Articles | Volume 25, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10625-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-10625-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
17 Sep 2025
Research article |
| 17 Sep 2025
| 17 Sep 2025
On the presence of high nitrite (NO2−) in coarse particles at Mt. Qomolangma
Zhongyi Zhang
National Key Laboratory of Deep Space Exploration/School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
Chunxiang Ye
SKL-ESPC & SEPKL-AERM, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Center for Environment and Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Yichao Wu
National Key Laboratory of Deep Space Exploration/School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
Tao Zhou
Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, Hefei, 230088, Anhui, China
Pengfei Chen
Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Shichang Kang
Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Chong Zhang
SKL-ESPC & SEPKL-AERM, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, and Center for Environment and Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Zhuang Jiang
National Key Laboratory of Deep Space Exploration/School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
National Key Laboratory of Deep Space Exploration/School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, Hefei, 230088, Anhui, China
CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
Related authors
No articles found.
Gang Zhao, Ping Tian, Chunxiang Ye, Weili Lin, Yicheng Gao, Jie Sun, Yi Chen, Fengjun Shen, and Tong Zhu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3012, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3012, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding aerosol size distribution helps us predict how aerosols move, grow, and interact with the environment and climate. We used "maximum entropy" to demonstrate that the aerosol particle number size distribution would follow the Weibull distribution in the clean atmosphere during the new particle formation and growth process. The observations showed good consistency with the theoretical analysis.
Tiantian Zhang, Peng Zuo, Yi Chen, Tong Liu, Linghan Zeng, Weili Lin, and Chunxiang Ye
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2210, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2210, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
During the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, we conducted field observations of N2O5. By comparing pre- and post-Olympic pollutant levels, we evaluated the impact of emission reductions on nocturnal chemistry. The results showed that the reactivity of nitric oxide (NO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with NO3 decreased, and that the heterogeneous uptake of N2O5 played a critical role in nocturnal nitrate formation.
Zhao Wei, Shohei Hattori, Asuka Tsuruta, Zhuang Jiang, Sakiko Ishino, Koji Fujita, Sumito Matoba, Lei Geng, Alexis Lamothe, Ryu Uemura, Naohiro Yoshida, Joel Savarino, and Yoshinori Iizuka
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5727–5742, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5727-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5727-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrate isotope records in ice cores reveal changes in NOₓ emissions and atmospheric oxidation chemistry driven by human activity. However, UV-driven postdepositional processes can alter nitrate in snow, making snow accumulation rates critical for preserving these records. This study examines nitrate isotopes in a southeastern Greenland ice core, where high snow accumulation minimizes these effects, providing a reliable archive of atmospheric nitrogen cycling.
Kai Man, Xichen Li, Jürg Luterbacher, Lei Geng, Naiming Yuan, Yurong Hou, Yonghao Wang, and Yujie Miao
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1381, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1381, 2025
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet shows opposing snow accumulation trends: decreasing in the west and increasing in the east. Our study reveals that tropical ocean temperature shifts – Pacific cooling and Atlantic warming – drive changes in winds and moisture, boosting snowfall in the east while reducing it in the west. Using ice cores and models, we highlight how distant ocean changes shape Antarctic Ice Sheet, crucial for predicting future sea level rise.
Xia Wang, Tao Che, Xueyin Ruan, Shanna Yue, Jing Wang, Chun Zhao, and Lei Geng
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 651–670, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-651-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-651-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We employed the WRF-Chem model to parameterize atmospheric nitrate deposition in snow and evaluate its performance in simulating snow cover, snow depth, and concentrations of dust and nitrate using new observations from northern China. The results generally exhibit reasonable agreement with field observations in northern China, demonstrating the model's capability to simulate snow properties, including concentrations of reservoir species.
Tianming Ma, Zhuang Jiang, Minghu Ding, Pengzhen He, Yuansheng Li, Wenqian Zhang, and Lei Geng
The Cryosphere, 18, 4547–4565, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4547-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4547-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We constructed a box model to evaluate the isotope effects of atmosphere–snow water vapor exchange at Dome A, Antarctica. The results show clear and invisible diurnal changes in surface snow isotopes under summer and winter conditions, respectively. The model also predicts that the annual net effects of atmosphere–snow water vapor exchange would be overall enrichments in snow isotopes since the effects in summer appear to be greater than those in winter at the study site.
Chengzhi Xing, Cheng Liu, Chunxiang Ye, Jingkai Xue, Hongyu Wu, Xiangguang Ji, Jinping Ou, and Qihou Hu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10093–10112, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10093-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10093-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We identified the contributions of ozone (O3) and nitrous acid (HONO) to the production rates of hydroxide (OH) in vertical space on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). A new insight was offered: the contributions of HONO and O3 to the production rates of OH on the TP are even greater than in lower-altitudes areas. This study enriches the understanding of vertical distribution of atmospheric components and explains the strong atmospheric oxidation capacity (AOC) on the TP.
Zhuang Jiang, Becky Alexander, Joel Savarino, and Lei Geng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4895–4914, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4895-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4895-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-core nitrate could track the past atmospheric NOx and oxidant level, but its interpretation is hampered by the post-depositional processing. In this work, an inverse model was developed and tested against two polar sites and was shown to well reproduce the observed nitrate signals in snow and atmosphere, suggesting that the model can properly correct for the effect of post-depositional processing. This model offers a very useful tool for future studies on ice-core nitrate records.
Chaman Gul, Shichang Kang, Yuanjian Yang, Xinlei Ge, and Dong Guo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1144, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1144, 2024
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Long-term variations in upper atmospheric temperature and water vapor in the selected domains of time and space are presented. The temperature during the past two decades showed a cooling trend and water vapor showed an increasing trend and had an inverse relation with temperature in selected domains of space and time. Seasonal temperature variations are distinct, with a summer minimum and a winter maximum. Our results can be an early warning indication for future climate change.
Jianzhong Xu, Xinghua Zhang, Wenhui Zhao, Lixiang Zhai, Miao Zhong, Jinsen Shi, Junying Sun, Yanmei Liu, Conghui Xie, Yulong Tan, Kemei Li, Xinlei Ge, Qi Zhang, and Shichang Kang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1875–1900, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1875-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1875-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A comprehensive aerosol observation project was carried out in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and its surroundings in recent years to investigate the properties and sources of atmospheric aerosols as well as their regional differences by performing multiple intensive field observations. The release of this dataset can provide basic and systematic data for related research in the atmospheric, cryospheric, and environmental sciences in this unique region.
Xi Cheng, Yong Jie Li, Yan Zheng, Keren Liao, Theodore K. Koenig, Yanli Ge, Tong Zhu, Chunxiang Ye, Xinghua Qiu, and Qi Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2099–2112, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2099-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2099-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we conducted laboratory measurements to investigate the formation of gas-phase oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs) from six aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We provide a thorough analysis on the effects of precursor structure (substituents and ring numbers) on product distribution and highlight from a laboratory perspective that heavy (e.g., double-ring) aromatic VOCs are important in initial particle growth during secondary organic aerosol formation.
Shuzheng Guo, Chunxiang Ye, Weili Lin, Yi Chen, Limin Zeng, Xuena Yu, Jinhui Cui, Chong Zhang, Jing Duan, Haobin Zhong, Rujin Huang, Xuguang Chi, Wei Nie, and Aijun Ding
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-262, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-262, 2024
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
@Tibet field campaigns 2021 discovered surprisingly high levels and activity contributions of oxygenated volatile organic compounds on the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau, which suggests that OVOCs may play a larger role in the chemical reactions that occur in high-altitude regions than previously thought.
Yuling Hu, Haipeng Yu, Shichang Kang, Junhua Yang, Mukesh Rai, Xiufeng Yin, Xintong Chen, and Pengfei Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 85–107, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-85-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-85-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Tibetan Plateau (TP) saw a record-breaking aerosol pollution event from April 20 to May 10, 2016. We studied the impact of aerosol–meteorology feedback on the transboundary transport flux of black carbon (BC) during this severe pollution event. It was found that the aerosol–meteorology feedback decreases the transboundary transport flux of BC from the central and western Himalayas towards the TP. This study is of great significance for the protection of the ecological environment of the TP.
Chunxiang Ye, Shuzheng Guo, Weili Lin, Fangjie Tian, Jianshu Wang, Chong Zhang, Suzhen Chi, Yi Chen, Yingjie Zhang, Limin Zeng, Xin Li, Duo Bu, Jiacheng Zhou, and Weixiong Zhao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10383–10397, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10383-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10383-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Online volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, with other O3 precursors, were used to identify key VOC and other key sources in Lhasa. Total VOCs (TVOCs), alkanes, and aromatics are half as abundant as in Beijing. Oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) consist of 52 % of the TVOCs. Alkenes and OVOCs account for 80 % of the ozone formation potential. Aromatics dominate secondary organic aerosol potential. Positive matrix factorization decomposed residential sources.
Xiufeng Yin, Dipesh Rupakheti, Guoshuai Zhang, Jiali Luo, Shichang Kang, Benjamin de Foy, Junhua Yang, Zhenming Ji, Zhiyuan Cong, Maheswar Rupakheti, Ping Li, Yuling Hu, and Qianggong Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10137–10143, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10137-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10137-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The monthly mean surface ozone concentrations peaked earlier in the south in April and May and later in the north in June and July over the Tibetan Plateau. The migration of monthly surface ozone peaks was coupled with the synchronous movement of tropopause folds and the westerly jet that created conditions conducive to stratospheric ozone intrusion. Stratospheric ozone intrusion significantly contributed to surface ozone across the Tibetan Plateau.
Yaru Wang, Yi Chen, Suzhen Chi, Jianshu Wang, Chong Zhang, Weixiong Zhao, Weili Lin, and Chunxiang Ye
Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-192, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-192, 2023
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
We reported an optimized system (Mea-OPR) for direct measurement of ozone production rate, which showed a precise, sensitive and reliable measurement of OPR for at least urban and suburban atmosphere, and active O3 photochemical production in winter Beijing. Herein, the Mea-OPR system also shows its potential in exploring the fundamental O3 photochemistry, i.e., surprisingly high ozone production even under high-NOx conditions.
Wanyun Xu, Yuxuan Bian, Weili Lin, Yingjie Zhang, Yaru Wang, Zhiqiang Ma, Xiaoyi Zhang, Gen Zhang, Chunxiang Ye, and Xiaobin Xu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7635–7652, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7635-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7635-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Tropospheric ozone (O3) and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) are both photochemical pollutants harmful to the ecological environment and human health, especially in the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, the factors determining their variations in the TP have not been comprehensively investigated. Results from field measurements and observation-based models revealed that day-to-day variations in O3 and PAN were in fact controlled by distinct physiochemical processes.
Joanna E. Dyson, Lisa K. Whalley, Eloise J. Slater, Robert Woodward-Massey, Chunxiang Ye, James D. Lee, Freya Squires, James R. Hopkins, Rachel E. Dunmore, Marvin Shaw, Jacqueline F. Hamilton, Alastair C. Lewis, Stephen D. Worrall, Asan Bacak, Archit Mehra, Thomas J. Bannan, Hugh Coe, Carl J. Percival, Bin Ouyang, C. Nicholas Hewitt, Roderic L. Jones, Leigh R. Crilley, Louisa J. Kramer, W. Joe F. Acton, William J. Bloss, Supattarachai Saksakulkrai, Jingsha Xu, Zongbo Shi, Roy M. Harrison, Simone Kotthaus, Sue Grimmond, Yele Sun, Weiqi Xu, Siyao Yue, Lianfang Wei, Pingqing Fu, Xinming Wang, Stephen R. Arnold, and Dwayne E. Heard
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 5679–5697, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5679-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-5679-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The hydroxyl (OH) and closely coupled hydroperoxyl (HO2) radicals are vital for their role in the removal of atmospheric pollutants. In less polluted regions, atmospheric models over-predict HO2 concentrations. In this modelling study, the impact of heterogeneous uptake of HO2 onto aerosol surfaces on radical concentrations and the ozone production regime in Beijing in the summertime is investigated, and the implications for emissions policies across China are considered.
Lizi Tang, Min Hu, Dongjie Shang, Xin Fang, Jianjiong Mao, Wanyun Xu, Jiacheng Zhou, Weixiong Zhao, Yaru Wang, Chong Zhang, Yingjie Zhang, Jianlin Hu, Limin Zeng, Chunxiang Ye, Song Guo, and Zhijun Wu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4343–4359, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4343-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4343-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
There was an evident distinction in the frequency of new particle formation (NPF) events at Nam Co station on the Tibetan Plateau: 15 % in pre-monsoon season and 80 % in monsoon season. The frequent NPF events in monsoon season resulted from the higher frequency of southerly air masses, which brought the organic precursors to participate in the NPF process. It increased the amount of aerosol and CCN compared with those in pre-monsoon season, which may markedly affect earth's radiation balance.
Huiming Lin, Yindong Tong, Long Chen, Chenghao Yu, Zhaohan Chu, Qianru Zhang, Xiufeng Yin, Qianggong Zhang, Shichang Kang, Junfeng Liu, James Schauer, Benjamin de Foy, and Xuejun Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3937–3953, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3937-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3937-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Lhasa is the largest city in the Tibetan Plateau, and its atmospheric mercury concentrations represent the highest level of pollution in this region. Unexpectedly high concentrations of atmospheric mercury species were found. Combined with the trajectory analysis, the high atmospheric mercury concentrations may have originated from external long-range transport. Local sources, especially special mercury-related sources, are important factors influencing the variability of atmospheric mercury.
Shaoyong Wang, Xiaobo He, Shichang Kang, Hui Fu, and Xiaofeng Hong
The Cryosphere, 16, 5023–5040, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5023-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5023-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study used the sine-wave exponential model and long-term water stable isotopic data to estimate water mean residence time (MRT) and its influencing factors in a high-altitude permafrost catchment (5300 m a.s.l.) in the central Tibetan Plateau (TP). MRT for stream and supra-permafrost water was estimated at 100 and 255 d, respectively. Climate and vegetation factors affected the MRT of stream and supra-permafrost water mainly by changing the thickness of the permafrost active layer.
Hao Yin, Youwen Sun, Justus Notholt, Mathias Palm, Chunxiang Ye, and Cheng Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14401–14419, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14401-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14401-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Improved knowledge of the chemistry and drivers of surface ozone over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is significant for regulatory and control purposes in this high-altitude region in the Himalayas. Our study investigates the processes and drivers of surface ozone anomalies by using machine-learning model-based meteorological normalization methods between 2015 and 2020 in urban areas over the QTP. This study can provide valuable implication for ozone mitigation over the QTP.
Yanzhi Cao, Zhuang Jiang, Becky Alexander, Jihong Cole-Dai, Joel Savarino, Joseph Erbland, and Lei Geng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13407–13422, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13407-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13407-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the potential of ice-core preserved nitrate isotopes as proxies of stratospheric ozone variability by measuring nitrate isotopes in a shallow ice core from the South Pole. The large variability in the snow accumulation rate and its slight increase after the 1970s masked any signals caused by the ozone hole. Moreover, the nitrate oxygen isotope decrease may reflect changes in the atmospheric oxidation environment in the Southern Ocean.
