of possible changes in oceanic circulation. Based on past rates of atmospheric CO₂ variation determined from polar ice cores, it appears that the largest plausible perturbation in ocean-air CO₂ flux due to changes of oceanic circulation is substantially smaller than the permitted fossil fuel CO₂ emissions under the above strategy, so tieing fossil fuel emissions to the total sink strength could provide adequate flexibility for responding to unexpected changes in oceanic CO₂ uptake caused by climatic warming-induced changes of oceanic circulation.     

Airborne measurements of savanna fire emissions and the regional distributio of pyrogenic pollutants over Western Africa

We measured CO₂, CO, CH₄, H₂, and NO₂ in air masses polluted by savanna fires over Côte d'Ivoire, western Africa. Elevated concentrations of these trace gases were found in fire plumes and also in extensive haze layers. Trace gas mixing ratios ranged as high as 605 ppmv for CO₂, 14.8 ppmv for CO, 2.7 ppmv for CH₄, 4.2 ppmv for H₂, and 25 ppbv for NO₂. We compare our emission ratios to those obtained in previous field and laboratory studies. The emission ratios, expressed as an average and as a range or as an average only, were: dCO/dCO₂ 5.3×10^–2 (3–18×10^–2); dCH₄/dCO 5.3×10^–2; dH₂/dCO 2.4×10^–1 and dNO₂/dCO₂ 1.8×10^–4 (1.5–2.2×10^–4). The values found match those found during similar measurements, though our results point to rather vigorous burning in the savanna of western Africa.     

Estimates of global N2O emissions from cattle, pig and chicken manure, including a discussion of CH4 emissions

Humans seem to have doubled the global rate of terrestrial nitrogen fixation. Globally 50–70% (85 Tg, 1 Tg=10¹² g) of the nitrogen supplied in fertilizer (80 Tg N/a) and leguminous crops (40–80 Tg N/a) are used to feed cattle. The aim of the present study was to derive some estimates of global N₂O production from animal manure. As the parameter giving the most stable numerical basis for regional and global extrapolation we adopted the molar emission ratios of N₂O to NH₃. These ratios were measured in cattle, pig and chicken housings with different manure handling systems, in dung-heaps and in liquid manure storage tanks. Individual molar emission ratios from outside manure piles varied over two orders of magnitude, strongly dependent on the treatment of the manure. A median emission ratio of 1.6×10^-2 (n=65) was obtained in cow-sheds with slatted floors and liquid manure stored underneath and a median ratio of 24×10^-2 (n=31) was measured in a beef cattle housing with a solid manure handling system.We next extrapolated to global NH₃ emissions from those estimated for Europe, using N uptake by the animals as a scaling factor. Multiplication with observed N₂O to NH₃ ratios next provided some estimates of regional and global N₂O emissions. To account for the great variability of the emission ratios of N₂O/NH₃, we developed upper and lower case emission scenarios, based on lower and upper quartiles of measured emission ratios. The global emission from cattle and swine manure is in the range of 0.2–2.5 Tg N-N₂O/a, representing 44+-39% of the annual atmospheric accumulation rate. This N₂O emission arises from about 40 Tg N/a of cattle and pig manure stored in or at animal housings. We did not account for N₂O emissions from another 50 Tg N/a excreted by grazing cattle, goats and sheep, and application of the manure to agricultural fields. Our study makes it clear that major anthropogenic N₂O emissions may well arise from animal manure. The large uncertainty of emission ratios, which we encountered, show that much more intense research efforts are necessary to determine the factors that influence N₂O emissions from domestic animal manure both in order to derive a more reliable global estimate of N₂O release and to propose alternative waste treatment methods causing smaller N₂O releases. In our studies we found large enhancements in N₂O releases when straw was added to the manure, which is a rather common practice. In view of the ongoing discussion in Europe to re-install the traditional solid manure system (bed down cattle) for environmental and animal welfare reasons, it is noteworthy that our measurements indicate highest N₂O release from this particulary system.In a similar manner, but based on a smaller data set, we also estimated the release of CH₄ from cattle and swine manure and from liquid manure only to be about 9 Tg/year in good agreement with the estimate by the Environmental Protection Agency (1994) of 8.6+-2.6 Tg/year. A total annual methane release as high as 34 Tg/a was derived for solid and liquid cattle and pig manure from animals in housings.     

