This title appears in the Scientific Report :
2007
Please use the identifier:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ciuz.200700429 in citations.
Die Atmosphäre als photochemischer Reaktor
Die Atmosphäre als photochemischer Reaktor
The troposphere is a very large photochemical reactor, which transforms enormous quantities of trace gases and aerosols. Future increases of anthropogenic and natural emissions and aerosol formation will continue to change the status of the troposphere and the climate. Here the self-cleansing capabi...
Saved in:
Personal Name(s): | Wahner, A. |
---|---|
Moortgat, G. K. | |
Contributing Institute: |
Troposphäre; ICG-2 Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance - Simulation Sciences; JARA-SIM JARA-ENERGY; JARA-ENERGY |
Published in: | Chemie in unserer Zeit, 41 (2007) S. 192 - 198 |
Imprint: |
Weinheim
Wiley-VCH
2007
|
Physical Description: |
192 - 198 |
DOI: |
10.1002/ciuz.200700429 |
Document Type: |
Journal Article |
Research Program: |
Atmosphäre und Klima |
Series Title: |
Chemie in unserer Zeit
41 |
Subject (ZB): | |
Publikationsportal JuSER |
The troposphere is a very large photochemical reactor, which transforms enormous quantities of trace gases and aerosols. Future increases of anthropogenic and natural emissions and aerosol formation will continue to change the status of the troposphere and the climate. Here the self-cleansing capability of the troposphere plays a decisive role. The tropospheric oxidation is initiated through a series of oxidants, especially, by the hydroxyl radical, OH, but also by ozone, O-3, and the nitrate radical, NO3. By their reaction with trace gas molecules, OH radicals are not consumed, but regenerated in catalytic cycles, where the concentration of nitrogen oxides plays c dominant role. This mechanism is general applicable to simple examples of the photochemical reaction system of the troposphere: most reactions of OH radicals with atmospheric trace gas molecules (e.g. methane, anthropogenic or biogenic emitted organic compounds) lead to chain reactions, which regenerate OH radicals. It clarifies that the degradation of trace gas species in a NO-containing atmosphere is irrevocably connected with the production of ozone. It also shows that the self-cleansing capability and consequently air quality and climate change of the troposphere are crucially influenced by the tropospheric photochemistry and the emissions. |