Jizu Chen, Wentao Du, Shichang Kang, Xiang Qin, Weijun Sun, Yang Li, Yushuo Liu, Lihui Luo, and Youyan Jiang
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-179, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-179, 2022
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
This study developed a dynamic deposition model of light absorbing particles (LAPs), which coupled with a surface energy and mass balance model. Based on the coupled model, we assessed atmospheric deposited BC effect on glacier melting, and quantified global warming and increment of emitted black carbon respective contributions to current accelerated glacier melting.
Yuhan Liu, Xuejiao Wang, Jing Shang, Weiwei Xu, Mengshuang Sheng, and Chunxiang Ye
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11347–11358, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11347-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11347-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, the influence of HCHO on renoxification on nitrate-doped TiO2 particles is investigated by using an experimental chamber. Mass NOx release is suggested to follow the NO−3-NO3·-HNO3-NOx pathway, with HCHO involved in the transformation of NO3· to HNO3 through hydrogen abstraction. Our proposed reaction mechanism by which HCHO promotes photocatalytic renoxification is helpful for deeply understanding the atmospheric photochemical processes and nitrogen cycling.
Xueyin Ruan, Chun Zhao, Rahul A. Zaveri, Pengzhen He, Xinming Wang, Jingyuan Shao, and Lei Geng
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 6143–6164, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-6143-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-6143-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate prediction of aerosol pH in chemical transport models is essential to aerosol modeling. This study examines the performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) on aerosol pH predictions and the sensitivities to emissions of nonvolatile cations and NH3, aerosol-phase state assumption, and heterogeneous sulfate production. Temporal evolution of aerosol pH during haze cycles in Beijing and the driving factors are also presented and discussed.
Zhuang Jiang, Joel Savarino, Becky Alexander, Joseph Erbland, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, and Lei Geng
The Cryosphere, 16, 2709–2724, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2709-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2709-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A record of year-round atmospheric nitrate isotopic composition along with snow nitrate isotopic data from Summit, Greenland, revealed apparent enrichments in nitrogen isotopes in snow nitrate compared to atmospheric nitrate, in addition to a relatively smaller degree of changes in oxygen isotopes. The results suggest that at this site post-depositional processing takes effect, which should be taken into account when interpreting ice-core nitrate isotope records.
Chaman Gul, Shichang Kang, Siva Praveen Puppala, Xiaokang Wu, Cenlin He, Yangyang Xu, Inka Koch, Sher Muhammad, Rajesh Kumar, and Getachew Dubache
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 8725–8737, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8725-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-8725-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This work aims to understand concentrations, spatial variability, and potential source regions of light-absorbing impurities (black carbon aerosols, dust particles, and organic carbon) in the surface snow of central and western Himalayan glaciers and their impact on snow albedo and radiative forcing.
Xinghua Zhang, Wenhui Zhao, Lixiang Zhai, Miao Zhong, Jinsen Shi, Junying Sun, Yanmei Liu, Conghui Xie, Yulong Tan, Kemei Li, Xinlei Ge, Qi Zhang, Shichang Kang, and Jianzhong Xu
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-211, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-211, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
A comprehensive aerosol observation project was carried out in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in recent years to investigate the properties and sources of atmospheric aerosols as well as their regional differences by performing multiple short-term intensive field observations. The real-time online high-time-resolution (hourly) data of aerosol properties in the different TP region are integrated in a new dataset and can provide supporting for related studies in in the TP.
Marios Panagi, Roberto Sommariva, Zoë L. Fleming, Paul S. Monks, Gongda Lu, Eloise A. Marais, James R. Hopkins, Alastair C. Lewis, Qiang Zhang, James D. Lee, Freya A. Squires, Lisa K. Whalley, Eloise J. Slater, Dwayne E. Heard, Robert Woodward-Massey, Chunxiang Ye, and Joshua D. Vande Hey
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-379, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-379, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
A dispersion model and a box model were combined to investigate the evolution of VOCs in Beijing once they are emitted from anthropogenic sources. It was determined that during the winter time the VOC concentrations in Beijing are driven predominantly by sources within Beijing and by a combination of transport and chemistry during the summer. Furthermore, the results in the paper highlight the need for a season specific policy.
Yuting Zhu, Youfeng Wang, Xianliang Zhou, Yasin F. Elshorbany, Chunxiang Ye, Matthew Hayden, and Andrew J. Peters
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6327–6346, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6327-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6327-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The daytime chemistry of nitrous acid (HONO), which plays an important role in the oxidation capacity of the troposphere, is not well understood. In this work, we report new field measurement results of HONO and the relevant parameters in the marine boundary layer at Tudor Hill Marine Atmospheric Observatory in Bermuda. We evaluate the daytime HONO budgets in air masses under different types of interaction with the island and examine the strengths of different HONO formation and loss mechanisms.
Yongqin Liu, Pengcheng Fang, Bixi Guo, Mukan Ji, Pengfei Liu, Guannan Mao, Baiqing Xu, Shichang Kang, and Junzhi Liu
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 2303–2314, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2303-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2303-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers are an important pool of microorganisms, organic carbon, and nitrogen. This study constructed the first dataset of microbial abundance and total nitrogen in Tibetan Plateau (TP) glaciers and the first dataset of dissolved organic carbon in ice cores on the TP. These new data could provide valuable information for research on the glacier carbon and nitrogen cycle and help in assessing the potential impacts of glacier retreat due to global warming on downstream ecosystems.
Mukesh Rai, Shichang Kang, Junhua Yang, Maheswar Rupakheti, Dipesh Rupakheti, Lekhendra Tripathee, Yuling Hu, and Xintong Chen
Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-199, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2022-199, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Our study revealed distinctive seasonality with the maximum and minimum aerosol concentrations during the winter and summer seasons respectively. However, interestingly summer high (AOD > 0.8) was observed over South Asia. The highest aerosols are laden over South Asia and East China within 1–2 km, however, aerosol overshooting found up to 10 km due to the deep convection process. Whereas, integrated aerosol transport for OC during spring was found to be 5 times higher than the annual mean.
Huiming Lin, Yindong Tong, Chenghao Yu, Long Chen, Xiufeng Yin, Qianggong Zhang, Shichang Kang, Lun Luo, James Schauer, Benjamin de Foy, and Xuejun Wang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2651–2668, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2651-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2651-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Tibetan Plateau is known as
The Third Poleand is generally considered to be a clean area owing to its high altitude. However, it may receive be impacted by air pollutants transported from the Indian subcontinent. Pollutants generally enter the Tibetan Plateau in several ways. Among them is the Yarlung Zangbu–Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. In this study, we identified the influence of the Indian summer monsoon on the origin, transport, and behavior of mercury in this area.
Shichang Kang, Yulan Zhang, Pengfei Chen, Junming Guo, Qianggong Zhang, Zhiyuan Cong, Susan Kaspari, Lekhendra Tripathee, Tanguang Gao, Hewen Niu, Xinyue Zhong, Xintong Chen, Zhaofu Hu, Xiaofei Li, Yang Li, Bigyan Neupane, Fangping Yan, Dipesh Rupakheti, Chaman Gul, Wei Zhang, Guangming Wu, Ling Yang, Zhaoqing Wang, and Chaoliu Li
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 683–707, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-683-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-683-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Tibetan Plateau is important to the Earth’s climate. However, systematically observed data here are scarce. To perform more integrated and in-depth investigations of the origins and distributions of atmospheric pollutants and their impacts on cryospheric change, systematic data of black carbon and organic carbon from the atmosphere, glaciers, snow cover, precipitation, and lake sediment cores over the plateau based on the Atmospheric Pollution and Cryospheric Change program are provided.
Jinlei Chen, Shichang Kang, Wentao Du, Junming Guo, Min Xu, Yulan Zhang, Xinyue Zhong, Wei Zhang, and Jizu Chen
The Cryosphere, 15, 5473–5482, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5473-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5473-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Sea ice is retreating with rapid warming in the Arctic. It will continue and approach the worst predicted pathway released by the IPCC. The irreversible tipping point might show around 2060 when the oldest ice will have completely disappeared. It has a huge impact on human production. Ordinary merchant ships will be able to pass the Northeast Passage and Northwest Passage by the midcentury, and the opening time will advance to the next 10 years for icebreakers with moderate ice strengthening.
Zhuang Jiang, Becky Alexander, Joel Savarino, Joseph Erbland, and Lei Geng
The Cryosphere, 15, 4207–4220, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4207-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4207-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We used a snow photochemistry model (TRANSITS) to simulate the seasonal nitrate snow profile at Summit, Greenland. Comparisons between model outputs and observations suggest that at Summit post-depositional processing is active and probably dominates the snowpack δ15N seasonality. We also used the model to assess the degree of snow nitrate loss and the consequences in its isotopes at present and in the past, which helps for quantitative interpretations of ice-core nitrate records.
Yongkang Xue, Tandong Yao, Aaron A. Boone, Ismaila Diallo, Ye Liu, Xubin Zeng, William K. M. Lau, Shiori Sugimoto, Qi Tang, Xiaoduo Pan, Peter J. van Oevelen, Daniel Klocke, Myung-Seo Koo, Tomonori Sato, Zhaohui Lin, Yuhei Takaya, Constantin Ardilouze, Stefano Materia, Subodh K. Saha, Retish Senan, Tetsu Nakamura, Hailan Wang, Jing Yang, Hongliang Zhang, Mei Zhao, Xin-Zhong Liang, J. David Neelin, Frederic Vitart, Xin Li, Ping Zhao, Chunxiang Shi, Weidong Guo, Jianping Tang, Miao Yu, Yun Qian, Samuel S. P. Shen, Yang Zhang, Kun Yang, Ruby Leung, Yuan Qiu, Daniele Peano, Xin Qi, Yanling Zhan, Michael A. Brunke, Sin Chan Chou, Michael Ek, Tianyi Fan, Hong Guan, Hai Lin, Shunlin Liang, Helin Wei, Shaocheng Xie, Haoran Xu, Weiping Li, Xueli Shi, Paulo Nobre, Yan Pan, Yi Qin, Jeff Dozier, Craig R. Ferguson, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Qing Bao, Jinming Feng, Jinkyu Hong, Songyou Hong, Huilin Huang, Duoying Ji, Zhenming Ji, Shichang Kang, Yanluan Lin, Weiguang Liu, Ryan Muncaster, Patricia de Rosnay, Hiroshi G. Takahashi, Guiling Wang, Shuyu Wang, Weicai Wang, Xu Zhou, and Yuejian Zhu
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 4465–4494, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4465-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4465-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The subseasonal prediction of extreme hydroclimate events such as droughts/floods has remained stubbornly low for years. This paper presents a new international initiative which, for the first time, introduces spring land surface temperature anomalies over high mountains to improve precipitation prediction through remote effects of land–atmosphere interactions. More than 40 institutions worldwide are participating in this effort. The experimental protocol and preliminary results are presented.
Kun Wang, Shohei Hattori, Mang Lin, Sakiko Ishino, Becky Alexander, Kazuki Kamezaki, Naohiro Yoshida, and Shichang Kang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 8357–8376, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8357-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-8357-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Sulfate aerosols play an important climatic role and exert adverse effects on the ecological environment and human health. In this study, we present the triple oxygen isotopic composition of sulfate from the Mt. Everest region, southern Tibetan Plateau, and decipher the formation mechanisms of atmospheric sulfate in this pristine environment. The results indicate the important role of the S(IV) + O3 pathway in atmospheric sulfate formation promoted by conditions of high cloud water pH.
Claire E. Reeves, Graham P. Mills, Lisa K. Whalley, W. Joe F. Acton, William J. Bloss, Leigh R. Crilley, Sue Grimmond, Dwayne E. Heard, C. Nicholas Hewitt, James R. Hopkins, Simone Kotthaus, Louisa J. Kramer, Roderic L. Jones, James D. Lee, Yanhui Liu, Bin Ouyang, Eloise Slater, Freya Squires, Xinming Wang, Robert Woodward-Massey, and Chunxiang Ye
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6315–6330, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6315-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6315-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The impact of isoprene on atmospheric chemistry is dependent on how its oxidation products interact with other pollutants, specifically nitrogen oxides. Such interactions can lead to isoprene nitrates. We made measurements of the concentrations of individual isoprene nitrate isomers in Beijing and used a model to test current understanding of their chemistry. We highlight areas of uncertainty in understanding, in particular the chemistry following oxidation of isoprene by the nitrate radical.
Weili Lin, Feng Wang, Chunxiang Ye, and Tong Zhu
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-32, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-32, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
Field observations found that released NOx on the glacier surface of the Tibetan Plateau, an important snow-covered region in the northern mid-latitudes, had a higher concentration than in Antarctic and Arctic regions. Such evidence, and such high fluxes as observed here on the Tibetan plateau is novel. That such high concentrations of nitrogen oxides can be found in remote areas is interesting and important for the oxidative budget of the boundary layer.
Lisa K. Whalley, Eloise J. Slater, Robert Woodward-Massey, Chunxiang Ye, James D. Lee, Freya Squires, James R. Hopkins, Rachel E. Dunmore, Marvin Shaw, Jacqueline F. Hamilton, Alastair C. Lewis, Archit Mehra, Stephen D. Worrall, Asan Bacak, Thomas J. Bannan, Hugh Coe, Carl J. Percival, Bin Ouyang, Roderic L. Jones, Leigh R. Crilley, Louisa J. Kramer, William J. Bloss, Tuan Vu, Simone Kotthaus, Sue Grimmond, Yele Sun, Weiqi Xu, Siyao Yue, Lujie Ren, W. Joe F. Acton, C. Nicholas Hewitt, Xinming Wang, Pingqing Fu, and Dwayne E. Heard
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 2125–2147, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2125-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-2125-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
To understand how emission controls will impact ozone, an understanding of the sources and sinks of OH and the chemical cycling between peroxy radicals is needed. This paper presents measurements of OH, HO2 and total RO2 taken in central Beijing. The radical observations are compared to a detailed chemistry model, which shows that under low NO conditions, there is a missing OH source. Under high NOx conditions, the model under-predicts RO2 and impacts our ability to model ozone.
Mike J. Newland, Daniel J. Bryant, Rachel E. Dunmore, Thomas J. Bannan, W. Joe F. Acton, Ben Langford, James R. Hopkins, Freya A. Squires, William Dixon, William S. Drysdale, Peter D. Ivatt, Mathew J. Evans, Peter M. Edwards, Lisa K. Whalley, Dwayne E. Heard, Eloise J. Slater, Robert Woodward-Massey, Chunxiang Ye, Archit Mehra, Stephen D. Worrall, Asan Bacak, Hugh Coe, Carl J. Percival, C. Nicholas Hewitt, James D. Lee, Tianqu Cui, Jason D. Surratt, Xinming Wang, Alastair C. Lewis, Andrew R. Rickard, and Jacqueline F. Hamilton
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 1613–1625, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1613-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-1613-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We report the formation of secondary pollutants in the urban megacity of Beijing that are typically associated with remote regions such as rainforests. This is caused by extremely low levels of nitric oxide (NO), typically expected to be high in urban areas, observed in the afternoon. This work has significant implications for how we understand atmospheric chemistry in the urban environment and thus for how to implement effective policies to improve urban air quality.
