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At least 19 records

Evaluation of SO2, SO4(2−) and an Updated SO2 Dry Deposition Parameterization in the United Kingdom Earth System Model

In this study we evaluate simulated surface SO2 and sulphate (SO4(2-)) concentrations from the United Kingdom Earth System Model (UKESM1) against observations from ground based measurement networks in the USA and Europe for the period 1987 to 2014. We find that UKESM1 captures the historical trend for decreasing concentrations of atmospheric SO2 and SO4(2-) in both Europe and the USA over the period 1987 to 2014. However, in the polluted regions of the eastern USA and Europe, UKESM1 over-predicts surface SO2 concentrations by a factor of 3, while under-predicting surface SO4(2-) concentrations by 25-35%. In the cleaner western USA, the model over-predicts both surface SO2 and SO4(2-) concentrations by a factor of 12 and 1.5 respectively. We find that UKESM1’s bias in surface SO2 and SO4(2-) concentrations is variable according to region and season. We also evaluate UKESM1 against total column SO2 from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) using an updated data product. This comparison provides information about the model’s global performance, finding that UKESM1 over predicts total column SO2 over much of the globe, including the large source regions of India, China, the USA and Europe as well as over outflow regions. Finally, we assess the impact of a more realistic treatment of the model’s SO2 dry deposition parameterization. This change increases SO2 dry deposition to the land and ocean surfaces, thus reducing the atmospheric loading of SO2 and SO(sup 2-)(sub 4). In comparison with the ground-based and satellite observations, we find that the modified parameterization reduces the models over prediction of surface SO2 concentrations and total column SO2. Relative to the ground-based observations the simulated surface SO4(2-) concentrations are also reduced, while the simulated SO2 dry deposition fluxes increase.

SO2↗

Global and Regional Radiative Forcing from 20 Reductions in BC, OC and SO4 an HTAP2 Multi-Model Study

In the Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution Phase 2 (HTAP2) exercise, a range of global atmospheric general circulation and chemical transport models performed coordinated perturbation experiments with 20% reductions in emissions of anthropogenic aerosols, or aerosol precursors, in a number of source regions. Here, we compare the resulting changes in the atmospheric load and vertically resolved profiles of black carbon (BC), organic aerosols (OA) and sulfate (SO4/ from 10 models that include treatment of aerosols. We use a set of temporally, horizontally and vertically resolved profiles of aerosol forcing efficiency (AFE) to estimate the impact of emission changes in six major source regions on global radiative forcing (RF) pertaining to the direct aerosol effect, finding values between. 51.9 and 210.8mW/sq m/Tg for BC, between -2.4 and -17.9mW/sq m/Tg for OA and between -3.6 and -10.3W/sq m/Tg for SO4. In most cases, the local influence dominates, but results show that mitigations in south and east Asia have substantial impacts on the radiative budget in all investigated receptor regions, especially for BC. In Russia and the Middle East, more than 80 % of the forcing for BC and OA is due to extra-regional emission reductions. Similarly, for North America, BC emissions control in east Asia is found to be more important than domestic mitigations, which is consistent with previous findings. Comparing fully resolved RF calculations to RF estimates based on vertically averaged AFE profiles allows us to quantify the importance of vertical resolution to RF estimates. We find that locally in the source regions, a 20% emission reduction strengthens the radiative forcing associated with SO4 by 25% when including the vertical dimension, as the AFE for SO4 is strongest near the surface. Conversely, the local RF from BC weakens by 37% since BC AFE is low close to the ground. The fraction of BC direct effect forcing attributable to intercontinental transport, on the other hand, is enhanced by one-third when accounting for the vertical aspect, because long-range transport primarily leads to aerosol changes at high altitudes, where the BC AFE is strong. While the surface temperature response may vary with the altitude of aerosol change, the analysis in the present study is not extended to estimates of temperature or precipitation changes.

profiles of aerosol forcing efficiency (AFE)↗

Measurement of Raman spectra of H2O and SO4(-) in seawater

A study of applying laser Raman spectroscopy to remote sensing of the sulfate ion in sea water is in progress. The SO4 Raman spectrum has been obtained from true sea water samples in the laboratory using a CW laser Raman spectrometric system. Radiometric calculations indicate the feasibility of obtaining usable SO4 Raman signals in a field experiment. One of serious difficulties expected in the field experiment would be from fluorescence of phytoplankton and organics.

