This paper describes the contents of the 2016 edition of the HITRAN molecular spectroscopic compilation. The new edition replaces the previous HITRAN edition of 2012 and its updates during the intervening years. The HITRAN molecular absorption compilation is composed of five major components: the traditional line-by-line spectroscopic parameters required for high-resolution radiative-transfer codes, infrared absorption cross-sections for molecules not yet amenable to representation in a line-by-line form, collision-induced absorption data, aerosol indices of refraction, and general tables such as partition sums that apply globally to the data. The new HITRAN is greatly extended in terms of accuracy, spectral coverage, additional absorption phenomena, added line-shape formalisms, and validity. Moreover, molecules, isotopologues, and perturbing gases have been added that address the issues of atmospheres beyond the Earth. Of considerable note, experimental IR cross-sections for almost 300 additional molecules important in different areas of atmospheric science have been added to the database. The compilation can be accessed through www.hitran.org. Most of the HITRAN data have now been cast into an underlying relational database structure that offers many advantages over the long-standing sequential text-based structure. The new structure empowers the user in many ways. It enables the incorporation of an extended set of fundamental parameters per transition, sophisticated line-shape formalisms, easy user-defined output formats, and very convenient searching, filtering, and plotting of data. A powerful application programming interface making use of structured query language (SQL) features for higher-level applications of HITRAN is also provided.

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The HITRAN 2008 molecular spectroscopic database

Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing

A fast-Fourier-transform method of topography and interferometry is proposed. By computer processing of a noncontour type of fringe pattern, automatic discrimination is achieved between elevation and depression of the object or wave-front form, which has not been possible by the fringe-contour-generation techniques. The method has advantages over moire topography and conventional fringe-contour interferometry in both accuracy and sensitivity. Unlike fringe-scanning techniques, the method is easy to apply because it uses no moving components.

Fourier-transform method of fringe-pattern analysis for computer-based topography and interferometry

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) accounts for a significant fraction of ambient tropospheric aerosol and a detailed knowledge of the formation, properties and transformation of SOA is therefore required to evaluate its impact on atmospheric processes, climate and human health. The chemical and physical processes associated with SOA formation are complex and varied, and, despite considerable progress in recent years, a quantitative and predictive understanding of SOA formation does not exist and therefore represents a major research challenge in atmospheric science. This review begins with an update on the current state of knowledge on the global SOA budget and is followed by an overview of the atmospheric degradation mechanisms for SOA precursors, gas-particle partitioning theory and the analytical techniques used to determine the chemical composition of SOA. A survey of recent laboratory, field and modeling studies is also presented. The following topical and emerging issues are highlighted and discussed in detail: molecular characterization of biogenic SOA constituents, condensed phase reactions and oligomerization, the interaction of atmospheric organic components with sulfuric acid, the chemical and photochemical processing of organics in the atmospheric aqueous phase, aerosol formation from real plant emissions, interaction of atmospheric organic components with water, thermodynamics and mixtures in atmospheric models. Finally, the major challenges ahead in laboratory, field and modeling studies of SOA are discussed and recommendations for future research directions are proposed.

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The formation, properties and impact of secondary organic aerosol: current and emerging issues

The talk with present the key results of the IPCC Working Group III 5th assessment report. Concluding four years of intense scientific collaboration by hundreds of authors from around the world, the report responds to the request of the world's governments for a comprehensive, objective and policy neutral assessment of the current scientific knowledge on mitigating climate change. The report has been extensively reviewed by experts and governments to ensure quality and comprehensiveness.

Climate change 2014 - Mitigation of climate change

. Retrieving the column of an absorbing trace gas from spectral data requires that all absorbers in the corresponding wavelength range are sufficiently well known. This is especially important for the retrieval of weak absorbers, whose absorptions are often in the 10−4 range. Previous publications on the absorptions of the oxygen dimer O2–O2 (or short: O4) list absorption peaks at 328 and 419 nm, for which no spectrally resolved literature cross sections are available. As these absorptions potentially influence the spectral retrieval of various trace gases, such as HCHO, BrO, OClO and IO, their shape and magnitude need to be quantified. We assume that the shape of the absorption peaks at 328 and 419 nm can be approximated by their respective neighbouring absorption peaks. Using this approach we obtain estimates for the wavelength of the absorption and its magnitude. Using long-path differential optical absorption spectroscopy (LP-DOAS) observations and multi-axis DOAS (MAX-DOAS) observations, we estimate the peak absorption cross sections of O4 to be (1.96  ±  0.20) × 10−47 cm5 molec−2 and determine the wavelength of its maximum at 328.59  ±  0.15 nm. For the absorption at 419.13  ±  0.42 nm a peak O4 cross-section value is determined to be (5.0  ±  3.5) × 10−48 cm5 molec−2.

