Estimating the production of nitrogen oxides by lightning from satellite remote sensing

• Applicant: Dr. Steffen Beirle
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science
• Term: from 2006 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 21233894

Nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO+NO2) are important atmospheric trace gases, causing catalytic ozone production in the troposphere and controlling the atmosphere¿s oxidizing capacity. Lightning provides a natural source of NOx, dominating the production in the tropical upper troposphere. Recent estimates of lightning produced NOx (LNOx) are about 5 Tg [N] per year, but uncertainties are still in the range of one order of magnitude. For reliable model calculations of atmospheric chemistry, better knowledge on LNOx is essential. Since ten years, spectroscopic measurements from satellite platforms allow the retrieval of tropospheric NO2 column densities. The specific advantages of satellite observations, i.e. long time series with global coverage, provide valuable information on NOx source distribution and -strengths and offer a new and independent approach to the estimation of LNOx. In some case studies, the potential of identifying LNOx in satellite NO2 data has been demonstrated. Within a comprehensive analysis, it is proposed to use satellite data to reduce existing uncertainties and compile regional and global budgets of LNOx.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants