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At least 37 records · Page 2

The effect of oxygen on denitrification during steady-state growth of Paracoccus halodenitrificans

Steady-state cultures of Paracoccus halodenitrificans were grown anaerobically prior to establishing steady states at different concentrations of oxygen. In the absence of oxygen, nitrate-limited cultures produced dinitrogen, and as the oxygen supply increased, these cultures produced nitrous oxide, then nitrite. These changes reflected two phenomena: the inactivation of nitrous oxide reductase by oxygen and the diversion of electrons from nitrite to oxygen.

Hochstein, L. I.↗

Denitrification by extremely halophilic bacteria

Extremely halophilic bacteria were isolated from widely separated sites by anaerobic enrichment in the presence of nitrate. The anaerobic growth of several of these isolates was accompanied by the production of nitrite, nitrous oxide, and dinitrogen. These results are a direct confirmation of the existence of extremely halophilic denitrifying bacteria, and suggest that such bacteria may be common inhabitants of hypersaline environments.

Hochstein, L. I.↗

ATMOS Measurements of H2O + 2CH4 and Total Reactive Nitrogen in the November 1994 Antarctic Stratosphere: Dehydration and Denitrification in the Vortex

Simultaneous stratospheric volume mixing ratios (VMR's) measured inside and outside the Antarctic vortex by the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument in November 1994 reveal previously unobserved features in the distributions of total reactive nitrogen (NO(y)) and total hydrogen (H2O + 2CH4). Maximum removal of NO(y) due to sedimentation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSC's) inside the vortex occurred at a potential temperature (Theta) of 500-525 K (approximately 20 km), where values were 5 times smaller than measurements outside. Maximum loss of H2O + 2CH4 due to PSC's occurred in the vortex at 425-450 K, approximately 3 km lower than the peak NO(y) loss. At that level, H2O + 2CH4 VMR's inside the vortex were approximately 70% of corresponding values outside. The Antarctic and April 1993 Arctic measurements by ATMOS show no significant differences in H2O + 2CH4 VMR's outside the vortices in the two hemispheres. Elevated NO(y) VMRs were measured inside the vortex near 700 K. Recent model calculations indicate that this feature results from downward transport of elevated NO(y) produced in the thermosphere and mesosphere.

Rinsland, C. P.↗

Dehydration and Denitrification in the Arctic Polar Vortex During the 1995-1996 Winter

Dehydration of more than 0.5 ppmv water was observed between 18 and 19 km (theta about 450-465 K) at the edge of the Arctic polar vortex on February 1, 1996. More than half the reactive nitrogen (NO(sub y)) had also been removed, with layers of enhanced (sub y) at lower altitudes. Back trajectory calculations show that air parcels sampled inside the vortex had experienced temperatures as low as 188 K within the previous 12 days, consistent with a small amount of dehydration. The depth of the dehydrated layer (about 1 km) and the fact that trajectories passed through the region of ice saturation in one day imply selective growth of a small fraction of particles to sizes large enough (>10 micron) to be irreversibly removed on this timescale. Over 25% of the Arctic vortex in a 20-30 K range of theta is estimated to have been dehydrated in this event.

Hintsa, E. J.↗

Dehydration and Denitrification in the Arctic Polar Vortex During the 1995-1996 Winter

Dehydration of more than 0.5 ppmv water was observed between 18 and 19 km (0-450-465 K) at the edge of the Arctic polar vortex on February 1, 1996. More than half the reactive nitrogen (NO(y)) had also been removed, with layers of enhanced NO(y) at lower altitudes. Back trajectory calculations show that air parcels sampled inside the vortex had experienced temperatures as low as 188 K within the previous 12 days, consistent with a small amount of dehydration. The depth of the dehydrated layer (approximately 1 km) and the fact that trajectories passed through the region of ice saturation in one day imply selective growth of a small fraction of particles to sizes large enough (>10 microns) to be irreversibly removed on this timescale. Over 25% of the Arctic vortex in a 20-30 K range of 0 is estimated to have been dehydrated in this event.

