Atmospheric chemistry articles within Nature Communications

Featured

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The loss of anomalous sulfur isotope compositions from sedimentary rocks has been considered a symptom of permanent atmospheric oxygenation. Here the authors show sulfur and oxygen isotope evidence from < 2.31 Ga sedimentary barium sulphates (barites) from the Turee Creek Basin, W. Australia, demonstrating the influence of local non-atmospheric processes on anomalous sulfur isotope signals.

    • B. A. Killingsworth
    • , P. Sansjofre
    •  & S. V. Lalonde

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Condensation of organic vapors is a main factor controlling the growth of atmospheric particles. Here the authors identify a distribution of organic vapors in a forested environment able to explain nanoparticle growth at the same location, contributing to understanding aerosol climate effects.

    • Claudia Mohr
    • , Joel A. Thornton
    •  & Taina Yli-Juuti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Forests emit compounds into the atmosphere that are oxidized into highly oxygenated molecules that serve as precursors for cloud condensation nuclei–a process that impacts the climate, but is poorly represented in models. Here the authors create a new model that accurately depicts highly oxygenated molecule and climate dynamics over Boreal forests.

    • Pontus Roldin
    • , Mikael Ehn
    •  & Michael Boy

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Gigantic jets, lightning discharges originating from tropical thunderstorms that can reach the base of the ionosphere at 90 km altitude, have not been captured using high-speed video cameras before. Here, the first such images are reported, showing a step-wise evolution of gigantic jets during their rising phase.

    • Oscar A. van der Velde
    • , Joan Montanyà
    •  & Steven A. Cummer

  • Article
    | Open Access

    “Reconstruction of precipitation variability from oxygen isotopes in the Mesoamerican and Caribbean region is made difficult by the occurrence of tropical cyclones. Here, the isotopic evolution of a tropical cyclone is studied in detail which helps disentangle the key processes governing rainfall isotope variability in the region.”

    • Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo
    • , Ana M. Durán-Quesada
    •  & Kim M. Cobb

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Isoprene is a key component of the atmosphere, with impacts on oxidation, ozone and organic aerosols, but in-situ measurements are limited. Here, the authors present a full-physics measurement framework based on satellite data that enables the direct observation of atmospheric isoprene from space.

    • Dejian Fu
    • , Dylan B. Millet
    •  & Annmarie Eldering

  • Article
    | Open Access

    How the water use efficiency of trees changes with atmospheric CO2 variations has mostly been studied on short time scales. Here, a newly compiled data set covering 1915 to 1995 shows how rates of change in water use efficiency vary with location and rainfall over the global tropics on a decadal scale.

    • Mark A. Adams
    • , Thomas N. Buckley
    •  & Tarryn L. Turnbull

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tropical land ecosystems contain vast carbon reservoirs, but their influence on atmospheric CO2 is poorly understood. Here the authors use new carbon-observing satellites to reveal a large emission source over northern tropical Africa, where there are large soil carbon stores and substantial land use changes.

    • Paul I. Palmer
    • , Liang Feng
    •  & Peter Somkuti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Global average, geographical distribution and temporal variations of the 13C isotopic signature of enteric fermentation emissions are not well understood. Here the authors established a global dataset and show a larger emission increase between the two periods (2002–2006 and 2008–2012) than previous studies.

    • Jinfeng Chang
    • , Shushi Peng
    •  & Philippe Bousquet

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The relative importance of crustal vs. anthropogenic dust deposition for iron cycling in the surface ocean is unclear. Based on analysis of iron isotope data from North Atlantic aerosol samples, the authors can reveal the relative importance of anthropogenic iron emissions and its impact on marine biogeochemistry.

    • Tim M. Conway
    • , Douglas S. Hamilton
    •  & Seth G. John

  • Article
    | Open Access

    State‐of‐the‐art aerosol nanoparticle techniques are limited by the shortcomings of removing the nanoparticles from their original environment. Here, the authors apply small angle X‐ray scattering as an in‐situ measurement technique, enabling the measurement of the primary particles and the aggregates.

    • P. S. Bauer
    • , H. Amenitsch
    •  & P. M. Winkler

  • Article
    | Open Access

    It remains unclear how urban emissions influence the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA), including in the Amazon forest. Here, the authors simulate the formation of SOAs in the Amazon using a high-resolution regional chemical transport model. They find that urban emissions of NOx from Manaus enhance the production of biogenic SOA by 60–200%.

    • Manish Shrivastava
    • , Meinrat O. Andreae
    •  & Chun Zhao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Chinese government has implemented regulations to reduce mining-related methane emission since 2010. Here the authors estimated methane emissions in China using GOSAT satellite observation and results reveal a business-as-usual increase in methane emissions since 2010 despite those ambitious targets.

