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Contribution of Arctic seabird-colony ammonia to atmospheric particles and cloud-albedo radiative effect

Author

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  • B. Croft

    (Dalhousie University)

  • G. R. Wentworth

    (University of Toronto
    Present address: Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 9888 Jasper Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J 5C6 (G.R.W))

  • R. V. Martin

    (Dalhousie University
    Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

  • W. R. Leaitch

    (Environment and Climate Change Canada)

  • J. G. Murphy

    (University of Toronto)

  • B. N. Murphy

    (Stockholm University
    Present address: Computational Exposure Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, 200 Park Drive, North Carolina 27709, USA (B.N.M))

  • J. K. Kodros

    (Colorado State University)

  • J. P. D. Abbatt

    (University of Toronto)

  • J. R. Pierce

    (Dalhousie University
    Colorado State University)

Abstract

The Arctic region is vulnerable to climate change and able to affect global climate. The summertime Arctic atmosphere is pristine and strongly influenced by natural regional emissions, which have poorly understood climate impacts related to atmospheric particles and clouds. Here we show that ammonia from seabird-colony guano is a key factor contributing to bursts of newly formed particles, which are observed every summer in the near-surface atmosphere at Alert, Nunavut, Canada. Our chemical-transport model simulations indicate that the pan-Arctic seabird-influenced particles can grow by sulfuric acid and organic vapour condensation to diameters sufficiently large to promote pan-Arctic cloud-droplet formation in the clean Arctic summertime. We calculate that the resultant cooling tendencies could be large (about −0.5 W m−2 pan-Arctic-mean cooling), exceeding −1 W m−2 near the largest seabird colonies due to the effects of seabird-influenced particles on cloud albedo. These coupled ecological–chemical processes may be susceptible to Arctic warming and industrialization.

Suggested Citation

  • B. Croft & G. R. Wentworth & R. V. Martin & W. R. Leaitch & J. G. Murphy & B. N. Murphy & J. K. Kodros & J. P. D. Abbatt & J. R. Pierce, 2016. "Contribution of Arctic seabird-colony ammonia to atmospheric particles and cloud-albedo radiative effect," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13444
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13444
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