Hintsa, E. J.↗

Dehydration and Denitrification in the Arctic Polar Vortex During the 1995-1996 Winter

Dehydration of more than 0.5 ppmv water was observed between 18 and 19 km (theta approximately 450-465 K) at the edge of the Arctic polar vortex on February 1, 1996. More than half the reactive nitrogen (NO(y)) had also been removed, with layers of enhanced NO(y) at lower altitudes. Back trajectory calculations show that air parcels sampled inside the vortex had experienced temperatures as low as 188 K within the previous 12 days, consistent with a small amount of dehydration. The depth of the dehydrated layer (approximately 1 km) and the fact that trajectories passed through the region of ice saturation in one day imply selective growth of a small fraction of particles to sizes large enough (>10 micrometers) to be irreversibly removed on this timescale. Over 25% of the Arctic vortex in a 20-30 K range Transport of theta is estimated to have been dehydrated in this event.

Hintsa, E. J.↗

Dehydration and Denitrification in the Arctic Polar Vortex During the 1995-1996 Winter

Dehydration of more than 0.5 ppmv water was observed between 18 and 19 km (theta = 450-465 K) at the edge of the Arctic polar vortex on February 1, 1996. More than half the reactive nitrogen (NOy) had also been removed, with layers of enhanced NOy at lower altitudes. Back trajectory calculations show that air parcels sampled inside the vortex had experienced temperatures as low as 188 K within the previous 12 days, consistent with a small amount of dehydration. The depth of the dehydrated layer (approx. 1 km) and the fact that trajectories passed through the region of ice saturation in one day imply selective growth of a small fraction of particles to sizes large enough (>10 micrometers) to be irreversibly removed on this timescale. Over 25% of the Arctic vortex in a 20-30 K range of theta is estimated to have been dehydrated in this event.

Hintsa, E. J.↗

Physiology and enzymology involved in denitrification by Shewanella putrefaciens

Nitrate reduction to N2O was investigated in batch cultures of Shewanella putrefaciens MR-1, MR-4, and MR-7. All three strains reduced nitrate to nitrite to N2O, and this reduction was coupled to growth, whereas ammonium accumulation was very low (0 to 1 micromol liter-1). All S. putrefaciens isolates were also capable of reducing nitrate aerobically; under anaerobic conditions, nitrite levels were three- to sixfold higher than those found under oxic conditions. Nitrate reductase activities (31 to 60 micromol of nitrite min-1 mg of protein-1) detected in intact cells of S. putrefaciens were equal to or higher than those seen in Escherichia coli LE 392. Km values for nitrate reduction ranged from 12 mM for MR-1 to 1.3 mM for MR-4 with benzyl viologen as an artifical electron donor. Nitrate and nitrite reductase activities in cell-free preparations were demonstrated in native gels by using reduced benzyl viologen. Detergent treatment of crude and membrane extracts suggested that the nitrate reductases of MR-1 and MR-4 are membrane bound. When the nitrate reductase in MR-1 was partially purified, three subunits (90, 70, and 55 kDa) were detected in denaturing gels. The nitrite reductase of MR-1 is also membrane bound and appeared as a 60-kDa band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels after partial purification.

Nitrite Reductases/metabolism↗

Denitrification in the Arctic mid-winter 2004/2005 observed by airborne submillimeter radiometry

We present measurements of unusually low mixing ratios of HNO3 in the exceptionally cold Arctic vortex of late-January and early-February 2005. The measurements were obtained by the airborne submillimeter radiometer ASUR during the polar aura validation experiment (PAVE). The distribution of HNO3 inside the vortex reaches minima below 4 ppbv around 22 km altitude and maxima above 13 ppbv around 16 km altitude, with a considerable spatial variability.

measurements↗

Simulations of the Vertical Redistribution of HNO3 by NAT or NAD PSCs: The Sensitivity to the Number of Cloud Particles Formed and the Cloud Lifetime