Eloise J. Slater, Lisa K. Whalley, Robert Woodward-Massey, Chunxiang Ye, James D. Lee, Freya Squires, James R. Hopkins, Rachel E. Dunmore, Marvin Shaw, Jacqueline F. Hamilton, Alastair C. Lewis, Leigh R. Crilley, Louisa Kramer, William Bloss, Tuan Vu, Yele Sun, Weiqi Xu, Siyao Yue, Lujie Ren, W. Joe F. Acton, C. Nicholas Hewitt, Xinming Wang, Pingqing Fu, and Dwayne E. Heard
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14847–14871, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14847-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14847-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The paper details atmospheric chemistry in a megacity (Beijing), focussing on radicals which mediate the formation of secondary pollutants such as ozone and particles. Highly polluted conditions were experienced, including the highest ever levels of nitric oxide (NO), with simultaneous radical measurements. Radical concentrations were large during "haze" events, demonstrating active photochemistry. Modelling showed that our understanding of the chemistry at high NOx levels is incomplete.
Cited articles
Albertin, S., Savarino, J., Bekki, S., Barbero, A., and Caillon, N.: Measurement report: Nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) and first quantification of oxygen isotope anomalies (Δ17O, δ18O) in atmospheric nitrogen dioxide, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10477–10497, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10477-2021, 2021.
Andersen, S. T., Carpenter, L. J., Reed, C., Lee, J. D., Chance, R., Sherwen, T., Vaughan, A. R., Stewart, J., Edwards, P. M., Bloss, W. J., Sommariva, R., Crilley, L. R., Nott, G. J., Neves, L., Read, K., Heard, D. E., Seakins, P. W., Whalley, L. K., Boustead, G. A., Fleming, L. T., Stone, D., and Fomba, K. W.: Extensive field evidence for the release of HONO from the photolysis of nitrate aerosols, Sci. Adv., 9, eadd6266, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.add6266, 2023.
Bao, F., Cheng, Y., Kuhn, U., Li, G., Wang, W., Kratz, A. M., Weber, J., Weber, B., Pöschl, U., and Su, H.: Key Role of Equilibrium HONO Concentration over Soil in Quantifying Soil–Atmosphere HONO Fluxes, Environ. Sci. Technol., 56, 2204–2212, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c06716, 2022.
Bhattarai, H., Zhang, Y.-L., Pavuluri, C. M., Wan, X., Wu, G., Li, P., Cao, F., Zhang, W., Wang, Y., and Kang, S.: Nitrogen speciation and isotopic composition of aerosols collected at Himalayan forest (3326 m asl): seasonality, sources, and implications, Environ. Sci. Technol., 53, 12247–12256, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b03999, 2019.
Bhattarai, H., Wu, G., Zheng, X., Zhu, H., Gao, S., Zhang, Y.-L., Widory, D., Ram, K., Chen, X., and Wan, X.: Wildfire-Derived Nitrogen Aerosols Threaten the Fragile Ecosystem in Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, Environ. Sci. Technol., 57, 9243–9251, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c01541, 2023.
Buchwald, C. and Casciotti, K. L.: Isotopic ratios of nitrite as tracers of the sources and age of oceanic nitrite, Nat. Geosci., 6, 308–313, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1745, 2013.
Cardoso, J., Almeida, S. M., Nunes, T., Almeida-Silva, M., Cerqueira, M., Alves, C., Rocha, F., Chaves, P., Reis, M., Salvador, P., Artiñano, B., and Pio, C.: Source apportionment of atmospheric aerosol in a marine dusty environment by ionic/composition mass balance (IMB), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 13215–13230, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-13215-2018, 2018.
Casciotti, K. L., Böhlke, J. K., McIlvin, M. R., Mroczkowski, S. J., and Hannon, J. E.: Oxygen isotopes in nitrite: Analysis, calibration, and equilibration, Anal. Chem., 79, 2427–2436, https://doi.org/10.1021/ac061598h, 2007.
Chai, J., Miller, D. J., Scheuer, E., Dibb, J., Selimovic, V., Yokelson, R., Zarzana, K. J., Brown, S. S., Koss, A. R., Warneke, C., and Hastings, M.: Isotopic characterization of nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrous acid (HONO), and nitrate (pNO
Chai, J., Dibb, J. E., Anderson, B. E., Bekker, C., Blum, D. E., Heim, E., Jordan, C. E., Joyce, E. E., Kaspari, J. H., Munro, H., Walters, W. W., and Hastings, M. G.: Isotopic evidence for dominant secondary production of HONO in near-ground wildfire plumes, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13077–13098, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13077-2021, 2021.
Chen, L., Peng, C., Gu, W., Fu, H., Jian, X., Zhang, H., Zhang, G., Zhu, J., Wang, X., and Tang, M.: On mineral dust aerosol hygroscopicity, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 13611–13626, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13611-2020, 2020.
Chen, Q., Edebeli, J., McNamara, S. M., Kulju, K. D., May, N. W., Bertman, S. B., Thanekar, S., Fuentes, J. D., and Pratt, K. A.: HONO, Particulate Nitrite, and Snow Nitrite at a Midlatitude Urban Site during Wintertime, ACS Earth Space Chem., 3, 811–822, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.9b00023, 2019.
Cong, Z., Kang, S., Kawamura, K., Liu, B., Wan, X., Wang, Z., Gao, S., and Fu, P.: Carbonaceous aerosols on the south edge of the Tibetan Plateau: concentrations, seasonality and sources, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 1573–1584, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-1573-2015, 2015.
Dasari, S., Paris, G., Pei, Q., Cong, Z., and Widory, D.: Tracing the origin of elevated springtime atmospheric sulfate on the southern Himalayan-Tibetan plateau, Environ. Sci.-Advances, 2, 1110–1118, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3VA00085K, 2023.
Decesari, S., Facchini, M. C., Carbone, C., Giulianelli, L., Rinaldi, M., Finessi, E., Fuzzi, S., Marinoni, A., Cristofanelli, P., Duchi, R., Bonasoni, P., Vuillermoz, E., Cozic, J., Jaffrezo, J. L., and Laj, P.: Chemical composition of PM10 and PM1 at the high-altitude Himalayan station Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid (NCO-P) (5079 m a.s.l.), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 4583–4596, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-4583-2010, 2010.
Drakaki, E., Amiridis, V., Tsekeri, A., Gkikas, A., Proestakis, E., Mallios, S., Solomos, S., Spyrou, C., Marinou, E., Ryder, C. L., Bouris, D., and Katsafados, P.: Modeling coarse and giant desert dust particles, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12727–12748, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12727-2022, 2022.
Engelbrecht, J. P., Moosmüller, H., Pincock, S., Jayanty, R. K. M., Lersch, T., and Casuccio, G.: Technical note: Mineralogical, chemical, morphological, and optical interrelationships of mineral dust re-suspensions, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 10809–10830, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-10809-2016, 2016.