    • Scot M. Miller
    • , Anna M. Michalak
    •  & Stefan Schwietzke

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Organic nucleation is an important source of atmospheric aerosol number concentration, especially in pristine continental regions and during the preindustrial period. Here the authors find a 16% reduced radiative forcing associated with anthropogenic aerosols when including organic nucleation together with climate and land use change.

    • Jialei Zhu
    • , Joyce E. Penner
    •  & Hugh Coe

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Short-lived natural bromocarbons, which contribute to ozone depletion in the atmosphere, are believed to be produced through light-driven processes, mainly in oceans. Here the authors present bromocarbon measurements in snow, sea ice, and air during polar winter that show an unexpected source of bromine to the polar atmosphere during periods of no sunlight.

    • Katarina Abrahamsson
    • , Anna Granfors
    •  & Alfonso Saiz-Lopez

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Salt particles in the Amazon basin are typically attributed to marine aerosols transported from the Atlantic Ocean. Here the authors show the potential importance of fungal spores as a source of sodium-salt particles in the Amazon rainforest.

    • Swarup China
    • , Susannah M. Burrows
    •  & Alexander Laskin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Reduction of gaseous Hg(II) compounds drives atmospheric mercury wet and dry deposition to Earth surface ecosystems. Global Hg models assume this reduction takes place in clouds. Here the authors report a new gas-phase Hg photochemical mechanism that changes atmospheric mercury lifetime and its deposition to the surface.

    • Alfonso Saiz-Lopez
    • , Sebastian P. Sitkiewicz
    •  & Jeroen E. Sonke

  • Review Article
    | Open Access

    Research and debate are intensifying on complementing CO2 emissions reductions with hypothetical climate geoengineering techniques. Here, the authors assess their potentials, uncertainties and risks, and show that they cannot yet be relied on to significantly contribute to meeting the Paris Agreement temperature goals.

    • Mark G. Lawrence
    • , Stefan Schäfer
    •  & Jürgen Scheffran

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Despite their extensive use, the absolute dating of tree-ring chronologies has not hitherto been independently validated at the global scale. Here, the identification of distinct 14C excursions in 484 individual tree rings, enable the authors to confirm the dating of 44 dendrochronologies from five continents.

    • Ulf Büntgen
    • , Lukas Wacker
    •  & Giles H. F. Young

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Permafrost thaw allows biological activity in previously frozen ground, leading to a potential release of climate-relevant gases. Here the authors show that thawing permafrost emits volatile organic compounds but that their release to the atmosphere is limited by microbial consumption in the overlaying soil.

    • Magnus Kramshøj
    • , Christian N. Albers
    •  & Riikka Rinnan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Several lines of evidence suggest that fire activity was much greater in the preindustrial era than currently assumed in climate models. Here the authors show that greater emission of aerosols from fires leads to a substantial reduction in the magnitude of aerosol radiative forcing over the Industrial Era.

    • D. S. Hamilton
    • , S. Hantson
    •  & K. S. Carslaw

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cloud susceptibility to aerosols in models frequently exceeds satellite estimates. Here the authors show that the discrepancy can be explained by retrieval limitations especially in clean environments, suggesting that conventional comparison strategies may lead to misunderstanding.

    • Po-Lun Ma
    • , Philip J. Rasch
    •  & Steven J. Ghan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The concentration of formic acid in Earth’s atmosphere is under-predicted by atmospheric models. Here the authors show that acetaldehyde photo-tautomerizes to vinyl alcohol under tropospheric conditions, with subsequent oxidation via OH radicals supplying up to 60% of total modeled formic acid production over oceans.

    • Miranda F. Shaw
    • , Bálint Sztáray
    •  & Scott H. Kable

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Recent measurements in the Amazon rainforest indicate missing sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Here the authors show that soil microorganisms are a strong, unaccounted source of highly reactive sesquiterpenes, a class of VOCs that can regulate ozone chemistry within the forest canopy.

    • E. Bourtsoukidis
    • , T. Behrendt
    •  & J. Williams

  • Article
    | Open Access

    As a source of soluble iron, anthropogenic combustion iron is considered less important than natural sources. Here, the authors combine new measurements with a global aerosol model and show the atmospheric burden of anthropogenic combustion iron to be 8 times greater than previous estimates.

    • Hitoshi Matsui
    • , Natalie M. Mahowald
    •  & Mark G. Flanner

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Despite its chemical importance, the evolution of atmospheric iodine concentrations over time is unknown. Here, the authors show that North Atlantic atmospheric iodine levels have tripled since 1950, and propose ozone pollution and enhanced biological production Arctic sea ice thinning as a primary driver.

    • Carlos A. Cuevas
    • , Niccolò Maffezzoli
    •  & Alfonso Saiz-Lopez

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Exposure to ambient particulate matter is a key contributor to disease in India and source attribution is vital for pollution control. Here the authors use a high-resolution regional model to show residential emissions dominate particulate matter concentrations and associated premature mortality.