Solar-hydrogen electricity generation in the context of global CO2 emission reduction

The relative costs and CO₂ emission reduction benefits of advanced centralized fossil fuel electricity generation, hybrid photovoltaic-fossil fuel electricity generation, and total solar electricity generation with hydrogen storage are compared. Component costs appropriate to the year 2000–2010 time frame are assumed throughout. For low insolation conditions (160 W m^–2 mean annual solar radiation), photovoltaic electricity could cost 5–13 cents/kWh by year 2000–2010, while for high insolation conditions (260 W m^–2) the cost could be 4–9 cents/kWh. Advanced fossil fuel-based power generation should achieve efficiencies of 50% using coal and 55% using natural gas. Carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by a factor of 2 to 3 compared to conventional coal-based electricity production in industrialized countries. In a solar-fossil fuel hybrid, some electricity would be supplied from solar energy whenever the sun is shining and remaining demand satisfied by fossil fuels. This increases total capital costs but saves on fuel costs. For low insolation conditions, the costs of electricity increases by 0–2 cents/kWh, while the cost of electricity decreases in many cases for high insolation conditions. Solar energy would provide 20% or 30% of electricity demand for the low and high insolation cases, respectively. In the solar-hydrogen energy system, some photovoltaic arrays would provide current electricity demand while others would be used to produce hydrogen electrolytically for storage and later use in fuel cells to generate electricity. Electricity costs from the solar-hydrogen system are 0.2–5.4 cents/kWh greater than from a natural gas power plant, and 1.0–4.5 cents/kWh greater than from coal plant for the cost and performance assumptions adopted here. The carbon tax required to make the solar-hydrogen system competitive with fossil fuels ranges from $70–660/tonne, depending on the cost and performance of system components and the future price of fossil fuels.Leakage of hydrogen from storage into the atmosphere, and the eventual transport of a portion of the leaked hydrogen to the stratosphere, would result in the formation of stratospheric water vapor. This could perturb stratospheric ozone amounts and contribute to global warming. Order-of-magnitude calculations indicate that, for a leakage rate of 0.5% yr^–1 of total hydrogen production -which might be characteristic of underground hydrogen storage - the global warming effect of solarhydrogen electricity generation is comparable to that of a natural gas-solar energy hybrid system after one year of emission, but is on the order of 1% the impact of the hybrid system at a 100 year time scale. Impacts on stratospheric ozone are likely to be minuscule.     

Simulation of Global Hydrogen Levels Using a Lagrangian Three-Dimensional Model

Many previous assessments of the global hydrogen budget have used assumed global averages of temperatures and levels of key reactants to calculate the magnitudes of the various sinks. Dry deposition is by far the largest hydrogen sink but has not been considered in detail in previous estimates of the hydrogen budget. Simulations of hydrogen using a global three-dimensional Lagrangian chemistry-transport model and two different dry deposition schemes were compared with surface measurements. An improved dry deposition scheme which included the effects of soil moisture gave better agreement between the modelled hydrogen levels and surface measurements. The seasonal variation in the hydrogen levels was also simulated much more accurately with the new dry deposition scheme. The model results at high southern latitudes were insensitive to the relative partitioning of the sources between fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning. The results indicate a global mean hydrogen dry deposition velocity of 5.3×10^–4 m s^–1 which is lower than the previously used 7×10^–4 m s^–1.     

Carbonyl sulfide emissions from biomass burning in the tropics

Carbonyl sulfide emissions from biomass burning have been studied during field experiments conducted both in an African savanna area (Ivory Coast) and rice fields, central highland pine forest and savanna areas in Viet-Nam. During these experiments CO₂, CO and C₂H₂ or CH₄ have also been also monitored. COS values range from 0.6 ppbv outside the fires to 73 ppbv in the plumes. Significant correlations have been observed between concentrations of COS and CO (R ²=0.92,n=25) and COS and C₂H₂ (R ²=0.79,n=26) indicating a COS production during the smoldering combustion. COS/CO₂ emission factors (COS/CO₂) during field experiments ranged from 1.2 to 61×10^–6 (11.4×10^–6 mean value). COS emission by biomass burning was estimated to be up to 0.05 Tg S/yr in tropics and up to 0.07 Tg S/yr on a global basis, contributing thus about 10% to the global COS flux. Based on the S/C ratio measured in the dry plant biomass and the COS/CO₂ emission factor, COS can account for only about 7% of the sulfur emitted in the atmosphere by biomass burning.     

