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Journal ArticleDOI

Atmospheric composition change – global and regional air quality

01 Oct 2009-Atmospheric Environment (Elsevier)-Vol. 43, Iss: 33, pp 5268-5350
TL;DR: A review of the state of scientific understanding in relation to global and regional air quality is outlined in this article, in terms of emissions, processing and transport of trace gases and aerosols.
About: This article is published in Atmospheric Environment.The article was published on 2009-10-01 and is currently open access. It has received 760 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Air quality index.

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Summary

  • 14 Quantifizierung von Gesichtsasymmetrien Biomedizinische TechnikBand 37 Heft 1-2/1992 ' Biomrd. Technik 37(1992), 14-19 E. Stüssi1 S. Handschin1 M. Frcy2 Quantifizierung von Gesichtsasymmetrien Eine Methode zur Objektivierung von Beeinträchtigungen der Gesichtsmotorik; eine Pilotstudie Quantification of Facial Asymmetries * .
  • Mit dem 3-d-Meßsystem Vicon wurden die Distanzen und Bewegungen von Fixpunkten im Gesicht ausgemessen.
  • Letztere hatte sich 6 Monate vor dieser Studie (Dezember 1989) einer Muskeltransplantation zur Rekonstruktion der Mundwinkelhebefunktion bei vollständiger, einseitiger, irreversibler Gesichtslähmung unterziehen müssen.
  • Somit ergab sich ein Fehler von weniger als l mm.
  • Die beiden Traguspunkte sowie der Marker auf dem Nasenrücken dienen als körperbezogenes Bezugssystem.
  • \. 3 Resultate Da alle optoelektronischen Aufnahmesysteme ein Rauschen aufwiesen, sind die Darstellungen von Bewegungsabläufen hier mit statistischen Schwankungen von 0,5 bis l mm behaftet.
  • Bei der Messung des gesunden Probanden Verkurzungsgeschwindigkeit zwischen Tragus und Mundwinkel links (mm/s) Anzahl aufgenommener Bilder (60 Bilder = l Sekunde) Bild 6.
  • So kann man Hinweise erhalten, welche Muskeln' Biomedizinische Technik Band 37 Heft 1-2/1992 Quantifizierung von Gesichtsasymmetrien 19 dominieren.
  • 4 Diskussion Die vorliegenden Resultate zeigen, daß die dreidimensionale Vermessung von Fixpunkten im Gesicht eine Objektivierung von Operations- und Rehabilitationsresultaten zulassen.

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Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, an inventory of air pollutant emissions in Asia in the year 2000 is developed to support atmospheric modeling and analysis of observations taken during the TRACE-P experiment funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the ACE-Asia experiment, in which emissions are estimated for all major anthropogenic sources, including biomass burning, in 64 regions of Asia.
Abstract: [i] An inventory of air pollutant emissions in Asia in the year 2000 is developed to support atmospheric modeling and analysis of observations taken during the TRACE-P experiment funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the ACE-Asia experiment funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Emissions are estimated for all major anthropogenic sources, including biomass burning, in 64 regions of Asia. We estimate total Asian emissions as follows: 34.3 Tg SO 2 , 26.8 Tg NO x , 9870 Tg CO 2 , 279 Tg CO, 107 Tg CH 4 , 52.2 Tg NMVOC, 2.54 Tg black carbon (BC), 10.4 Tg organic carbon (OC), and 27.5 Tg NH 3 . In addition, NMVOC are speciated into 19 subcategories according to functional groups and reactivity. Thus we are able to identify the major source regions and types for many of the significant gaseous and particle emissions that influence pollutant concentrations in the vicinity of the TRACE-P and ACE-Asia field measurements. Emissions in China dominate the signature of pollutant concentrations in this region, so special emphasis has been placed on the development of emission estimates for China. China's emissions are determined to be as follows: 20.4 Tg SO 2 , 11.4 Tg NO x , 3820 Tg CO 2 , 116 Tg CO, 38.4 Tg CH 4 , 17.4 Tg NMVOC, 1.05 Tg BC, 3.4 Tg OC, and 13.6 Tg NH 3 . Emissions are gridded at a variety of spatial resolutions from 1° × 1° to 30 s x 30 s, using the exact locations of large point sources and surrogate GIS distributions of urban and rural population, road networks, landcover, ship lanes, etc. The gridded emission estimates have been used as inputs to atmospheric simulation models and have proven to be generally robust in comparison with field observations, though there is reason to think that emissions of CO and possibly BC may be underestimated. Monthly emission estimates for China are developed for each species to aid TRACE-P and ACE-Asia data interpretation. During the observation period of March/ April, emissions are roughly at their average values (one twelfth of annual). Uncertainties in the emission estimates, measured as 95% confidence intervals, range from a low of ±16% for SO 2 to a high of ±450% for OC.

