Unusually high soil nitrogen oxide emissions influence air quality in a high-temperature agricultural region

P Y Oikawa; C Ge; J Wang; J R Eberwein; L L Liang; L A Allsman; D A Grantz; G D Jenerette

doi:10.1038/ncomms9753

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Unusually high soil nitrogen oxide emissions influence air quality in a high-temperature agricultural region

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Unusually high soil nitrogen oxide emissions influence air quality in a high-temperature agricultural region

P Y Oikawa, C Ge, J Wang, J R Eberwein, L L Liang, L A Allsman, D A Grantz and G D Jenerette

Nature communications, Vol.6(1), pp.8753-8753

11/10/2015

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9753

PMCID: PMC4659929

PMID: 26556236

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Abstract

Fertilized soils have large potential for production of soil nitrogen oxide (NOx=NO+NO2), however these emissions are difficult to predict in high-temperature environments. Understanding these emissions may improve air quality modelling as NOx contributes to formation of tropospheric ozone (O3), a powerful air pollutant. Here we identify the environmental and management factors that regulate soil NOx emissions in a high-temperature agricultural region of California. We also investigate whether soil NOx emissions are capable of influencing regional air quality. We report some of the highest soil NOx emissions ever observed. Emissions vary nonlinearly with fertilization, temperature and soil moisture. We find that a regional air chemistry model often underestimates soil NOx emissions and NOx at the surface and in the troposphere. Adjusting the model to match NOx observations leads to elevated tropospheric O3. Our results suggest management can greatly reduce soil NOx emissions, thereby improving air quality.

Nitrogen - chemistry

Nitrogen Oxides - chemistry

Soil - chemistry

Fertilizers - analysis

Sorghum

Air Pollution - analysis

California

Hot Temperature

Air Pollutants - chemistry

Details

Title: Subtitle: Unusually high soil nitrogen oxide emissions influence air quality in a high-temperature agricultural region
Creators: P Y Oikawa - Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
C Ge - Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
J Wang - Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
J R Eberwein - Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
L L Liang - Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
L A Allsman - Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
D A Grantz - Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
G D Jenerette - Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nature communications, Vol.6(1), pp.8753-8753
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9753
PMID: 26556236
PMCID: PMC4659929
NLM abbreviation: Nat Commun
ISSN: 2041-1723
eISSN: 2041-1723
Language: English
Date published: 11/10/2015
Academic Unit: Civil and Environmental Engineering; Iowa Technology Institute; Physics and Astronomy; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984104907802771

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