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Detection of O 4 absorption around 328 and 419 nm in measured atmospheric absorption spectra

How to feed a growing global population in a secure and sustainable way? The conventional, biogenic agriculture has yet failed to provide a reliable concept which circumvents its severe environmental externalities - such as the massive use of land area, water for irrigation, fertiliser, pesticides, herbicides, and fossil fuel. In contrast, the artificial synthesis of carbohydrates from atmospheric carbon dioxide, water, and renewable energy would allow not only for a highly reliable production without those externalities, but would also allow to increase the agricultural capacities of our planet by several orders of magnitude. All required technology is either commercially available or at least developed on a lab-scale (at least for sugar). No directed research has, however, yet been conducted towards an industry-scale carbohydrate synthesis because the biogenic carbohydrate production was economically more competitive. Taking the environmental and socio-economic externalities of the conventional sugar production into account, this economical narrative has to be questioned. We estimate the production costs of artificial sugar at about 1€/kg. While the today's spot market price for conventional sugar is about 0.3€/kg, we estimate its total costs (including external costs) at >0.9€/kg in humid regions and >2€/kg in semi-arid regions. Accordingly, artificial sugar appears already today to be the less expensive way of production. The artificial sugar production allows in principle also for a subsequent synthesis of other carbohydrates such as starch. These synthetic products could directly supply a large fraction of the human calorie requirements and could be in addition used as a feedstock to microorganisms, fungi, insects, or livestock in order to enhance the sustainability of the remaining biogenic production of, e.g., fats and proteins. This manuscript aims at rising research interest and awareness for a transition to a non-agricultural and more resource-conserving way to supply carbohydrates for food and feed.

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Towards an Artificial Carbohydrates Supply on Earth

Long Path Different Optical Absorption measurements of theconcentrations of O3, NO2, NO3 andSO2 were carried out at Cape Arkona, Island Rugen, nearthe well-known long-term ozone registration. A statistical analysis ofdifferent trace gas concentrations for all seasons is presented. Daytimedata, wind speed and sector-classified results are used to estimaterepresentative ozone concentrations. Comparison of the long path ozonemeasurements with point measurements at Cape Arkona shows ozoneconcentration differences.

Regionally representative ozone monitoring at Cape Arkona

Environmental context Secondary organic aerosols together with sea-salt aerosols are a major contribution to global aerosols and influence the release of reactive halogens, which affect air quality and human health. In this study, the loss of reactive halogen species from simulated salt aerosols due to three different types of secondary organic aerosols was quantified in chamber experiments and investigated with the help of a numerical model. The loss rate can be included into chemistry models of the atmosphere and help to quantify the halogen budget in nature. Abstract The interaction between secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) and reactive bromine species (e.g. BrO, Br2, HOBr) coexisting in the environment is not well understood and not included in current chemistry models. The present study quantifies the quenching of bromine release from an artificial salt aerosol caused by SOAs from ozonolysis of three precursors (α-pinene, catechol or guaiacol) in a Teflon smog chamber and incorporates it into a chemical box model. The model simulations perform very well for a blank experiment without SOA precursor, capturing BrO formation, as detected by differential optical absorption spectrometry. A first-order BrO loss rate of 0.001s–1 on the surface of SOA represents the overall effective Brx (total inorganic bromine) loss included in the model. Generally, the model agrees with the maximum BrO mixing ratio in time and magnitude, with some disagreements in the exact shape. Formation of reactive OClO was observed in the presence of organics but could not be reproduced by the model. According to current knowledge, most inorganic chlorine would be in the form of HCl in the presence of organics, as predicted by the model. In order to reproduce the net effects of the presence of SOA, the effective uptake coefficients of reactive bromine on the SOA surface are estimated to be 0.01, 0.01 and 0.004 for α-pinene, catechol and guaiacol respectively. The uptake coefficient can now be incorporated into box models and even global models, where sinks for bromine species are thought to be inadequately represented.

Ulrich Platt

Papers

Detection of O 4 absorption around 328 and 419 nm in measured atmospheric absorption spectra

Towards an Artificial Carbohydrates Supply on Earth

Regionally representative ozone monitoring at Cape Arkona

Consumption of reactive halogen species from sea-salt aerosol by secondary organic aerosol: slowing down the bromine explosion

Measurements Of Nitrous Acid By DOAS And Diffusion Denuders: A Comparison