Lightning NOx Emissions: Reconciling Measured and Modeled Estimates With Updated NOx Chemistry

Nault, Benjamin A.; Laughner, Joshua L.; Wooldridge, P. J.; Crounse, J. D.; Dibb, Jack E.; Diskin, G. S.; Peischl, J.; Podolske, James R.; Pollack, I. B.; Ryerson, Thomas B.; Scheuer, Eric; Wennberg, P. O.; Cohen, R. C.

doi:10.1002/2017gl074436

Cited by 71 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 76 publications

(158 reference statements)

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“…For this particular model, the different annual mean flash density productions by the six lightning parameterizations mentioned above have been calculated and validated. Also some recent estimates have been published of ∼9 Tg N year −1 (Nault et al, 2017), that are located just above the upper edge of the range given by Schumann and Huntrieser (2007). Once this is done, we compare our calculations of the considered lightning parameterization's LNO x with the consensus estimate of 5 ± 3 Tg N year −1 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Comparison of Six Lightning Parameterizations in CAM5 and the Impact on Global Atmospheric Chemistry

Gordillo‐Vázquez

Pérez‐Invernón

Huntrieser

et al. 2019

Earth and Space Science

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We present simulations performed with six lightning parameterizations implemented in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5). The amount of lightning-produced nitrogen oxides (LNO x ) by the various schemes considered is estimated. We provide some insight on how the lightning NO injected in the atmosphere influences the global concentrations of key chemical species such as OH, HO 2 , H 2 O 2 , NO x , O 3 , SO 2 , CO, and HNO 3 . The vertical global averaged densities of HO 2 , H 2 O 2 , CO, and SO 2 are depleted due to lightning while those of NO, NO 2 , O 3 , OH, and HNO 3 increase. Our results indicate that the parameterizations based on the upward ice flux (ICEFLUX) exhibit the largest global and midlatitude spatial correlations (0.73 and 0.632 for ICEFLUX and 0.72 and 0.553 for cloud top height) with respect to satellite global flash rate observations. Five out of the six lightning schemes investigated exhibit larger LNO x per flash in the midlatitudes than in the tropics. In particular, it is found that the ICEFLUX midlatitude LNO x per flash exhibits the largest difference with respect to its predicted tropical LNO x per flash, in agreement with available observations. When using CAM5, the ICEFLUX lightning parameterization could be considered a reliable lightning scheme (within its intrinsic uncertainties) in terms of its geographical distribution. Both ICEFLUX and cloud top height results agree with the enhancements of NO 2 and O 3 produced by lightning over tropical Atlantic and Africa and the weaker lightning background over the tropical Pacific reported by Martin et al. (2007) in the periods and locations (upper troposphere) where lightning is expected to dominate the trace gas observations.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Comparison of Six Lightning Parameterizations in CAM5 and the Impact on Global Atmospheric Chemistry

Gordillo‐Vázquez

Pérez‐Invernón

Huntrieser

et al. 2019

Earth and Space Science

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“…However, we assume this to be a small effect, because NO 2 columns in our regions of interest are comparatively low. The same or similar assumptions were used in most previous studies (Beirle et al, 2011;Duncan et al, 2013Duncan et al, , 2016Laughner & Cohen, 2017;Lin et al, 2010;Liu et al, 2016;Majid et al, 2017;Nault et al, 2017).…”

Section: Source Attribution By Multivariate Regression To Tropospherimentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from U.S. Oil and Gas Production: Recent Trends and Source Attribution

Dix

Bruin

Roosenbrand

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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U.S. oil and natural gas production volumes have grown by up to 100% in key production areas between January 2017 and August 2019. Here we show that recent trends are visible from space and can be attributed to drilling, production, and gas flaring activities. By using oil and gas activity data as predictors in a multivariate regression to satellite measurements of tropospheric NO2 columns, observed changes in NO2 over time could be attributed to NOx emissions associated with drilling, production and gas flaring for three select regions: the Permian, Bakken, and Eagle Ford basins. We find that drilling had been the dominant NOx source contributing around 80% before the downturn in drilling activity in 2015. Thereafter, NOx contributions from drilling activities and combined production and flaring activities are similar. Comparison of our top‐down source attribution with a bottom‐up fuel‐based oil and gas NOx emission inventory shows agreement within error margins.

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“…NO 2 is chemically lost on timescales of hours, and oxidation of lightning NO x prior to the OMI overpass time will artificially lower LNO 2 estimates. The NO 2 lifetime against chemical conversion to organic nitrates and nitric acid in the near field of thunderstorms has recently been revised to~3 hr from multiple days (Nault et al, 2017). We accounted for NO 2 chemical loss using equation (1) (Nault et al, 2017).…”

Section: Deriving Lnomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The NO 2 lifetime against chemical conversion to organic nitrates and nitric acid in the near field of thunderstorms has recently been revised to~3 hr from multiple days (Nault et al, 2017). We accounted for NO 2 chemical loss using equation (1) (Nault et al, 2017). We solved for the initial NO 2 concentration, NO 2 (0) or NO 2 at t = 0, where NO 2 (t) was the NO 2 column density measured by OMI and t was the travel time across a 1°× 1°grid cell.…”

Section: Deriving Lnomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reported LNO x production per flash spans three orders of magnitude (Beirle et al, 2010;Bucsela et al, 2010;Cooray et al, 2009;Cummings et al, 2013;Finney et al, 2016;Huntrieser et al, 2008;Huntrieser et al, 2009;Huntrieser et al, 2011;Jourdain et al, 2010;Koshak, 2014;Koshak et al, 2014;Laughner & Cohen, 2017;Liaskos et al, 2015;Martini et al, 2011;Miyazaki et al, 2014;Murray, 2016;Murray et al, 2013;Nault et al, 2017;Ott et al, 2010;Pollack et al, 2016) and, averaged over the globe, is subject to a factor of 4 uncertainty . The wide range in LNO x estimates is thought to be caused by multiple factors such as challenges associated with correlating measured NO 2 and/or NO with lightning frequency in the dynamic atmosphere; NO x and lightning measurement uncertainties and variable detection efficiencies; differences in employed instrumentation and lack of standardized LNO x metrics; influences of nonlightning UT NO x sources, such as aircraft or the convection of surface emissions; and the natural variability in many lightning physical properties that affect LNO x production, including lightning type, peak current, and flash length (Wang et al, 1998;Huntrieser et al, 2007;Ripoll et al, 2014a;Ripoll et al, 2014b;Bruning & Thomas, 2015;Koshak, Solakiewicz, et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Observing U.S. Regional Variability in Lightning NO₂ Production Rates

et al. 2020

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Lightning is a large and variable source of nitrogen oxides (NOx ≡ NO + NO2) to the upper troposphere. Precise estimates of lightning NOx (LNOx) production rates are needed to constrain tropospheric oxidation chemistry; however, controls over LNOx variability are poorly understood. Here, we describe an observational analysis of variability in LNO2 with lightning type by exploiting U.S. regional differences in lightning characteristics in the Southeast, South Central, and North Central United States. We use satellite NO2 measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument with Berkeley High Resolution vertical column densities, a combined lightning data set derived from the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network and National Lightning Detection NetworkTM measurements, and hourly winds from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts climate reanalysis data set (ERA5) over May–August 2014–2015. We find evidence that cloud‐to‐ground (CG) strokes produce a factor of 9–11 more NO2 than intracloud (IC) strokes for storms with stroke rates of at least 2,800 strokes·cell−1·hr−1. We show that regional differences in LNO2 production rates are generally consistent with regional patterns CG and IC stroke frequency and stroke current density. A comparison of stroke‐based and flash‐based CG/IC LNO2 estimates suggests that CG LNO2 is potentially underestimated when derived with flash data due to the operational definition of CG lightning. We find that differences in peak current explain a large portion of CG/IC LNO2 variability, but that other factors must also be important, including minimum stroke rate. Because IC and CG strokes produce NOx in distinct areas of the atmosphere, we test the sensitivity of our results against the atmospheric NO2 vertical distribution assumed in the a priori profiles; we show that the relative CG to IC LNO2 was generally insensitive to the assumed NO2 vertical distribution.

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Lightning NO_x Emissions: Reconciling Measured and Modeled Estimates With Updated NO_x Chemistry

Cited by 71 publications

References 76 publications

Comparison of Six Lightning Parameterizations in CAM5 and the Impact on Global Atmospheric Chemistry

Comparison of Six Lightning Parameterizations in CAM5 and the Impact on Global Atmospheric Chemistry

Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from U.S. Oil and Gas Production: Recent Trends and Source Attribution

Observing U.S. Regional Variability in Lightning NO₂ Production Rates

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Lightning NOx Emissions: Reconciling Measured and Modeled Estimates With Updated NOx Chemistry

Cited by 71 publications

References 76 publications

Comparison of Six Lightning Parameterizations in CAM5 and the Impact on Global Atmospheric Chemistry

Comparison of Six Lightning Parameterizations in CAM5 and the Impact on Global Atmospheric Chemistry

Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from U.S. Oil and Gas Production: Recent Trends and Source Attribution

Observing U.S. Regional Variability in Lightning NO2 Production Rates

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Lightning NO_x Emissions: Reconciling Measured and Modeled Estimates With Updated NO_x Chemistry

Observing U.S. Regional Variability in Lightning NO₂ Production Rates