1,828 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the ocean, the lifetime of Nr is less well known but seems to be longer than in terrestrial ecosystems and may represent an important long-term source of N2O that will respond very slowly to control measures on the sources of NR from which it is produced.
Abstract: Global nitrogen fixation contributes 413 Tg of reactive nitrogen (Nr) to terrestrial and marine ecosystems annually of which anthropogenic activities are responsible for half, 210 Tg N. The majority of the transformations of anthropogenic Nr are on land (240 Tg N yr−1) within soils and vegetation where reduced Nr contributes most of the input through the use of fertilizer nitrogen in agriculture. Leakages from the use of fertilizer Nr contribute to nitrate (NO3−) in drainage waters from agricultural land and emissions of trace Nr compounds to the atmosphere. Emissions, mainly of ammonia (NH3) from land together with combustion related emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), contribute 100 Tg N yr−1 to the atmosphere, which are transported between countries and processed within the atmosphere, generating secondary pollutants, including ozone and other photochemical oxidants and aerosols, especially ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4. Leaching and riverine transport of NO3 contribute 40–70 Tg N yr−1 to coastal waters and the open ocean, which together with the 30 Tg input to oceans from atmospheric deposition combine with marine biological nitrogen fixation (140 Tg N yr−1) to double the ocean processing of Nr. Some of the marine Nr is buried in sediments, the remainder being denitrified back to the atmosphere as N2 or N2O. The marine processing is of a similar magnitude to that in terrestrial soils and vegetation, but has a larger fraction of natural origin. The lifetime of Nr in the atmosphere, with the exception of N2O, is only a few weeks, while in terrestrial ecosystems, with the exception of peatlands (where it can be 102–103 years), the lifetime is a few decades. In the ocean, the lifetime of Nr is less well known but seems to be longer than in terrestrial ecosystems and may represent an important long-term source of N2O that will respond very slowly to control measures on the sources of Nr from which it is produced.

1,330 citations

01 Dec 2006
TL;DR: This paper showed that reactive anthropogenic VOCs (AVOCs) produce much larger amounts of SOA than these models predict, even shortly after sunrise, and a significant fraction of the excess SOA is formed from first-generation AVOC oxidation products.
Abstract: [1] The atmospheric chemistry of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urban areas results in the formation of ‘photochemical smog’, including secondary organic aerosol (SOA). State-of-the-art SOA models parameterize the results of simulation chamber experiments that bracket the conditions found in the polluted urban atmosphere. Here we show that in the real urban atmosphere reactive anthropogenic VOCs (AVOCs) produce much larger amounts of SOA than these models predict, even shortly after sunrise. Contrary to current belief, a significant fraction of the excess SOA is formed from first-generation AVOC oxidation products. Global models deem AVOCs a very minor contributor to SOA compared to biogenic VOCs (BVOCs). If our results are extrapolated to other urban areas, AVOCs could be responsible for additional 3–25 Tg yr−1 SOA production globally, and cause up to −0.1 W m−2 additional top-of-the-atmosphere radiative cooling.

947 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a review examines current understanding of the processes regulating tropospheric ozone at global to local scales from both measurements and models and takes the view that knowledge across the scales is important for dealing with air quality and climate change in a synergistic manner.
Abstract: Ozone holds a certain fascination in atmospheric science. It is ubiquitous in the atmosphere, central to tropospheric oxidation chemistry, yet harmful to human and ecosystem health as well as being an important greenhouse gas. It is not emitted into the atmosphere but is a by-product of the very oxidation chemistry it largely initiates. Much effort is focussed on the reduction of surface levels of ozone owing to its health impacts but recent efforts to achieve reductions in exposure at a country scale have proved difficult to achieve due to increases in background ozone at the zonal hemispheric scale. There is also a growing realisation that the role of ozone as a short-lived climate pollutant could be important in integrated air quality climate-change mitigation. This review examines current understanding of the processes regulating tropospheric ozone at global to local scales from both measurements and models. It takes the view that knowledge across the scales is important for dealing with air quality and climate change in a synergistic manner.

877 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a review of mountain bioclimatology and changes in mountain climates, and discuss the role of orography in the evolution of mountain climate.
Abstract: Prefaces Acknowledgements 1. Mountains and their climatological study 2. Geographical controls of mountain meteorological elements 3. Circulation systems related to orography 4. Climatic characteristics of mountains 5. Regional case studies 6. Mountain bioclimatology 7. Changes in mountain climates Appendix General index Author index.

847 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present an overview of the climate system and its dynamics, including observed climate variability and change, the carbon cycle, atmospheric chemistry and greenhouse gases, and their direct and indirect effects.
Abstract: Summary for policymakers Technical summary 1. The climate system - an overview 2. Observed climate variability and change 3. The carbon cycle and atmospheric CO2 4. Atmospheric chemistry and greenhouse gases 5. Aerosols, their direct and indirect effects 6. Radiative forcing of climate change 7. Physical climate processes and feedbacks 8. Model evaluation 9. Projections of future climate change 10. Regional climate simulation - evaluation and projections 11. Changes in sea level 12. Detection of climate change and attribution of causes 13. Climate scenario development 14. Advancing our understanding Glossary Index Appendix.