Isotopic Composition of Non-Methane Hydrocarbons in Emissions from Biomass Burning

The stable carbon isotope ratios of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC) and methyl chloride emitted from biomass burning were determined by analyzing seven whole air samples collected during different phases of the burning process as part of a laboratory study of wood burning. The average of the stable carbon isotope ratios of emitted alkanes, alkenes and aromatic compounds is identical to that of the burnt fuel; more than 50% of the values are within a range of ±1.5 of thecomposition of the burnt fuel wood. Thus for the majority of NMHC emitted from biomass burning stable carbon isotope ratio of the burnt fuel a good first order approximation for the isotopic composition of the emissions. Of the more than twenty compounds we studied, only methyl chloride and ethyne differed in stable carbon isotope ratios by more than a few per mil from the composition of the fuel. Ethyne is enriched in ¹³C by approximately 20–30, and most of the variability can beexplained by a dependence on flame temperature. The ¹³C values decreaseby 0.019 /K (±0.0053/K) with increasing temperature. Methyl chloride is highly depleted in ¹³C, on average by25. However the results cover a wide range of nearly 30. Specifically, in two measurements with wood from Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus delegatensis) as fuel we observed the emission of extremely light methyl chloride (–68.5and–65.5). This coincides with higher than average emission ratiosfor methyl chloride (15.5 × 10^–5 and 18 ×10^–5 mol CH₃Cl/mol CO₂). These high emission ratios are consistent with the highchlorine content of the burnt fuel, although, due to the limited number of measurements, it would be premature to generalize these findings. The limited number of observations also prevents any conclusion on a systematic dependence between chlorine content of the fuel, emission ratios and stable carbon isotope ratio of methyl chloride emissions. However, our results show that a detailed understanding of the emissions of methyl chloride from chloride rich fuels is important for understanding its global budget. It is also evident that the usefulness of stable carbon isotope ratios to constrain the global budget of methyl chloride will be complicated by the very large variability of the stable carbon isotope ratio of biomass burning emissions. Nevertheless, ultimately the large fractionation may provide additional constraints for the contribution of biomass burning emissions to the atmospheric budget of methyl chloride.     

Domestic Combustion of Biomass Fuels in Developing Countries: A Major Source of Atmospheric Pollutants

Biomass burning has important impacts on atmospheric chemistry and climate. Fires in tropical forests and savannas release large quantities of trace gases and particulate matter. Combustion of biofuels for cooking and heating constitutes a less spectacular but similarly widespread biomass burning activity. To provide the groundwork for a quantification of this source, we determined in rural Zimbabwe the emissions of CO₂, CO, and NO from more than 100 domestic fires fueled by wood, agricultural residues, and dung. The results indicate that, compared to open savanna fires, emissions from domestic fires are shifted towards products of incomplete combustion. A tentative global analysis shows that the source strength of domestic biomass burning is on the order of 1500 Tg CO₂–C yr^–1, 140 Tg CO–C yr^–1, and 2.5 Tg NO–N yr^–1. This represents contributions of about 7 to 20% to the global budget of these gases.     

Measurements of trace gases emitted by Australian savanna fires during the 1990 dry season

During 18–23 July 1990, 31 smoke samples were collected from an aircraft flying at low altitudes through the plumes of tropical savanna fires in the Northern Territory, Australia. The excess (above background) mixing ratios of 17 different trace gases including CO₂, CO, CH₄, several non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), CH₃CHO, NO _x (– NO + NO₂), NH₃, N₂O, HCN and total unspeciated NMHC and sulphur were measured. Emissionratios relative to excess CO₂ and CO, and emissionfactors relative to the fuel carbon, nitrogen or sulphur content are determined for each measured species. The emission ratios and factors determined here for carbon-based gases, NO _x , and N₂O are in good agreement with those reported from other biomass burning studies. The ammonia data represent the first such measurements from savanna fires, and indicate that NH₃ emissions are more than half the strength of NO _x emissions. The emissions of NO _x , NH₃, N₂O and HCN together represent only 27% of the volatilised fuel N, and are primarily NO _x (16%) and NH₃ (9%). Similarly, only 56% of the volatilised fuel S is accounted for by our measurements of total unspeciated sulphur.     

