Show simple item record

Satellite evidence for a large source of formic acid from boreal and tropical forests

dc.contributor.authorStavrakou, T.
dc.contributor.authorMuller, J.-F.
dc.contributor.authorPeeters, J.
dc.contributor.authorRazavi, A.
dc.contributor.authorClarisse, L.
dc.contributor.authorClerbaux, C.
dc.contributor.authorCoheur, P.-F.
dc.contributor.authorHurtmans, D.
dc.contributor.authorDe Maziere, M.
dc.contributor.authorVigouroux, C.
dc.contributor.authorDeutscher, N.M.
dc.contributor.authorGriffith, D.W.T.
dc.contributor.authorJones, N.
dc.contributor.authorPaton-Walsh, C.
dc.date2012
dc.date.accessioned2016-03-29T10:07:37Z
dc.date.available2016-03-29T10:07:37Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/3019
dc.descriptionFormic acid contributes significantly to acid rain in remote environments. Direct sources of formic acid include human activities, biomass burning and plant leaves. Aside from these direct sources, sunlight-induced oxidation of non-methane hydrocarbons (largely of biogenic origin) is probably the largest source. However, model simulations substantially underpredict atmospheric formic acid levels, indicating that not all sources have been included in the models. Here, we use satellite measurements of formic acid concentrations to constrain model simulations of the global formic acid budget. According to our simulations, 100- 120Tg of formic acid is produced annually, which is two to three times more than that estimated from known sources. We show that 90% of the formic acid produced is biogenic in origin, and largely sourced from tropical and boreal forests. We suggest that terpenoids- volatile organic compounds released by plants- are the predominant precursors. Model comparisons with independent observations of formic acid strengthen our conclusions, and provide indirect validation for the satellite measurements. Finally, we show that the larger formic acid emissions have a substantial impact on rainwater acidity, especially over boreal forests in the summer, where formic acid reduces pH by 0.25- 0.5.
dc.languageeng
dc.titleSatellite evidence for a large source of formic acid from boreal and tropical forests
dc.typeArticle
dc.subject.frascatiEarth and related Environmental sciences
dc.audienceScientific
dc.subject.freeacid rain
dc.subject.freeatmospheric modeling
dc.subject.freebiogenic emission
dc.subject.freebiomass burning
dc.subject.freeboreal forest
dc.subject.freeconcentration (composition)
dc.subject.freeformic acid
dc.subject.freehuman activity
dc.subject.freeleaf
dc.subject.freenonmethane hydrocarbon
dc.subject.freepH
dc.subject.freephotooxidation
dc.subject.freeprecipitation quality
dc.subject.freerainwater
dc.subject.freesatellite imagery
dc.subject.freesolar radiation
dc.subject.freetropical forest
dc.subject.freevolatile organic compound
dc.source.titleNature Geoscience
dc.source.volume5
dc.source.issue1
dc.source.page26-30
Orfeo.peerreviewedYes
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/ngeo1354
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-84255194908


Files in this item

Thumbnail
Name:
Stavrakou(2012a).pdf
Size:
1.927Mb
Format:
PDF
View/Open

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record