13,366 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
06 Mar 2002-JAMA
TL;DR: Fine particulate and sulfur oxide--related pollution were associated with all-cause, lung cancer, and cardiopulmonary mortality and long-term exposure to combustion-related fine particulate air pollution is an important environmental risk factor for cardiopULmonary and lung cancer mortality.
Abstract: ContextAssociations have been found between day-to-day particulate air pollution and increased risk of various adverse health outcomes, including cardiopulmonary mortality. However, studies of health effects of long-term particulate air pollution have been less conclusive.ObjectiveTo assess the relationship between long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution and all-cause, lung cancer, and cardiopulmonary mortality.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsVital status and cause of death data were collected by the American Cancer Society as part of the Cancer Prevention II study, an ongoing prospective mortality study, which enrolled approximately 1.2 million adults in 1982. Participants completed a questionnaire detailing individual risk factor data (age, sex, race, weight, height, smoking history, education, marital status, diet, alcohol consumption, and occupational exposures). The risk factor data for approximately 500 000 adults were linked with air pollution data for metropolitan areas throughout the United States and combined with vital status and cause of death data through December 31, 1998.Main Outcome MeasureAll-cause, lung cancer, and cardiopulmonary mortality.ResultsFine particulate and sulfur oxide–related pollution were associated with all-cause, lung cancer, and cardiopulmonary mortality. Each 10-µg/m3 elevation in fine particulate air pollution was associated with approximately a 4%, 6%, and 8% increased risk of all-cause, cardiopulmonary, and lung cancer mortality, respectively. Measures of coarse particle fraction and total suspended particles were not consistently associated with mortality.ConclusionLong-term exposure to combustion-related fine particulate air pollution is an important environmental risk factor for cardiopulmonary and lung cancer mortality.

7,803 citations


"Atmospheric composition change – gl..." refers background in this paper

  • ...and by Pope and coworkers in the US and more recently in Europe (Dockery et al., 1993; Pope et al., 2002)....

    [...]

  • ...Early studies showed associations between daily concentrations of aerosols and daily mortality; more recently studies have shown associations between long-term exposure and mortality (Hoek et al., 2002; Pope et al., 2002) and these have allowed particulate matter concentrations to be related to life expectancy (WHO, 2003)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that fine-particulate air pollution, or a more complex pollution mixture associated with fine particulate matter, contributes to excess mortality in certain U.S. cities.
Abstract: Background Recent studies have reported associations between particulate air pollution and daily mortality rates. Population-based, cross-sectional studies of metropolitan areas in the United States have also found associations between particulate air pollution and annual mortality rates, but these studies have been criticized, in part because they did not directly control for cigarette smoking and other health risks. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we estimated the effects of air pollution on mortality, while controlling for individual risk factors. Survival analysis, including Cox proportional-hazards regression modeling, was conducted with data from a 14-to-16-year mortality follow-up of 8111 adults in six U.S. cities. Results Mortality rates were most strongly associated with cigarette smoking. After adjusting for smoking and other risk factors, we observed statistically significant and robust associations between air pollution and mortality. The adjusted mortality-rate ratio for the most po...

7,194 citations

Frequently Asked Questions (12)
Q1. What are the contributions mentioned in the paper "Atmospheric composition change - global and regional air quality" ?

In this review the state of scientific understanding in relation to global and regional air quality is outlined. Trends in anthropogenic emissions both by region and globally are discussed as well as biomass burning emissions. New findings with respect to the transport of pollutants across the scales are discussed, in particular the move to quantify the impact of long-range transport on regional air quality. In particular, the policy challenges for concerted air quality and climate change policy ( co-benefit ) are discussed. 

Fossil fuel extraction and burning, energy production and consumption, industrial activities, transportation and landfills have also led to the emissions of large quantities of pollutants into the atmosphere. 

A step forward in deriving parameterizations of topographic venting for larger scale models is the quantification of the air mass exchanged vertically on a sub-grid scale. 

Particular areas where understanding is lacking include uncertainties in the mechanisms of the initial oxidation sequences to first generation products, and limitations in the available information on the subsequent chemistry of many of the classes of product known tobe generated. 

the main challenges in the estimation of uncertainties in emissions are related to the uncertainties in input data and in the development of methods for quantifying systematic errors. 

By overlaying the distribution of frequency of occurrence with land use changes, the amount of anthropogenic dust emissions can be evaluated. 

Over the last three decades, fire emissions estimates have developed from early inventories based on average fire return times and biomass estimates to detailed studies based on satellite data and sophisticated modelling predicting emissions with high spatial and temporal resolution. 

Uncertainty in emission scenario analysis at urban scale has also been tackled using Bayesian Monte-Carlo techniques (Deguillaume et al., 2008). 

The degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons, although usually only initiated significantly by reaction with OH, can proceed via a number of different routes to generate a large variety of structurally complex ring-retained and ring-opened products e.g. 

As dust has some unique spectral signatures (Dubovik et al., 2002), it is possible to separate pixels with freshly emitted dust from other aerosols. 

Technical challenges are also linked to fast hygroscopicity measurements for airborne applications in order to document high altitude hygroscopicity. 

Other questions also remain open, such as whether the concentrated emissions of gases, aerosols and aerosol precursors in the megacities have a substantial impact on regional and global climate.