    • Luke Conibear
    • , Edward W. Butt
    •  & Dominick V. Spracklen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Aerosol pollution from shipping contributes to cooling but also leads to premature mortality and morbidity. Here the authors combine emission inventories, atmospheric models and health risk functions to show how cleaner marine fuels will reduce premature deaths and childhood asthma but results in larger warming.

    • Mikhail Sofiev
    • , James J. Winebrake
    •  & James J. Corbett

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Modulation of ambient PM2.5 exposure and premature mortality burden in India under climate change scenarios is unclear. Here the authors show that the premature mortality burden is projected to decrease in 2100 relative to present day under all possible combined climate change and socioeconomic pathways scenarios.

    • Sourangsu Chowdhury
    • , Sagnik Dey
    •  & Kirk R. Smith

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Feedbacks between desert dust and climate might have amplified past climate changes, yet their role in future climate change is unclear. Here the authors find that dust feedbacks could play a key role in the future climates of Northern Africa, the Sahel, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

    • Jasper F. Kok
    • , Daniel S. Ward
    •  & Amato T. Evan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The climate impacts of deforestation due to changes in biogenic volatile organic compound emissions, which act as short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs), are poorly understood. Here the authors show that including the impact SLCFs increases the projected warming associated with idealised deforestation scenarios.

    • C. E. Scott
    • , S. A. Monks
    •  & C. Wilson

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ions produced by cosmic rays have been thought to influence aerosol and cloud processes by an unknown mechanism. Here the authors show that the mass flux of ions to aerosols enhances their growth significantly, with implications for the formation of cloud condensation nuclei.

    • H. Svensmark
    • , M. B. Enghoff
    •  & J. Svensmark

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nearly all atmospheric aerosols contain surface-active organic compounds; however, the nature of how they arrange remains poorly understood. Here, the authors show that fatty acids in atmospheric aerosol proxies self-assemble into highly ordered, viscous 3D nanostructures that undergo changes upon exposure to humidity and ozone.

    • C. Pfrang
    • , K. Rastogi
    •  & A. M. Squires

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The polar hot-spot appeared in Titan after equinox in 2010 suddenly cooled in early 2012, which wasn’t predicted by models. Here the authors use observations to show that the increase in trace gases during the hot-spot resulted in radiative cooling feedback.

    • Nicholas A. Teanby
    • , Bruno Bézard
    •  & F. Michael Flasar

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from agricultural sources is generally omitted from sulfur emission estimates despite its abundance in livestock emissions. Here, the authors show that agriculture is the most important source of sulfur in Denmark using proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry measurements of H2S.

    • Anders Feilberg
    • , Michael Jørgen Hansen
    •  & Tavs Nyord

  • Article
    | Open Access

    International and domestic interprovincial trade of China are entangled, but their health impacts have been treated separately in earlier studies. Here Wang. quantify the complex impacts of trade on public health across China within an integrative framework.

    • Haikun Wang
    • , Yanxu Zhang
    •  & Michael B. McElroy

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Heterogeneous oxidation of bromide in atmospheric aqueous environments has long been suspected to be accelerated at the interface between aqueous solution and air. Here, the authors provide spectroscopic, kinetic and theoretical evidence for a rate limiting, surface active ozonide formed at the interface.

    • Luca Artiglia
    • , Jacinta Edebeli
    •  & Markus Ammann

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The contribution of atmospheric deposition to the oceanic dissolved black carbon pool (DBC) is unclear. Here, the authors show that water-soluble black carbon is positively correlated with water-soluble organic carbon in marine aerosols, and that atmospheric deposition is a significant source of oceanic DBC.

    • Hongyan Bao
    • , Jutta Niggemann
    •  & Shuh-Ji Kao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Current national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions track to a temperature rise of about 3 °C. Here the authors use future projections to show that 3 °C warming under a business as usual scenario would result in large increases in ozone concentrations, off-setting any benefits from mitigation policies.

    • A. Fortems-Cheiney
    • , G. Foret
    •  & M. Beekmann

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The biofuel ethanol has been introduced into urban transportation in many countries. Here, by measuring aerosols in São Paulo, the authors find that high ethanol prices coincided with an increase in harmful nanoparticles by a third, as drivers switched from ethanol to cheaper gasoline, showing a benefit of ethanol.

    • Alberto Salvo
    • , Joel Brito
    •  & Franz M. Geiger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Sea spray, one of the largest natural aerosol sources, plays an important role in the Earth’s radiative budget. Here the authors show that the ability of sea salt particles to take up water is smaller than for pure salt, with implications for the parameterization of the direct aerosol radiative effect.

    • P. Zieger
    • , O. Väisänen
    •  & M. E. Salter

Browse broader subjects

Browse Atmospheric chemistry across other nature.com journals