A global three-dimensional model of the tropospheric sulfur cycle

The tropospheric part of the atmospheric sulfur cycle has been simulated in a global three-dimensional model. The model treats the emission, transport, chemistry, and removal processes for three sulfur components; DMS (dimethyl sulfide), SO₂ and SO₄ ^2– (sulfate). These processes are resolved using an Eulerian transport model, the MOGUNTIA model, with a horizontal resolution of 10° longitude by 10° latitude and with 10 layers in the vertical between the surface and 100 hPa. Advection takes place by climatological monthly mean winds. Transport processes occurring on smaller space and time scales are parameterized as eddy diffusion except for transport in deep convective clouds which is treated separately. The simulations are broadly consistent with observations of concentrations in air and precipitation in and over polluted regions in Europe and North America. Oxidation of DMS by OH radicals together with a global emission of 16 Tg DMS-S yr^–1 from the oceans result in DMS concentrations consistent with observations in the marine boundary layer. The average turn-over times were estimated to be 3, 1.2–1.8, and 3.2–6.1 days for DMS, SO₂, and SO₄ ^2– respectively.     

Decadal Methane Emission Trend Inferred from Proxy GOSAT XCH4 Retrievals: Impacts of Transport Model Spatial Resolution

In recent studies, proxy XCH₄ retrievals from the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) have been used to constrain top-down estimation of CH₄ emissions. Still, the resulting interannual variations often show significant discrepancies over some of the most important CH₄ source regions, such as China and Tropical South America, by causes yet to be determined. This study compares monthly CH₄ flux estimates from two parallel assimilations of GOSAT XCH₄ retrievals from 2010 to 2019 based on the same Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) framework but with the global chemistry transport model (GEOS-Chem v12.5) being run at two different spatial resolutions of 4° × 5° (R4, lon × lat) and 2° × 2.5° (R2, lon × lat) to investigate the effects of resolution-related model errors on the derived long-term global and regional CH₄ emission trends. We found that the mean annual global methane emission for the 2010s is 573.04 Tg yr ^–1 for the inversion using the R4 model, which becomes about 4.4 Tg yr ^–1 less (568.63 Tg yr ^–1) when a finer R2 model is used, though both are well within the ensemble range of the 22 top-down results (2008–17) included in the current Global Carbon Project (from 550 Tg yr ^–1 to 594 Tg yr ^–1). Compared to the R2 model, the inversion based on the R4 tends to overestimate tropical emissions (by 13.3 Tg yr ^–1), which is accompanied by a general underestimation (by 8.9 Tg yr ^–1) in the extratropics. Such a dipole reflects differences in tropical–mid-latitude air exchange in relation to the model’s convective and advective schemes at different resolutions. The two inversions show a rather consistent long-term CH₄ emission trend at the global scale and over most of the continents, suggesting that the observed rapid increase in atmospheric methane can largely be attributed to the emission growth from North Africa (1.79 Tg yr ^–2 for R4 and 1.29 Tg yr ^–2 for R2) and South America Temperate (1.08 Tg yr ^–2 for R4 and 1.21 Tg yr ^–2 for R2) during the first half of the 2010s, and from Eurasia Boreal (1.46 Tg yr ^–2 for R4 and 1.63 Tg yr ^–2 for R2) and Tropical South America (1.72 Tg yr^–2 for R4 and 1.43 Tg yr ^–2 for R2) over 2015–19. In the meantime, emissions in Europe have shown a consistent decrease over the past decade. However, the growth rates by the two parallel inversions show significant discrepancies over Eurasia Temperate, South America Temperate, and South Africa, which are also the places where recent GOSAT inversions usually disagree with one other.     