Houghton, W. M.↗

Measurements of HNO3, SO2 High Resolution Aerosol SO4 (sup 2-), and Selected Aerosol Species Aboard the NASA DC-8 Aircraft: During the Transport and Chemical Evolution Over the Pacific Airborne Mission (TRACE-P)

The UNH investigation during TRACE-P provided measurements of selected acidic gases and aerosol species aboard the NASA DC-8 research aircraft. Our investigation focused on measuring HNO3, SO2, and fine (less than 2 microns) aerosol SO4(sup 2-) with two minute time resolution in near-real-time. We also quantified mixing ratios of aerosol ionic species, and aerosol (210)Pb and (7)Be collected onto bulk filters at better than 10 minute resolution. This suite of measurements contributed extensively to achieving the principal objectives of TRACE-P. In the context of the full data set collected by experimental teams on the DC-8, our observations provide a solid basis for assessing decadal changes in the chemical composition and source strength of Asian continental outflow. This region of the Pacific should be impacted profoundly by Asian emissions at this time with significant degradation of air quality over the next few decades. Atmospheric measurements in the western Pacific region will provide a valuable time series to help quantify the impact of Asian anthropogenic activities. Our data also provide important insight into the chemical and physical processes transforming Asian outflow during transport over the Pacific, particularly uptake and reactions of soluble gases on aerosol particles. In addition, the TRACE-P data set provide strong constraints for assessing and improving the chemical fields simulated by chemical transport models.

Talbot, Robert W.↗

Sulfate reduction and other sedimentary biogeochemistry in a northern New England salt marsh

Sulfate reduction rates, dissolved iron and sulfide concentrations, and titration alkalinity were measured in salt marsh soils along a transect that included areas inhabited by both the tall and short forms of Spartina alterniflora and by Spartina patens. Pore waters were collected with in situ 'sippers' to acquire temporal data from the same location without disturbing plant roots. During 1984, data collected at weekly intervals showed rapid temporal changes in belowground biogeochemical processes that coincided with changes in S. alterniflora physiology. Rates of SO4(-2) reduction increased fivefold (to greater than 2.5 micromol ml(sup -1)d(sup -1)) when plants began elongating aboveground yet decreased fourfold upon plant flowering. This rapid increase in rates of SO4(-2) reduction must have been fueled by dissolved organic matter released from roots only during active growth. Once plants flowered, the supply of oxidants to the soil decreased and sulfide and alkalinity concentrations increased despite decreases in SO4(-2) reduction and increases in SO4(-2):Cl(-) ratios. Sulfide concentrations were highest in soils inhabited by tallest plants. During 1985, S. alterniflora became infested with fly larvae (Chaetopsis apicalis John) and aboveground growth ceased in late June. This cessation was accompanied by decreased rates of SO4(-2) reduction similar to those noted during the previous year when flowering occurred. After the fly infestation, the pore-water chemical profiles of these soils resembled profiles of soils inhabited by the short form of S. alterniflora. The SO4(-2) reduction rates in S. patens soils are the first reported. Rates were similar to those in S. alterniflora except that they did not increase greatly when S. patens was elongating. Tidal and rainfall events produced desiccation-saturation cycles that altered redox conditions in the S. patens soils, resulting in rapid changes in the dissolution and precipitation of iron and in the magnitude and spatial distribution of SO4(-2) reduction.

Hines, Mark E.↗

Elevated acetate concentrations in the rhizosphere of Spartina alterniflora and potential influences on sulfate reduction

Acetate is important in anaerobic metabolism of non-vegetated sediments but its role in salt marsh soils was not investigated thoroughly. Acetate concentrations, oxidation (C-14) and SO4(2-) reduction (S-35) were measured in S. alterniflora soils in NH and MA. Pore water from cores contained greater than 0.1 mM acetate and in some instances greater than 1.0 mM. Non-destructive samples contained less than 0.01 mM. Acetate was associated with roots and concentrations were highest during vegetative growth and varied with changes in plant physiology. Acetate turnover was very low whether whole core or slurry incubations were used. Radiotracers injected directly into soils yielded rates of SO4(2-) reduction and acetate oxidation not significantly different from core incubation techniques. Regardless of incubation method, acetate oxidation did not account for a significant percentage of SO4(2-) reduction. These results differ markedly from data for non-vegetated coastal sediments where acetate levels are low, oxidation rate constants are high and acetate oxidation rates greatly exceed rates of SO4(2-) reduction. The discrepancy between rates of acetate oxidation and SO4(2-) reduction in marsh soils may be due either to the utilization of substrates other than acetate by SO4(2-) reducers or artifacts associated with measurements of organic utilization by rhizosphere bacteria.

