The global lightning-induced nitrogen oxides source

By Ulrich Schumann, H. Huntrieser. 2007

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The knowledge of the lightning-induced nitrogen oxides (LNO x ) source is important for understanding and predicting the nitrogen oxides and ozone distributions in the troposphere and their trends, the oxidising capacity of the atmosphere, and the lifetime of trace gases destroyed by reactions with OH. This knowledge is further required for the assessment of other important NO x sources, in particular from aviation emissions, the stratosphere, and from surface sources, and for understanding the possible feedback between climate changes and lightning. This paper reviews more than 3 decades of research. The review includes laboratory studies as well as surface, airborne and satellite-based observations of lightning and of NO x and related species in the atmosphere. Relevant data available from measurements in regions with strong LNO x influence are identified, including recent observations at midlatitudes and over tropical continents where most lightning occurs. Various methods to model LNO x at cloud scales or globally are described. Previous estimates are re-evaluated using the global annual mean flash frequency of 44±5 s −1 reported from OTD satellite data. From the review, mainly of airborne measurements near thunderstorms and cloud-resolving models, we conclude that a "typical" thunderstorm flash produces 15 (2–40)×10 25 NO molecules per flash, equivalent to 250 mol NO x or 3.5 kg of N mass per flash with uncertainty factor from 0.13 to 2.7. Mainly as a result of global model studies for various LNO x parameterisations tested with related observations, the best estimate of the annual global LNO x nitrogen mass source and its uncertainty range is (5±3) Tg a −1 in this study. In spite of a smaller global flash rate, the best estimate is essentially the same as in some earlier reviews, implying larger flash-specific NO x emissions. The paper estimates the LNO x accuracy required for various applications and lays out strategies for improving estimates in the future. An accuracy of about 1 Tg a −1 or 20%, as necessary in particular for understanding tropical tropospheric chemistry, is still a challenging goal.

Subfields: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Science, Global and Planetary Change

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/eb32d9e0316a01863daf315934415538a4197309

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Citations in the corpus

Production of lightning NOx and its vertical distribution calculated from three‐dimensional cloud‐scale chemical transport model simulations (2010, background): “IPCC [2007] recommends a 1.1–6.4 Tg N yr 1 range, though a more comprehensive review has specified the range to be 2–8 Tg N yr 1 [Schumann and Huntrieser, 2007].”
The Chemistry Mechanism in the Community Earth System Model Version 2 (CESM2) (2020, background): “These are within the generally accepted range (3–8 TgN/year) for lightning NO emissions (Schumann & Huntrieser, 2007).”
Exoplanet Biosignatures: A Review of Remotely Detectable Signs of Life (2017, background): “A small amount of N2O is also produced by lightning (Levine et al., 1979), although the estimated contribution of total atmospheric N2O from lightning on Earth is 0.002% (Schumann and Huntrieser, 2007).”
Optimized regional and interannual variability of lightning in a global chemical transport model constrained by LIS/OTD satellite data (2012, positive): “Global estimates range from 1 to 20 Tg N yr (cid:5) 1 , with a most probable range of 2 – 8 Tg N yr (cid:5) 1 [ Schumann and Huntrieser , 2007].”
Transport impacts on atmosphere and climate: Aviation (2009, positive): “In addition, a number of other related European Fifth Framework Projects were initiated studying the nitrogen budget in the upper troposphere from natural sources, especially lightning (LINOX, EULINOX, TROCCINOX), which have been summarized by Schumann and Huntrieser (2007) .”
Tropospheric chemistry in the integrated forecasting system of ECMWF (2014, background): “Model Dev., 8, 975–1003, 2015 www.geosci-model-dev.net/8/975/2015/ surface type specific parameters as referenced in Seinfeld and Pandis (1998).”
Remote sensed and in situ constraints on processes affecting tropical tropospheric ozone (2006, background): “Schumann and Huntrieser (2007) estimate a comparable magnitude of 5±3 Tg N yr−1 in a very thorough review of observations and simulations over the last decades. b. Sensitivity to distribution The vertical distribution of lightning emissions is also important (Labrador et al., 2005).”
Lightning Related Transient Luminous Events at High Altitude in the Earth’s Atmosphere: Phenomenology, Mechanisms and Effects (2012, background): “The most recent accepted estimates of global LNOx production range from 2 to 8 Tg(N) yr−1 (Schumann and Huntrieser 2007).”