Erbland, J., Vicars, W. C., Savarino, J., Morin, S., Frey, M. M., Frosini, D., Vince, E., and Martins, J. M. F.: Air–snow transfer of nitrate on the East Antarctic Plateau – Part 1: Isotopic evidence for a photolytically driven dynamic equilibrium in summer, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 6403–6419, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-6403-2013, 2013.
Fang, T., Guo, H., Verma, V., Peltier, R. E., and Weber, R. J.: PM2.5 water-soluble elements in the southeastern United States: automated analytical method development, spatiotemporal distributions, source apportionment, and implications for heath studies, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 11667–11682, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11667-2015, 2015a.
Fang, Y. T., Koba, K., Wang, X. M., Wen, D. Z., Li, J., Takebayashi, Y., Liu, X. Y., and Yoh, M.: Anthropogenic imprints on nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of precipitation nitrate in a nitrogen-polluted city in southern China, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 1313–1325, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-1313-2011, 2011.
Fang, Y., Koba, K., Makabe, A., Takahashi, C., Zhu, W., Hayashi, T., Hokari, A. A., Urakawa, R., Bai, E., and Houlton, B. Z.: Microbial denitrification dominates nitrate losses from forest ecosystems, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 112, 1470–1474, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1416776112, 2015b.
Felix, J. D. and Elliott, E. M.: Isotopic composition of passively collected nitrogen dioxide emissions: Vehicle, soil and livestock source signatures, Atmos. Environ., 92, 359–366, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.04.005, 2014.
Fountoukis, C. and Nenes, A.: ISORROPIA II: a computationally efficient thermodynamic equilibrium model for K+–Ca2+–Mg2+–NH
Frey, M. M., Savarino, J., Morin, S., Erbland, J., and Martins, J. M. F.: Photolysis imprint in the nitrate stable isotope signal in snow and atmosphere of East Antarctica and implications for reactive nitrogen cycling, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 8681–8696, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-8681-2009, 2009.
Gao, Q., Zhu, S., Zhou, K., Zhai, J., Chen, S., Wang, Q., Wang, S., Han, J., Lu, X., Chen, H., Zhang, L., Wang, L., Wang, Z., Yang, X., Ying, Q., Zhang, H., Chen, J., and Wang, X.: High enrichment of heavy metals in fine particulate matter through dust aerosol generation, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13049–13060, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13049-2023, 2023.
Geng, L., Alexander, B., Cole-Dai, J., Steig, E. J., Savarino, J., Sofen, E. D., and Schauer, A. J.: Nitrogen isotopes in ice core nitrate linked to anthropogenic atmospheric acidity change, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 111, 5808–5812, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319441111, 2014.
Hastings, M. G., Sigman, D. M., and Lipschultz, F.: Isotopic evidence for source changes of nitrate in rain at Bermuda, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 108, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003jd003789, 2003.
Homyak, P. M., Vasquez, K. T., Sickman, J. O., Parker, D. R., and Schimel, J. P.: Improving nitrite analysis in soils: Drawbacks of the conventional 2M KCl extraction, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 79, 1237–1242, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2015.02.0061n, 2015.
Hsu, S. C., Liu, S. C., Huang, Y. T., Chou, C. C., Lung, S. C., Liu, T. H., Tu, J. Y., and Tsai, F.: Long-range southeastward transport of Asian biosmoke pollution: Signature detected by aerosol potassium in northern Taiwan, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 114, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JD011725, 2009.
Jacobi, H.-W., Kleffmann, J. R., Villena, G., Wiesen, P., King, M., France, J., Anastasio, C., and Staebler, R.: Role of nitrite in the photochemical formation of radicals in the snow, Environ. Sci. Technol., 48, 165–172, https://doi.org/10.1021/es404002c, 2014.
Kang, S., Chen, P., Li, C., Liu, B., and Cong, Z.: Atmospheric aerosol elements over the inland Tibetan Plateau: Concentration, seasonality, and transport, Aerosol Air Qual. Res., 16, 789–800, https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2015.05.0307, 2016.
Kang, S., Zhang, Q., Qian, Y., Ji, Z., Li, C., Cong, Z., Zhang, Y., Guo, J., Du, W., Huang, J., You, Q., Panday, A. K., Rupakheti, M., Chen, D., Gustafsson, Ö., Thiemens, M. H., and Qin, D.: Linking atmospheric pollution to cryospheric change in the Third Pole region: current progress and future prospects, National Science Review, 6, 796–809, https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwz031, 2019.
Keck, L. and Wittmaack, K. J. A. E.: Effect of filter type and temperature on volatilisation losses from ammonium salts in aerosol matter, Atmos. Environ., 39, 4093–4100, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.03.029, 2005.
Lau, W. K., Kim, M.-K., Kim, K.-M., and Lee, W.-S.: Enhanced surface warming and accelerated snow melt in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau induced by absorbing aerosols, Environ. Res. Lett., 5, 025204, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025204, 2010.
Lewicka-Szczebak, D., Jansen-Willems, A., Müller, C., Dyckmans, J., and Well, R.: Nitrite isotope characteristics and associated soil N transformations, Sci. Rep., 11, 5008, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83786-w, 2021.
Li, S. M.: Equilibrium of particle nitrite with gas phase HONO: Tropospheric measurements in the high Arctic during polar sunrise, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 99, 25469–25478, https://doi.org/10.1029/94jd00620, 2012.
Lin, W., Zhu, T., Song, Y., Zou, H., Tang, M., Tang, X., and Hu, J.: Photolysis of surface O3 and production potential of OH radicals in the atmosphere over the Tibetan Plateau, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 113, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007jd008831, 2008.
Lin, Y. C., Zhang, Y.-L., Yu, M., Fan, M.-Y., Xie, F., Zhang, W.-Q., Wu, G., Cong, Z., and Michalski, G.: Formation mechanisms and source apportionments of airborne nitrate aerosols at a Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau site: Insights from nitrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions, Environ. Sci. Technol., 55, 12261–12271, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c03957, 2021.
Liu, B., Cong, Z., Wang, Y., Xin, J., Wan, X., Pan, Y., Liu, Z., Wang, Y., Zhang, G., Wang, Z., Wang, Y., and Kang, S.: Background aerosol over the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau: observed characteristics of aerosol mass loading, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 449–463, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-449-2017, 2017.
Liu, X.-Y., Koba, K., Koyama, L. A., Hobbie, S. E., Weiss, M. S., Inagaki, Y., Shaver, G. R., Giblin, A. E., Hobara, S., and Nadelhoffer, K.: Nitrate is an important nitrogen source for Arctic tundra plants, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 115, 3398–3403, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1715382115, 2018.
Long, H., Cheng, L., Yang, F., and Zhang, G.: Temperature regulates dust activities over the Tibetan Plateau, The Innovation, 6, 100840, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xinn.2025.100840, 2025.
Lüthi, Z. L., Škerlak, B., Kim, S.-W., Lauer, A., Mues, A., Rupakheti, M., and Kang, S.: Atmospheric brown clouds reach the Tibetan Plateau by crossing the Himalayas, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 6007–6021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-6007-2015, 2015.
Luz, B. and Barkan, E.: The isotopic ratios
Ma, Y., Weber, R., Lee, Y. N., Orsini, D., Maxwell-Meier, K., Thornton, D., Bandy, A., Clarke, A., Blake, D., and Sachse, G.: Characteristics and influence of biosmoke on the fine-particle ionic composition measured in Asian outflow during the Transport and Chemical Evolution Over the Pacific (TRACE-P) experiment, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 108, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD003128, 2003.
