Journal Article

Nsub.2O Temporal Variability from the Middle Troposphere to the Middle Stratosphere Based on Airborne and Balloon-Borne Observations during the Period 1987–2018

Jegou, Fabrice, Hurst, Dale F, Küllmann, Harry, Schuck, Tanja, Ramos, Yenny Gonzalez, Kleinböhl, Armin, Brocchi, Vanessa, Bozem, Heiko, Hoor, Peter, Krysztofiak, Gisèle, Kinnison, Douglas E, Diskin, Glenn S, Wofsy, Steven C, Viciani, Silvia, Kort, Eric A, Ravishankara, A. R, Hintsa, Eric, Catoire, Valéry, Atlas, Elliot, Williams, Jonathan, Jucks, Kenneth W, Daube, Bruce, Engel, Andreas, Obersteiner, Florian, McKain, Kathryn, Toon, Geoffrey C, Dudok de Wit, Thierry, D'Amato, Francesco, Friedl-Vallon, Felix, Commane, Róisín, Wetzel, Gerald, Moore, Fred L

2023

Overview

Nitrous oxide (N[sub.2] O) is the fourth most important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and is considered the most important current source gas emission for global stratospheric ozone depletion (O[sub.3] ). It has natural and anthropogenic sources, mainly as an unintended by-product of food production activities. This work examines the identification and quantification of trends in the N[sub.2] O concentration from the middle troposphere to the middle stratosphere (MTMS) by in situ and remote sensing observations. The temporal variability of N[sub.2] O is addressed using a comprehensive dataset of in situ and remote sensing N[sub.2] O concentrations based on aircraft and balloon measurements in the MTMS from 1987 to 2018. We determine N[sub.2] O trends in the MTMS, based on observations. This consistent dataset was also used to study the N[sub.2] O seasonal cycle to investigate the relationship between abundances and its emission sources through zonal means. The results show a long-term increase in global N[sub.2] O concentration in the MTMS with an average of 0.89 ± 0.07 ppb/yr in the troposphere and 0.96 ± 0.15 ppb/yr in the stratosphere, consistent with 0.80 ppb/yr derived from ground-based measurements and 0.799 ± 0.024 ppb/yr ACE-FTS (Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer) satellite measurements.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Atmospheric chemistry / Distribution / Environmental aspects / Nitrous oxide / Ozone layer depletion / Troposphere