Recent satellite and in situ measurements have indicated that limited denitrification can occur in the Arctic stratosphere. In situ measurements from the SOLVE campaign indicate polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) composed of small numbers (about 3 x 10^ -4 cm^-3) of 10-20 micron particles (probably NAT or NAD). These observations raise the issue of whether low number density NAT PSCs can substantially denitrify the air with reasonable cloud lifetimes. In this study, we use a one dimensional cloud model to investigate the verticle redistribution of HNO3 by NAT/NAD PSCs. The cloud formation is driven by a temperature oscillation which drops the temperature below the NAT/NAD formation threshold (about 195 K) for a few days. We assume that a small fraction of the available aerosols act as NAT nuclei when the saturation ratio of HNO3 over NAT(NAD) exceeds 10(l.5). The result is a cloud between about 16 and 20 km in the model, with NAT/NAD particle effective radii as large as about 10 microns (in agreement with the SOLVE data). We find that for typical cloud lifetimes of 2-3 days or less, the net depletion of HNO3 is no more than 1-2 ppbv, regardless of the NAT or NAD particle number density. Repeated passes of the air column through the cold pool build up the denitrification to 3-4 ppbv, and the cloud altitude steadily decreases due to the downward transport of nitric acid. Increasing the cloud lifetime results in considerably more effective denitrification, even with very low cloud particle number densities. As expected, the degree of denitrification by NAT clouds is much larger than that by NAD Clouds. Significant denitrification by NAD Clouds is only possible if the cloud lifetime is several days or more. The clouds also cause a local maximum HNO3 mixing ratio at cloud base where the cloud particles sublimate.

Jensen, Eric J.↗

Microphysical Modelling of Polar Stratospheric Clouds During the 1999-2000 Winter

The evolution of the 1999-2000 Arctic winter has been examined using a microphysical/photochemical model run along diabatic trajectories. A large number of trajectories have been generated, filling the vortex throughout the region of polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation, and extending from November until the vortex breakup, in order to provide representative sampling of the evolution of PSCs and their effect on stratospheric chemistry. The 1999-2000 winter was particularly cold, allowing extensive PSC formation. Many trajectories have ten-day periods continuously below the Type I PSC threshold; significant periods of Type II PSCs are also indicated. The model has been used to test the extent and severity of denitrification and dehydration predicted using a range of different microphysical schemes. Scenarios in which freezing only occurs below the ice frost point (causing explicit coupling of denitrification and dehydration) have been tested, as well as scenarios with partial freezing at warmer temperatures (in which denitrification can occur independently of dehydration). The sensitivity to parameters such as aerosol freezing rates and heterogeneous freezing have been explored. Several scenarios cause sufficient denitrification to affect chlorine partitioning, and in turn, model-predicted ozone depletion, demonstrating that an improved understanding of the microphysics responsible for denitrification is necessary for understanding ozone loss rates.

Drdla, Katja↗

Impacts of PSC Microphysics on Modelled Ozone Loss

Winter-long simulations of the 1999-2000 winter using a coupled microphysical/chemical model have been carried out to explore how PSC microphysics affects ozone loss. Although many models assures that water ice formation leads to denitrification, these simulations show that observed characteristics of the 1999-2000 winter can not be reproduced by such a denitrification mechanism. Instead, denitrification observations are best reproduced by a small number of particles freezing at temperatures near the nitric acid trihydration condensation point. Implications of such a mechanism for assessments of future ozone loss will be discussed. The simulations have also revealed that ozone loss during the 1999-2000 winter was sensitive to chlorine reactivation that occurred during February. Uncertainties in PSC microphysics and heterogeneous reaction rates both influence the modelled chlorine reactivation. For the 1999-2000 winter, these uncertainties have a larger effect on model ozone loss than denitrification. The role of denitrification would have increased if the Arctic vortex had persisted for a longer period.

