LINKING METEOROLOGY, TURBULENCE, AND AIR CHEMISTRY IN THE AMAZON RAIN FOREST Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Abstract We describe the salient features of a field study whose goals are to quantify the vertical distribution of plant-emitted hydrocarbons and their contribution to aerosol and cloud condensation nuclei production above a central Amazonian rain forest. Using observing systems deployed on a 50-m meteorological tower, complemented with tethered balloon deployments, the vertical distribution of hydrocarbons and aerosols was determined under different boundary layer thermodynamic states. The rain forest emits sufficient reactive hydrocarbons, such as isoprene and monoterpenes, to provide precursors of secondary organic aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei. Mesoscale convective systems transport ozone from the middle troposphere, enriching the atmospheric boundary layer as well as the forest canopy and surface layer. Through multiple chemical transformations, the ozone-enriched atmospheric surface layer can oxidize rain forestemitted hydrocarbons. One conclusion derived from the field studies is that the rain forest produces the necessary chemical species and in sufficient amounts to undergo oxidation and generate aerosols that subsequently activate into cloud condensation nuclei.

published proceedings

  • BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

altmetric score

  • 4

author list (cited authors)

  • Fuentes, J. D., Chamecki, M., Nascimento dos Santos, R. M., Von Randow, C., Stoy, P. C., Katul, G., ... Yanez-Serrano, A. M.

citation count

  • 50

complete list of authors

  • Fuentes, Jose D||Chamecki, Marcelo||Nascimento dos Santos, Rosa Maria||Von Randow, Celso||Stoy, Paul C||Katul, Gabriel||Fitzjarrald, David||Manzi, Antonio||Gerken, Tobias||Trowbridge, Amy||Freire, Livia Souza||Ruiz-Plancarte, Jesus||Furtunato Maia, Jair Max||Tota, Julio||Dias, Nelson||Fisch, Gilberto||Schumacher, Courtney||Acevedo, Otavio||Mercer, Juliane Rezende||Yanez-Serrano, Ana Maria

publication date

  • December 2016