2008 Articles

A multi-model study of the hemispheric transport and deposition of oxidised nitrogen

Sanderson, M. G.; Fiore, Arlene M.; Cuvelier, C.; Keating, T. J.; Zuber, A.; Atherton, C. S.; Bergmann, Dan; Diehl, T.; Doherty, R. M.; Duncan, B. N.; Hess, P.; Horowitz, L. W.; Jacob, Daniel J.; Jonson, J. E.; Kaminski, J. W.; Lupu, A.; MacKenzie, I. A.; Mancini, E.; Marmer, E.; Dentener, F. J.; Park, R.; Pitari, G.; Prather, M. J.; Pringle, K. J.; Schroeder, S.; Schultz, M. G.; Shindell, D. T.; Szopa, S.; Wild, O.; Wind, P.

Fifteen chemistry-transport models are used to quantify, for the first time, the export of oxidised nitrogen (NOy) to and from four regions (Europe, North America, South Asia, and East Asia), and to estimate the uncertainty in the results. Between 12 and 24% of the NOx emitted is exported from each region annually. The strongest impact of each source region on a foreign region is: Europe on East Asia, North America on Europe, South Asia on East Asia, and East Asia on North America. Europe exports the most NOy, and East Asia the least. East Asia receives the most NOy from the other regions. Between 8 and 15% of NOx emitted in each region is transported over distances larger than 1000 km, with 3–10% ultimately deposited over the foreign regions.