Drdla, K.↗

Volcanoes, Polar Clouds and Arctic Ozone

Satellite observations and model calculations show 5 to 10% local column ozone loss in some tropical and mid latitude locations, following El Chichon and Mount Pinatubo eruptions. The rapid deepening of the Antarctic ozone hole in the early 1980s has also been partially attributed to chemistry on volcanic aerosols from a number of large eruptions. Here the effects of volcanoes on Arctic polar processes are explored. Large polar stratospheric cloud particles that cause denitrification cannot form in a volcanically perturbed environment. Denitrification can increase Arctic ozone loss by up to 30% in a future colder climate. However, we show that enhanced chemical processing on volcanic aerosols can increase Arctic ozone loss in a cold year by about 60% independent of denitrification. A coupled chemistry-microphysics model is used to show that widespread distribution of volcanic aerosols in 2000 could have caused severe springtime ozone depletion in the Arctic stratosphere. While, volcanic aerosols can strongly affect the current Arctic column ozone abundance in a cold year, denitrification effects on ozone can only become important in a much colder lower stratosphere.

Tabazadeh, Azadeh↗

Investigation of Polar Stratospheric Cloud Solid Particle Formation Mechanisms Using ILAS and AVHRR Observations in the Arctic

Satellite observations of denitrification and ice clouds in the Arctic lower stratosphere in February 1997 are used with Lagrangian microphysical box model calculations to evaluate nucleation mechanisms of solid polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) particles. The occurrences of ice clouds are not correlated in time and space with the locations of back trajectories of denitrified air masses, indicating that ice particle surfaces are not always a prerequisite for the formation of solid PSCs that lead to denitrification. In contrast, the model calculations incorporating a pseudoheterogeneous freezing process occurring at the vapor-liquid interface can quantitatively explain most of the observed denitrification when the nucleation activation free energy for nitric acid dihydrate formation is raised by only approx.10% relative to the current published values. Once nucleated, the conversion of nitric acid dihydrate to the stable trihydrate phase brings the computed levels of denitrification closer to the measurements. INDEX TERMS: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801); 0320 Atmospheric Composition and Sb~lctureC: loud physics and chemistry; 0340 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Middle atmosphere-composition and chemistry

Irie, H.↗

Stratospheric NO(y) measurements on the NASA DC-8 during AASE 2

We survey measurements of stratospheric NO(y) on the NASA DC-8 during AASE 2 in early 1992. Emphasis is on correlations with other long-lived species: O3, N2O, and CH4. No cases of extremely high NO(y)/O3 ratios were seen in 1992. This suggests that denitrification at higher altitudes was less pervasive than in 1989. Values of NO(y)/O3 in 1992 are comparable to, though perhaps lower than, those measured in 1989. The correlation of NO(y) with N2O changes over the course of the mission. Relative to the correlation for the whole season, low values of NO(y) occur in February, most notably on the 22nd. The reason for the low NO(y) is unknown. It is generally too warm at DC-8 altitudes for the presence of Polar Stratospheric Cloud (PSC) particles, but denitrification at higher altitudes, followed by descent, might account for the low values seen on 22 February. However, this may be unlikely since the NASA ER-2, flying during the same period, saw no evidence of denitrification at higher altitudes (Loewenstein et al., 1993).

Weinheimer, A. J.↗

Interhemispheric differences in polar stratospheric HNO3, H2O, ClO, and O3

Simultaneous global measurements of nitric acid (HNO3), water (H2O), chlorine monoxide (ClO), and ozone (O3) in the stratosphere have been obtained over complete annual cycles in both hemispheres by the Microwave Limb Sounder on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. A sizeable decrease in gas-phase HNO3 was evident in the lower stratospheric vortex over Antarctica by early June 1992, followed by a significant reduction in gas-phase H2O after mid-July. By mid-August, near the time of peak ClO, abundances of gas-phase HNO3 and H2O were extremely low. The concentrations of HNO3 and H2O over Antarctica remained depressed into November, well after temperatures in the lower stratosphere had risen above the evaporation threshold for polar stratospheric clouds, implying that denitrification and dehydration had occurred. No large decreases in either gas-phase HNO3 or H2O were observed in the 1992-1993 Arctic winter vortex. Although ClO was enhanced over the Arctic as it was over the Antarctic, Arctic O3 depletion was substantially smaller than that over Antarctica. A major factor currently limiting the formation of an Arctic ozone 'hole' is the lack of denitrification in the northern polar vortex, but future cooling of the lower stratosphere could lead to more intense denitrification and consequently larger losses of Arctic ozone.

Santee, M. L.↗