Formulation and Evaluation of IMS, an Interactive Three-Dimensional Tropospheric Chemical Transport Model 2. Model Chemistry and Comparison of Modelled CH4, CO, and O3 with Surface Measurements

In part two of this series of papers on the IMS model, we present the chemistry reaction mechanism usedand compare modelled CH₄, CO, and O₃ witha dataset of annual surface measurements. The modelled monthly and 24-hour mean tropospheric OH concentrationsrange between 5–22 × 10⁵ moleculescm^–3, indicating an annualaveraged OH concentration of about 10 × 10⁵ moleculescm^–3. This valueis close to the estimated 9.7 ± 0.6 × 10⁵ moleculescm^–3 calculated fromthe reaction of CH₃CCl₃ with OH radicals.Comparison with CH₄ generally shows good agreementbetween model and measurements, except for the site at Barrow where modelledwetland emission in the summer could be a factor 3 too high.For CO, the pronounced seasonality shown in the measurements is generally reproduced by the model; however, the modelled concentrations are lower thanthe measurements. This discrepancy may due to lower the CO emission,especially from biomass burning,used in the model compared with other studies.For O₃, good agreement between the model and measurements is seenat locations which are away from industrial regions. The maximum discrepancies between modelled results and measurementsat tropical and remote marine sites is about 5–10 ppbv,while the discrepancies canexceed 30 ppbv in the industrial regions.Comparisons in rural areas at European and American continental sites arehighly influenced by the local photochemicalproduction, which is difficult to model with a coarse global CTM.The very large variations of O₃ at these locations vary from about15–25 ppbv in Januaryto 55–65 ppbv in July–August. The observed annual O₃amplitude isabout 40 ppbv compared with about 20 ppbv in the model. An overall comparison of modelled O₃ with measurements shows thatthe O₃seasonal surface cycle is generally governed bythe relative importance of two key mechanisms that drivea springtime ozone maximum and asummertime ozone maximum.     

Nitrogen compound emission from biomass burning in tropical African savanna FOS/DECAFE 1991 experiment (Lamto,Ivory Coast)

Gaseous nitrogen compounds (NO _x , NO _y , NH₃, N₂O) were measured at ground level in smoke plumes of prescribed savanna fires in Lamto, in the southern Ivory Coast, during the FOS/DECAFE experiment in January 1991. During the flaming phase, the linear regression between [NO _x ] and [CO₂] (differences in concentration between smoke plumes and atmosheric background) results volumic emission ratio [NO _x ]/[CO₂]=1.37×10^–3 with only slight differences between heading and backing fires. Nearly 90% of the nitrogen oxides are emitted as NO. Average emission ratios of other compounds are: 1.91, 0.047, and 0.145×10^–3 for NO _y , NH₃ and N₂O, respectively. The emission ratios obtained during this field experiment are compred with corresponding values measured during former experiments with the same plant species in combustion chambers. An accurate determination of both the biomass actually burned and of the plant nitrogen content, allows an assessment of emission fluxes of N-compounds from Guinean savanna burns. Preliminary results dealing with the influence of fire on biogenic emissions from soils are also reported.     

A determination of the CH4, NO x and CO2 emissions from the Prudhoe Bay,Alaska oil development

In this paper we quantify the CH₄, CO₂ and NO _x emissions during routine operations at a major oil and gas production facility, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, using the concentrations of combustion by products measured at the NOAA-CMDL observatory at Barrow, Alaska and fuel consumption data from Prudhoe Bay. During the 1989 and 1990 measurement campaigns, 10 periods (called events) were unambiguously identified where surface winds carry the Prudhoe Bay emissions to Barrow (approximately 300 km). The events ranged in duration from 8–48 h and bring ambient air masses containing substantially elevated concentrations of CH₄, CO₂ and NO _y to Barrow. Using the slope of the observed CH₄ vs CO₂ concentrations during the events and the CO₂ emissions based on reported fuel consumption data, we calculate annual CH₄ emissions of (24+/–8)×10³ metric tons from the facility. In a similar manner, the annual NO _x emissions are calculated to be (12+/–4)×10³ metric tons, which is in agreement with an independently determined value. The calculated CH₄ emissions represent the amount released during routine operations including leakage. However this quantity would not include CH₄ released during non-routine operations, such as from venting or gas flaring.     