Ma, Y., Xie, Z., Ma, W., Han, C., Sun, F., Sun, G., Liu, L., Lai, Y., Wang, B., and Liu, X.: QOMS: a comprehensive observation station for climate change research on the top of Earth, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 104, E563–E584, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-22-0084.1, 2023.
Matsumoto, K., Minami, H., Uyama, Y., and Uematsu, M.: Size partitioning of particulate inorganic nitrogen species between the fine and coarse mode ranges and its implication to their deposition on the surface ocean, Atmos. Environ., 43, 4259–4265, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.06.014, 2009.
Miller, D. J., Chai, J., Guo, F., Dell, C. J., Karsten, H., and Hastings, M. G. J. G. R. L.: Isotopic composition of in situ soil NOx emissions in manure-fertilized cropland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 12058–12066, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079619, 2018.
Ming, J., Zhang, D., Kang, S., and Tian, W.: Aerosol and fresh snow chemistry in the East Rongbuk Glacier on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest), J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 112, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD008618, 2007.
Morin, S., Savarino, J. l., Frey, M. M., Yan, N., Bekki, S., Bottenheim, J. W., and Martins, J. M. F.: Tracing the Origin and Fate of NOx in the Arctic Atmosphere Using Stable Isotopes in Nitrate, Science, 322, 730–732, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1161910, 2008.
Ndour, M., D'Anna, B., George, C., Ka, O., Balkanski, Y., Kleffmann, J., Stemmler, K., and Ammann, M.: Photoenhanced uptake of NO2 on mineral dust: Laboratory experiments and model simulations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GL032006, 2008.
Nie, W., Wang, T., Xue, L. K., Ding, A. J., Wang, X. F., Gao, X. M., Xu, Z., Yu, Y. C., Yuan, C., Zhou, Z. S., Gao, R., Liu, X. H., Wang, Y., Fan, S. J., Poon, S., Zhang, Q. Z., and Wang, W. X.: Asian dust storm observed at a rural mountain site in southern China: chemical evolution and heterogeneous photochemistry, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 12, 11985–11995, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-12-11985-2012, 2012.
Peters, B., Casciotti, K. L., Samarkin, V. A., Madigan, M. T., Schutte, C. A., and Joye, S. B.: Stable isotope analyses of NO
Pokharel, M., Guang, J., Liu, B., Kang, S., Ma, Y., Holben, B. N., Xia, X. A., Xin, J., Ram, K., Rupakheti, D., Wan, X., Wu, G., Bhattarai, H., Zhao, C., and Cong, Z.: Aerosol Properties Over Tibetan Plateau From a Decade of AERONET Measurements: Baseline, Types, and Influencing Factors, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 124, 13357–13374, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jd031293, 2019.
Seisel, S., Lian, Y., Keil, T., Trukhin, M. E., and Zellner, R.: Kinetics of the interaction of water vapour with mineral dust and soot surfaces at T=298 K, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 6, 1926–1932, https://doi.org/10.1039/B314568A, 2004.
Shang, X., Kang, H., Chen, Y., Abdumutallip, M., Li, L., Li, X., Fu, H., Wang, X., Wang, L., and Wang, X.: PM1.0-nitrite heterogeneous formation demonstrated via a modified versatile aerosol concentration enrichment system coupled with ion chromatography, Environ. Sci. Technol., 55, 9794–9804, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c02373, 2021.
Song, C. H., Park, M. E., Lee, E. J., Lee, J. H., Lee, B. K., Lee, D. S., Kim, J., Han, J. S., Moon, K. J., and Kondo, Y.: Possible particulate nitrite formation and its atmospheric implications inferred from the observations in Seoul, Korea, Atmospheric Environment, 43, 2168–2173, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.01.018, 2009.
Tang, M., Cziczo, D. J., and Grassian, V. H.: Interactions of Water with Mineral Dust Aerosol: Water Adsorption, Hygroscopicity, Cloud Condensation, and Ice Nucleation, Chem. Rev., 116, 4205–4259, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00529, 2016.
Tang, M., Zhang, H., Gu, W., Gao, J., Jian, X., Shi, G., Zhu, B., Xie, L., Guo, L., and Gao, X.: Hygroscopic properties of saline mineral dust from different regions in China: Geographical variations, compositional dependence, and atmospheric implications, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 124, 10844–10857, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD031128, 2019.
Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Rupakheti, D., Cong, Z., Zhang, Q., and Huang, J.: Chemical characteristics of soluble aerosols over the central Himalayas: insights into spatiotemporal variations and sources, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 24, 24454–24472, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0077-0, 2017.
Tripathee, L., Kang, S., Chen, P., Bhattarai, H., Guo, J., Shrestha, K. L., Sharma, C. M., Sharma Ghimire, P., and Huang, J.: Water-soluble organic and inorganic nitrogen in ambient aerosols over the Himalayan middle hills: Seasonality, sources, and transport pathways, Atmos. Res., 250, 105376, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2020.105376, 2021.
VandenBoer, T., Markovic, M., Sanders, J., Ren, X., Pusede, S., Browne, E., Cohen, R., Zhang, L., Thomas, J., and Brune, W.: Evidence for a nitrous acid (HONO) reservoir at the ground surface in Bakersfield, CA, during CalNex 2010, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 119, 9093–9106, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD020971, 2014a.
VandenBoer, T. C., Young, C. J., Talukdar, R. K., Markovic, M. Z., Brown, S. S., Roberts, J. M., and Murphy, J. G.: Nocturnal loss and daytime source of nitrous acid through reactive uptake and displacement, Nat. Geosci., 8, 55–60, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2298, 2014b.
Vicars, W. C. and Savarino, J.: Quantitative constraints on the 17O-excess (Δ17O) signature of surface ozone: Ambient measurements from 50° N to 50° S using the nitrite-coated filter technique, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 135, 270–287, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2014.03.023, 2014.
Wang, F., Ge, W., Luo, H., Seo, J.-H., and Michalski, G.: Oxygen-17 anomaly in soil nitrate: A new precipitation proxy for desert landscapes, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 438, 103–111, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.01.002, 2016.
Wang, J., Zhang, Y., Zhang, C., Wang, Y., Zhou, J., Whalley, L. K., Slater, E. J., Dyson, J. E., Xu, W., Cheng, P., Han, B., Wang, L., Yu, X., Wang, Y., Woodward-Massey, R., Lin, W., Zhao, W., Zeng, L., Ma, Z., Heard, D. E., and Ye, C.: Validating HONO as an Intermediate Tracer of the External Cycling of Reactive Nitrogen in the Background Atmosphere, Environ. Sci. Technol., 57, 5474–5484, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c06731, 2023.
Wang, K., Hattori, S., Kang, S., Lin, M., and Yoshida, N.: Isotopic constraints on the formation pathways and sources of atmospheric nitrate in the Mt. Everest region, Environ. Pollut., 267, 115274, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115274, 2020.
Wang, L., Wen, L., Xu, C., Chen, J., Wang, X., Yang, L., Wang, W., Yang, X., Sui, X., and Yao, L.: HONO and its potential source particulate nitrite at an urban site in North China during the cold season, Sci. Total Environ., 538, 93–101, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.032, 2015.
Wang, S., Liu, W., Zhao, S., Wang, C., Zhuang, L., Liu, L., Wang, W., Lu, Y., Li, F., and Zhu, G.: Denitrification is the main microbial N loss pathway on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau above an elevation of 5000 m, Sci. Total Environ., 696, 133852, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133852, 2019.
Wang, Y. Q.: MeteoInfo: GIS software for meteorological data visualization and analysis, Meteorological Applications, 21, 360–368, https://doi.org/10.1002/met.1345, 2014.
