Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the Amazon

Abstract The Amazon rainforest is the largest source of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to the atmosphere. To understand the distribution and chemistry of BVOCs, airborne and ground-based measurements of BVOCs are conducted over the Amazon rainforest in the CAFE-Brazil campaign (December...

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Main Authors: Nidhi Tripathi, Bianca E. Krumm, Achim Edtbauer, Akima Ringsdorf, Nijing Wang, Matthias Kohl, Ryan Vella, Luiz A. T. Machado, Andrea Pozzer, Jos Lelieveld, Jonathan Williams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59953-2
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author Nidhi Tripathi
Bianca E. Krumm
Achim Edtbauer
Akima Ringsdorf
Nijing Wang
Matthias Kohl
Ryan Vella
Luiz A. T. Machado
Andrea Pozzer
Jos Lelieveld
Jonathan Williams
author_facet Nidhi Tripathi
Bianca E. Krumm
Achim Edtbauer
Akima Ringsdorf
Nijing Wang
Matthias Kohl
Ryan Vella
Luiz A. T. Machado
Andrea Pozzer
Jos Lelieveld
Jonathan Williams
author_sort Nidhi Tripathi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The Amazon rainforest is the largest source of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to the atmosphere. To understand the distribution and chemistry of BVOCs, airborne and ground-based measurements of BVOCs are conducted over the Amazon rainforest in the CAFE-Brazil campaign (December 2022–January 2023), including diel (24-hour) profiles between 0.3-14 km for isoprene, its oxidation products, and total monoterpenes. Although daytime deep convective transport of BVOCs is rendered ineffective by photochemical loss, nocturnal deep-convection exports considerable BVOC quantities to high altitudes, extending the chemical influence of the rainforest to the upper troposphere, and priming it for rapid organic photochemistry and particle formation at dawn. After contrasting pristine and deforested areas, a BVOC sensitivity analysis is performed using a chemistry-climate model. Here we show that reducing BVOC emissions, decreased upper tropospheric ozone, increased lower tropospheric hydroxyl radicals, shortened the methane lifetime, with the net effect of enhancing climate warming through ozone and aerosols.
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spelling doaj-art-b909f268f4524fcea43f6c5a705c2d472025-08-20T03:48:18ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-05-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-59953-2Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the AmazonNidhi Tripathi0Bianca E. Krumm1Achim Edtbauer2Akima Ringsdorf3Nijing Wang4Matthias Kohl5Ryan Vella6Luiz A. T. Machado7Andrea Pozzer8Jos Lelieveld9Jonathan Williams10Department of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryInstitute of Physics, University of Sao PauloDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryDepartment of Atmospheric Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for ChemistryAbstract The Amazon rainforest is the largest source of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to the atmosphere. To understand the distribution and chemistry of BVOCs, airborne and ground-based measurements of BVOCs are conducted over the Amazon rainforest in the CAFE-Brazil campaign (December 2022–January 2023), including diel (24-hour) profiles between 0.3-14 km for isoprene, its oxidation products, and total monoterpenes. Although daytime deep convective transport of BVOCs is rendered ineffective by photochemical loss, nocturnal deep-convection exports considerable BVOC quantities to high altitudes, extending the chemical influence of the rainforest to the upper troposphere, and priming it for rapid organic photochemistry and particle formation at dawn. After contrasting pristine and deforested areas, a BVOC sensitivity analysis is performed using a chemistry-climate model. Here we show that reducing BVOC emissions, decreased upper tropospheric ozone, increased lower tropospheric hydroxyl radicals, shortened the methane lifetime, with the net effect of enhancing climate warming through ozone and aerosols.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59953-2
spellingShingle Nidhi Tripathi
Bianca E. Krumm
Achim Edtbauer
Akima Ringsdorf
Nijing Wang
Matthias Kohl
Ryan Vella
Luiz A. T. Machado
Andrea Pozzer
Jos Lelieveld
Jonathan Williams
Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the Amazon
Nature Communications
title Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the Amazon
title_full Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the Amazon
title_fullStr Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the Amazon
title_full_unstemmed Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the Amazon
title_short Impacts of convection, chemistry, and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the Amazon
title_sort impacts of convection chemistry and forest clearing on biogenic volatile organic compounds over the amazon
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59953-2
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