Sink Potential of Canadian Agricultural Soils

Net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Canadian crop and livestock production were estimated for 1990, 1996 and 2001 and projected to 2008. Net emissions were also estimated for three scenarios (low (L), medium (M) and high (H)) of adoption of sink enhancing practices above the projected 2008 level. Carbon sequestration estimates were based on four sink-enhancing activities: conversion from conventional to zero tillage (ZT), reduced frequency of summerfallow (SF), the conversion of cropland to permanent cover crops (PC), and improved grazing land management (GM). GHG emissions were estimated with the Canadian Economic and Emissions Model for Agriculture (CEEMA). CEEMA estimates levels of production activities within the Canadian agriculture sector and calculates the emissions and removals associated with those levels of activities. The estimates indicate a decline in net emissions from 54 Tg CO₂–Eq yr^–1 in1990 to 52 Tg CO₂–Eq yr^–1 in 2008. Adoption of thesink-enhancing practices above the level projected for 2008 resulted in further declines in emissions to 48 Tg CO₂–Eq yr^–1 (L), 42 TgCO₂–Eq yr^–1 (M) or 36 Tg CO₂–Eq yr^–1 (H). Among thesink-enhancing practices, the conversion from conventional tillage to ZT provided the largest C sequestration potential and net reduction in GHG emissions among the scenarios. Although rates of C sequestration were generally higher for conversion of cropland to PC and adoption of improved GM, those scenarios involved smaller areas of land and therefore less C sequestration. Also, increased areas of PC were associated with an increase in livestock numbers and CH₄ and N₂O emissions from enteric fermentation andmanure, which partially offset the carbon sink. The CEEMA estimates indicate that soil C sinks are a viable option for achieving the UNFCCC objective of protecting and enhancing GHG sinks and reservoirs as a means of reducing GHG emissions (UNFCCC, 1992).     

Nitrous oxide emissions from fertilized and unfertilized soils in a subtropical region (Andalusia,Spain)

Field measurements of N₂O emission rates were carried out from August until October 1982 in a subtropical region in Europe, i.e. in Andalusia, Spain. The measurements were performed by using an automatic sampling and analysis technique allowing the semi-continuous determination of N₂O emission rates. The N₂O emission rates were positively correlated to the soil surface temperature and exhibited a diurnal rhythm with maximum rates in the afternoon and minimum rates in the early morning with average values of 1 g N₂O–N/m²/h for the grass lawn and 15 g N₂O–N/m²/h for cultivated land. Application of urea and ammonium nitrate resulted in elevated N₂O emission rates when compared to the unfertilized control. The loss of fertilizer-nitrogen as N₂O was 0.18% for urea and 0.04% for NH₄NO₃ which compares very well with data obtained in a temperate climate (Germany). The total source strength of fertilizer-derived N₂O is estimated to be 0.01–2.2 Tg N₂O–N per year. The N₂O flux from unfertilized natural soils may be as high as 4.5 Tg N₂O–N, indicating that the N₂O emission from soils contributes significantly to the global N₂O budget.     

Field measurements of emission of nitric oxide from fertilized and unfertilized forest soils in Sweden

Application of nitrate fertilizers on two types of forest soils led to a marked increase in the NO emission rate indicating a large potential for NO production in these soils. The largest fluxes on the fertilized plots were up to 60 ng NO–N m^–2 s^–1. About 0.35% of the applied nitrogen was lost as NO within about 14 days after fertilization. The fluxes from the unfertilized forest soils were in the range 0.1 to 0.8 ng NO–N m^–2 s^–1 with a median value of 0.3 ng NO–N m^–2 s^–1. If this value, obtained during June and August to September, is representative for the growing season (150 days), it corresponds to an annual emission of 0.04 kg NO–N ha^–1. This is about 30% of the value obtained for an unfertilized agricultural soil. Because of the large areas occupied by forests in Sweden the flux of NO from forest soils represents a significant contribution to the total flux of NO from soils in Sweden.Earlier observations of equilibrium concentrations for NO have been verified. These were found to range from 0.2 to 2 ppbv for an unfertilized forest soil and up to 170 ppbv for a fertilized soil. At the rural site in Sweden where these measurements were performed the ambient concentrations where found to be less than this equilibrium concentration, and consequently there was generally a net emission of NO.There are still large uncertainties about the global flux of NO from soils. Using direct measurements on three different types of ecosystems and estimates based on a qualitative discussion for the remaining land areas, a global natural source for NO of the order of 1 Tg N a^–1 was obtained. If 0.35% of the total annual production of fertilizer nitrogen is lost as NO, fertilization of soils may contribute with 20% to the natural flux from soils.