Wang, Z., Akimoto, H., and Uno, I.: Neutralization of soil aerosol and its impact on the distribution of acid rain over east Asia: Observations and model results, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 107, ACH 6-1–ACH 6-12, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001jd001040, 2002.
Wu, F., Zhang, D., Cao, J., Xu, H., and An, Z.: Soil-derived sulfate in atmospheric dust particles at Taklimakan desert, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL054406, 2012.
Wu, F., Cheng, Y., Hu, T., Song, N., Zhang, F., Shi, Z., Hang Ho, S. S., Cao, J., and Zhang, D.: Saltation–sandblasting processes driving enrichment of water-soluble salts in mineral dust, Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett., 9, 921–928, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00652, 2022.
Xu, J., Hettiyadura, A. P. S., Liu, Y., Zhang, X., Kang, S., and Laskin, A.: Regional differences of chemical composition and optical properties of aerosols in the Tibetan Plateau, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 125, e2019JD031226, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD031226, 2020.
Xu, J., Zhang, X., Zhao, W., Zhai, L., Zhong, M., Shi, J., Sun, J., Liu, Y., Xie, C., Tan, Y., Li, K., Ge, X., Zhang, Q., and Kang, S.: High-resolution physicochemical dataset of atmospheric aerosols over the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1875–1900, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1875-2024, 2024.
Xuan, H., Liu, C., Zhang, P., Chu, B., Liang, L., Ma, Q., and He, H.: A Review of Laboratory Studies on the Heterogeneous Chemistry of NO2: Mechanisms and Uptake Kinetics, J. Phys. Chem. A, 129, 815–835, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.4c07943, 2025.
Yao, T., Thompson, L. G., Mosbrugger, V., Zhang, F., Ma, Y., Luo, T., Xu, B., Yang, X., Joswiak, D. R., and Wang, W.: Third pole environment (TPE), Environmental Development, 3, 52–64, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2012.04.002, 2012.
Ye, C., Zhou, X., Pu, D., Stutz, J., Festa, J., Spolaor, M., Tsai, C., Cantrell, C., Mauldin, R. L., 3rd, Campos, T., Weinheimer, A., Hornbrook, R. S., Apel, E. C., Guenther, A., Kaser, L., Yuan, B., Karl, T., Haggerty, J., Hall, S., Ullmann, K., Smith, J. N., Ortega, J., and Knote, C.: Rapid cycling of reactive nitrogen in the marine boundary layer, Nature, 532, 489–491, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17195, 2016.
Ye, C., Zhou, X., Zhang, Y., Wang, Y., Wang, J., Zhang, C., Woodward-Massey, R., Cantrell, C., Mauldin, R. L., Campos, T., Hornbrook, R. S., Ortega, J., Apel, E. C., Haggerty, J., Hall, S., Ullmann, K., Weinheimer, A., Stutz, J., Karl, T., Smith, J. N., Guenther, A., and Song, S.: Synthesizing evidence for the external cycling of NOx in high- to low-NOx atmospheres, Nat. Commun., 14, 7995, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43866-z, 2023.
Yu, C., Wang, Z., Ma, Q., Xue, L., George, C., and Wang, T.: Measurement of heterogeneous uptake of NO2 on inorganic particles, sea water and urban grime, J. Environ. Sci., 106, 124–135, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2021.01.018, 2021.
Yu, W., Tian, L., Ma, Y., Xu, B., and Qu, D.: Simultaneous monitoring of stable oxygen isotope composition in water vapour and precipitation over the central Tibetan Plateau, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 10251–10262, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-10251-2015, 2015.
Zhang, L., Tang, C., Huang, J., Du, T., Guan, X., Tian, P., Shi, J., Cao, X., Huang, Z., and Guo, Q.: Unexpected high absorption of atmospheric aerosols over a western Tibetan Plateau site in summer, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 126, e2020JD033286, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD033286, 2021a.
Zhang, Y.-L., Zhang, W., Fan, M.-Y., Li, J., Fang, H., Cao, F., Lin, Y.-C., Wilkins, B. P., Liu, X., Bao, M., Hong, Y., and Michalski, G.: A diurnal story of Δ17O(NO
Zhang, Z. and Geng, L.: On the presence of high nitrite (NO2-) in coarse particles at Mt. Qomolangma.xls, figshare [data set], https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28188320.v1, 2025.
Zhang, Z., Zeng, Y., Zheng, N., Luo, L., Xiao, H., and Xiao, H.: Fossil fuel-related emissions were the major source of NH3 pollution in urban cities of northern China in the autumn of 2017, Environ. Pollut., 256, 113428, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113428, 2020.
Zhang, Z., Jiang, Z., Guan, H., Liang, Y., Zheng, N., and Guo, W.: Isotopic evidence for the high contribution of wintertime photochemistry to particulate nitrate formation in Northern China, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 126, e2021JD035324, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jd035324, 2021b.
Zhang, Z., Zhou, T., Jiang, Z., Ma, T., Su, G., Ruan, X., Wu, Y., Cao, Y., Wang, X., Liu, Z., Li, W., Zhang, H., Lin, M., Liu, P., and Geng, L.: High-Resolution Measurements of Multi-Isotopic Signatures (δ15N, δ18O, and Δ17O) of Winter NO2 in a Megacity in Central China, Environ. Sci. Technol., 59, 3634–3644, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c07724, 2025.
Zhao, C., Yang, Y., Fan, H., Huang, J., Fu, Y., Zhang, X., Kang, S., Cong, Z., Letu, H., and Menenti, M.: Aerosol characteristics and impacts on weather and climate over the Tibetan Plateau, National Science Review, 7, 492–495, https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwz184, 2020.
Zhou, L., Zou, H., Ma, S., Li, P., Zhu, J., and Huo, C.: Vertical air mass exchange driven by the local circulation on the northern slope of Mount Everest, Adv. Atmos. Sci., 28, 217–222, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-010-9231-z, 2011.
Zhou, T., Jiang, Z., Zhou, J., Zhao, W., Wu, Y., Yu, H., Li, W., Zhang, Z., Su, G., Ma, T., and Geng, L.: Fast and Efficient Atmospheric NO2 Collection for Isotopic Analysis by a 3D-Printed Denuder System, Anal. Chem., 94, 13215–13222, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02839, 2022.
Zhu, T., Lin, W., Song, Y., Cai, X., Zou, H., Kang, L., Zhou, L., and Akimoto, H.: Downward transport of ozone-rich air near Mt. Everest, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027726, 2006.
Zong, Z., Sun, Z., Xiao, L., Tian, C., Liu, J., Sha, Q., Li, J., Fang, Y., Zheng, J., and Zhang, G.: Insight into the Variability of the Nitrogen Isotope Composition of Vehicular NOx in China, Environ. Sci. Tech., 54, 14246–14253, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c04749, 2020.
Zou, H., Zhou, L., Ma, S., Li, P., Wang, W., Li, A., Jia, J., and Gao, D.: Local wind system in the Rongbuk Valley on the northern slope of Mt. Everest, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008gl033466, 2008.
Short summary
This study reveals unexpectedly high levels of particulate nitrite at the Base Camp of Mt. Qomolangma, which overwhelmingly exists in coarse mode, and demonstrates that lofted surface soil and long-range transported pollutants contribute to the high levels of nitrite. The high particulate nitrite is likely to participate in atmospheric reactive nitrogen cycling through gas-particle partitioning or photolysis, leading to production of HONO, OH and NO and thereby influencing oxidation chemistry.
This study reveals unexpectedly high levels of particulate nitrite at the Base Camp of Mt....
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint