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ISET Calendar Item DetailsNOAA-ISET Seminar: Dr. Christine Wiedinmyer, Atmospheric Chemistry Division National Center for Atmospheric Research; Boulder, CO, 11-12PM, Chemistry Bldg., Room NSB 200 03-25-2010 Place: Chemistry Department Seminar Room NSB 200 Time: 11-12 am
Exchanges of Organic Compounds Between the Biosphere and the Atmosphere: Now and in the Future Christine Wiedinmyer Atmospheric Chemistry Division National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO
Abstract The terrestrial biosphere emits significant amounts of organic compounds to the atmosphere via both natural processes (biogenic emissions) and from disturbances (for example, fire). These compounds include isoprene, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and a host of oxygenated compounds. Global emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and VOC emissions from biomass burning are far greater than those released from anthropogenic sources. These VOCs contribute to atmospheric processes that control air quality and climate. The type and rate of organic emissions from vegetation are determined by land cover characteristics, such as ecosystem type, vegetation density, and plant species distribution, and also by environmental conditions, including temperature, solar radiation, and water availability. Estimates of emissions from vegetation are used in regional and global model applications to explain atmospheric chemistry, including ozone formation and aerosol formation. In the future, as climate and land cover change are expected to lead to substantially different emissions from the terrestrial biosphere, leading to large changes in atmospheric chemistry and climate. Land cover disturbances, such as urbanization, insect infestations, and fires, can dramatically alter emissions, resulting in substantial changes in regional chemistry and climate. |