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A pervasive role for biomass burning in tropical high ozone/low water structures
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2016
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Source: Nature Communications 7 (10267)
Details:
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Journal Title:Nature Communications
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Description:Air parcels with mixing ratios of high O-3 and low H2O (HOLW) are common features in the tropical western Pacific (TWP) mid-troposphere (300-700 hPa). Here, using data collected during aircraft sampling of the TWP in winter 2014, we find strong, positive correlations of O-3 with multiple biomass burning tracers in these HOLW structures. Ozone levels in these structures are about a factor of three larger than background. Models, satellite data and aircraft observations are used to show fires in tropical Africa and Southeast Asia are the dominant source of high O-3 and that low H2O results from large-scale descent within the tropical troposphere. Previous explanations that attribute HOLW structures to transport from the stratosphere or mid-latitude troposphere are inconsistent with our observations. This study suggest a larger role for biomass burning in the radiative forcing of climate in the remote TWP than is commonly appreciated.
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Source:Nature Communications 7 (10267)
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DOI:
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Pubmed Central ID:PMC4735513
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Rights Information:CC BY
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Compliance:PMC
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