Nitrogen+oxides

Theme 4: Global WArming Trung Huynh p.3 6/9/10

=Nitrogen oxides=


 * Nitrogen oxide** can refer to a binary compound of oxygen and nitrogen__,__ or a mixture compounds



Greenhouse Gas Properties
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a clear, colorless gas, with a slightly sweet odor. Due to its long atmospheric lifetime approximately 120 years and heat trapping effects. -- about 310 times more powerful than carbon dioxide on a per molecule basis --was developed to compare the ability of each greenhouse gas to trap heat in the atmosphere relative to another gas --global warming potential (GWP) is the ratio of heat trapped by one unit mass of the greenhouse gas to that of one unit mass of CO2 over a specified time period.

Atmospheric Concentrations
--Global average atmospheric concentrations of N2O have increased from about 270 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) in 1750 to 314 ppbv in 1998 --In the last two decades, atmospheric concentrations of N2O continue to increase at a rate of 0.25% per yea



=How does the presence of Nitrogen oxides causes warmer temperatures=

Projected temperature increases will most likely result in a variety of impacts. In coastal areas, sea-level rise due to the warming of the oceans and the melting of glaciers may lead to the inundation of wetlands, river deltas, and even populated areas. Altered weather patterns may result in more extreme weather events. And inland agricultural zones could suffer an increase in the frequency of droughts.

=how Nitrogen oxides affects other weather systems=

--here are a variety of end users to weather forecasts. Weather warnings are important forecasts because they are used to protect life and property.Forecasts based on temperature and precipitation are important yo agriculture.
 * Acid rain caused by industrial emission of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, adversely effects forecast weathers.
 * climate change caused by human activities that emit greenhouse gases into the air is expected to affect the frequency of extreme weatherevents
 * such as drought, extreme temperatures,flodding, high winds, and storms.

=General Background=


 * When exposed to oxygen, NO is converted into nitrogen dioxide
 * 2 NO + O2 → 2 NO2
 * formulas- N2O

Credits: http://www.epa.gov/nitrousoxide/scientific.html http://www.ghgonline.org/humaninfluencebig.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather