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Can a "state of the art" chemistry transport model simulate Amazonian tropospheric chemistry?

Barkley, Michael P. ; Palmer, Paul I. ; Ganzeveld, Laurens ; Arneth, Almut LU ; Hagberg, Daniel LU ; Karl, Thomas ; Guenther, Alex ; Paulot, Fabien ; Wennberg, Paul O. and Mao, Jingqiu , et al. (2011) In Journal of Geophysical Research 116. p.16302-16302
Abstract
We present an evaluation of a nested high-resolution Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS)-Chem chemistry transport model simulation of tropospheric chemistry over tropical South America. The model has been constrained with two isoprene emission inventories: (1) the canopy-scale Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and (2) a leaf-scale algorithm coupled to the Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator (LPJ-GUESS) dynamic vegetation model, and the model has been run using two different chemical mechanisms that contain alternative treatments of isoprene photo-oxidation. Large differences of up to 100 Tg C yr (1) exist between the isoprene emissions predicted by each inventory, with MEGAN emissions generally... (More)
We present an evaluation of a nested high-resolution Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS)-Chem chemistry transport model simulation of tropospheric chemistry over tropical South America. The model has been constrained with two isoprene emission inventories: (1) the canopy-scale Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and (2) a leaf-scale algorithm coupled to the Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator (LPJ-GUESS) dynamic vegetation model, and the model has been run using two different chemical mechanisms that contain alternative treatments of isoprene photo-oxidation. Large differences of up to 100 Tg C yr (1) exist between the isoprene emissions predicted by each inventory, with MEGAN emissions generally higher. Based on our simulations we estimate that tropical South America (30-85 degrees W, 14 degrees N-25 degrees S) contributes about 15-35% of total global isoprene emissions. We have quantified the model sensitivity to changes in isoprene emissions, chemistry, boundary layer mixing, and soil NOx emissions using ground-based and airborne observations. We find GEOS-Chem has difficulty reproducing several observed chemical species; typically hydroxyl concentrations are underestimated, whilst mixing ratios of isoprene and its oxidation products are overestimated. The magnitude of model formaldehyde (HCHO) columns are most sensitive to the choice of chemical mechanism and isoprene emission inventory. We find GEOS-Chem exhibits a significant positive bias (10-100%) when compared with HCHO columns from the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) for the study year 2006. Simulations that use the more detailed chemical mechanism and/or lowest isoprene emissions provide the best agreement to the satellite data, since they result in lower-HCHO columns. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Geophysical Research
volume
116
pages
16302 - 16302
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000294128900003
  • scopus:80052074736
ISSN
2156-2202
DOI
10.1029/2011JD015893
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
99c1376e-caca-4c05-b6b2-a33080386089 (old id 2161304)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:10:09
date last changed
2022-04-28 07:44:05
@article{99c1376e-caca-4c05-b6b2-a33080386089,
  abstract     = {{We present an evaluation of a nested high-resolution Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS)-Chem chemistry transport model simulation of tropospheric chemistry over tropical South America. The model has been constrained with two isoprene emission inventories: (1) the canopy-scale Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and (2) a leaf-scale algorithm coupled to the Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator (LPJ-GUESS) dynamic vegetation model, and the model has been run using two different chemical mechanisms that contain alternative treatments of isoprene photo-oxidation. Large differences of up to 100 Tg C yr (1) exist between the isoprene emissions predicted by each inventory, with MEGAN emissions generally higher. Based on our simulations we estimate that tropical South America (30-85 degrees W, 14 degrees N-25 degrees S) contributes about 15-35% of total global isoprene emissions. We have quantified the model sensitivity to changes in isoprene emissions, chemistry, boundary layer mixing, and soil NOx emissions using ground-based and airborne observations. We find GEOS-Chem has difficulty reproducing several observed chemical species; typically hydroxyl concentrations are underestimated, whilst mixing ratios of isoprene and its oxidation products are overestimated. The magnitude of model formaldehyde (HCHO) columns are most sensitive to the choice of chemical mechanism and isoprene emission inventory. We find GEOS-Chem exhibits a significant positive bias (10-100%) when compared with HCHO columns from the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) for the study year 2006. Simulations that use the more detailed chemical mechanism and/or lowest isoprene emissions provide the best agreement to the satellite data, since they result in lower-HCHO columns.}},
  author       = {{Barkley, Michael P. and Palmer, Paul I. and Ganzeveld, Laurens and Arneth, Almut and Hagberg, Daniel and Karl, Thomas and Guenther, Alex and Paulot, Fabien and Wennberg, Paul O. and Mao, Jingqiu and Kurosu, Thomas P. and Chance, Kelly and Mueller, J. -F. and De Smedt, Isabelle and Van Roozendael, Michel and Chen, Dan and Wang, Yuxuan and Yantosca, Robert M.}},
  issn         = {{2156-2202}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{16302--16302}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Geophysical Research}},
  title        = {{Can a "state of the art" chemistry transport model simulate Amazonian tropospheric chemistry?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JD015893}},
  doi          = {{10.1029/2011JD015893}},
  volume       = {{116}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}