• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • University of Alaska Fairbanks
    • UAF Graduate School
    • Chemistry and Biochemistry
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • University of Alaska Fairbanks
    • UAF Graduate School
    • Chemistry and Biochemistry
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of Scholarworks@UACommunitiesPublication DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeThis CollectionPublication DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsType

    My Account

    Login

    First Time Submitters, Register Here

    Register

    Statistics

    Display statistics

    Nitrogen oxides in the Arctic troposphere

    • CSV
    • RefMan
    • EndNote
    • BibTex
    • RefWorks
    Thumbnail
    Name:
    Honrath_R_1991.pdf
    Size:
    7.481Mb
    Format:
    PDF
    Download
    Author
    Honrath, Richard Edward, Jr.
    Chair
    Jaffe, Daniel A.
    Committee
    Gosnick, Joan P.
    Stolzberg, Richard J.
    Stamnes, Knut
    Shaw, Glenn E.
    Keyword
    Environmental science
    Physics, Atmospheric Science
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11122/9324
    Abstract
    Nitrogen oxides play a critical role in tropospheric photochemistry. In order to characterize these compounds in the arctic troposphere, ground-level concentrations of total reactive nitrogen (NO$\sb{y}$) and NO were determined over an extended period at a site near Barrow, Alaska. A high-sensitivity instrument developed for this purpose was used in three measurement campaigns: summer 1988, spring 1989, and March-December 1990. During the 1990 campaign, the detection limit for NO was 3-10 pptv (depending on averaging period), and the NO$\sb{y}$ uncertainty was $\pm$26%. A screening algorithm was applied to the data to eliminate effects from local (Barrow) sources, and the remaining data were divided into "background periods" (unaffected by local or regional NO$\sb{x}$ sources), and "events" (periods when emissions from a regional NO$\sb{x}$ source--the Prudhoe Bay oil-producing region--apparently impacted Barrow). These measurements revealed a sharp seasonal cycle of background NO$\sb{y}$ concentrations, with high values in early spring (median 560-620 pptv) and $\sim$70 pptv (median) during summer. This cycle is similar to that of other compounds in arctic haze but is partially attributed to a reduction in NO$\sb{y}$ lifetime due to organic nitrate decomposition as temperatures and insolation increased. Evidence indicates that the springtime arctic NO$\sb{y}$ reservoir was primarily composed of stable removal-resistant species, including PAN and other organic nitrates. PAN decomposition as temperatures rose in late spring likely caused an observed pulse of NO to $\sim$35 pptv (maximum hourly average); hourly-average NO concentrations were otherwise generally $<$8 pptv. NO$\sb{x}$ production from PAN decomposition due to the onset of spring or southward advection may affect springtime O$\sb3$ levels both in the Arctic and in the northern mid-latitudes. NO$\sb{y}$ and O$\sb3$ concentrations were positively correlated during summer, possibly indicating long-range transport of both and/or the presence of a mid-tropospheric NO$\sb{y}$ reservoir combined with a stratospheric O$\sb3$ source. A number of events with substantially elevated NO$\sb{y}$ concentrations (to 16 ppbv) were observed in air not impacted by emissions from the town of Barrow. Substantial evidence indicates that these events were a result of NO$\sb{x}$ emissions from the Prudhoe Bay region ($\sim$300 km to the ESE), which is also expected to affect measurements of other compounds at the Barrow site.
    Description
    Dissertation (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1991
    Date
    1991
    Type
    Dissertation
    Collections
    Chemistry and Biochemistry

    entitlement

     
    ABOUT US|HELP|BROWSE|ADVANCED SEARCH

    The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, educational institution and provider and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual.

    Learn more about UA’s notice of nondiscrimination.

    Open Repository is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV
     

    Export search results

    The export option will allow you to export the current search results of the entered query to a file. Different formats are available for download. To export the items, click on the button corresponding with the preferred download format.

    By default, clicking on the export buttons will result in a download of the allowed maximum amount of items.

    To select a subset of the search results, click "Selective Export" button and make a selection of the items you want to export. The amount of items that can be exported at once is similarly restricted as the full export.

    After making a selection, click one of the export format buttons. The amount of items that will be exported is indicated in the bubble next to export format.