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Substantial Increases in Eastern Amazon and Cerrado Biomass Burning‐Sourced Tropospheric Ozone
Author(s) -
Pope Richard J.,
Arnold Stephen R.,
Chipperfield Martyn P.,
Reddington Carly L. S.,
Butt Edward W.,
Keslake Tim D.,
Feng Wuhu,
Latter Barry G.,
Kerridge Brian J.,
Siddans Richard,
Rizzo Luciana,
Artaxo Paulo,
Sadiq Mehliyar,
Tai Amos P. K.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl084143
Subject(s) - tropospheric ozone , environmental science , ozone , biomass burning , amazon rainforest , air quality index , atmospheric sciences , climatology , climate change , nitrogen dioxide , troposphere , deforestation (computer science) , aerosol , meteorology , geography , ecology , geology , computer science , biology , programming language
Abstract The decline in Amazonian deforestation rates and biomass burning activity (2001–2012) has been shown to reduce air pollutant emissions (e.g., aerosols) and improve regional air quality. However, in the Cerrado region (savannah grasslands in northeastern Brazil), satellite observations reveal increases in fire activity and tropospheric column nitrogen dioxide (an ozone precursor) during the burning season (August‐October, 2005–2016), which have partially offset these air quality benefits. Simulations from a 3‐D global chemistry transport model (CTM) capture this increase in NO 2 with a surface increase of ~1 ppbv per decade. As there are limited long‐term observational tropospheric ozone records, we utilize the well‐evaluated CTM to investigate changes in ozone. Here, the CTM suggests that Cerrado region surface ozone is increasing by ~10 ppbv per decade. If left unmitigated, these positive fire‐sourced ozone trends will substantially increase the regional health risks and impacts from expected future enhancements in South American biomass burning activity under climate change.