Hines, Mark E.↗

Non-sea-salt sulfate and methanesulfonate at American Samoa

High-volume bulk aerosol samples have been collected at American Samoa (14.25 deg S, 170.58 deg W) on a semicontinuous basis since the system was erected as part of the Sea/Air Exchange Program (SEAREX) in March 1983. In this report we consider those samples collected through May 6, 1992. For most of this period the sample filters were changed once a week. However, during November 1989 and from May 10 to June 10, 1990, in conjunction with the aircraft missions of the NASA Global Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE), the filters were changed daily. All of the samples were analyzed for nonsea-salt (nss) SO4(2-) and NO3(-). Analyses for methanesulfonate (MSA) include all of the 53 daily samples, 22 weekly samples from March 19, 1983, through April 12, 1984, and 96 weekly samples from January 3, 1990, through May 6, 1992. The mean concentrations (in micrograms per cubic meter) were 0.37 for nss SO4(2-), 0.0229 for MSA, 0.114 for NO3(-), and 5.1 for Na(+). Nss SO4(2-) and MSA are strongly linearly correlated in these 171 samples (r(exp 2) = 0.66) and the regression intercept does not differ significantly from zero. The geometric mean (GM) nss SO4(2-)/MSA ratio, 18.1 +/- 0.9 (where +/- indicates the 95% confidence interval of the GM) is about 7% higher than had previously been reported for this station. The ratio exhibits no significant seasonal variation. Although the ratio appeared to be significantly lower in the May - June 1990 daily samples (GM = 15.3 +/- 1.2), a further examination of the results indicated that the variance of the measured ratios from 18.1 (the GM for the whole data set) was attributable almost exclusively to the typical random errors in the analyses as determined from the 1 sigma analytical uncertainties of 5% for MSA and SO4(2-) and 2% for Na(+).

Savoie, Dennis L.↗

Variations in the methanesulfonate to sulfate molar ratio in submicrometer marine aerosol particles over the south Pacific Ocean

Seawater concentrations of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and atmospheric concentrations of DMS, sulfur dioxide, methanesulfonate (MSA), and non-sea-salt (nss) sulfate were measured over the eastern Pacific Ocean between 105 deg and 110 deg W from 20 deg N to 60 deg S during February and March 1989. Although the samples collected in the Southern Hemisphere appear to be of marine origin, no significant correlation was found between the latitudinal distributions of DMS, SO2, MSA, and nss SO4(2-). However, an inverse correlation was found between atmospheric temperature and the MSA to nss SO4(2-) molar ratio in submicrometer aerosol particles with a decrease in temperature corresponding to an increase in the molar ratio. Although this trend is consistent with laboratory results indicating the favored production of MSA at lower temperatures, it is contrary to Southern Hemisphere baseline station data. This suggests either a decrease in the supply of DMS relative to nonmarine sources of nss SO4(2-) at the baseline stations in winter or additional mechanisms that affect the relative production of MSA and nss SO4(2-).

Bates, Timothy S.↗

Dimethylsulfide/cloud condensation nuclei/climate system - Relevant size-resolved measurements of the chemical and physical properties of atmospheric aerosol particles

The mass and number relationships occurring within the atmospheric dimethylsulfide/cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)/climate system, using simultaneous measurements of particulate phase mass size distributions of nss SO4(2-), methanesulfonic acid (MSA), and NH4(+); number size distributions of particles having diameters between 0.02 and 9.6 microns; CCN concentrations at a supersaturation of 0.3 percent; relative humidity; and temperature, obtained for the northeastern Pacific Ocean in April and May 1991. Based on these measurements, particulate nss SO4(2-), MSA, and NH4(+) mass appeared to be correlated with both particle effective surface area and number in the accumulation mode size range (0.16 to 0.5 micron). No correlations were found in the size range below 0.16 micron. A correlation was also found between nss SO4(2-) mass and the CCN number concentration, such that a doubling of the SO4(2-) mass corresponded to a 40 percent increase in the CCN number concentration. However, no correlation was found between MSA mass and CCN concentration.

Quinn, P. K.↗

Methane Production by Microbial Mats Under Low Sulfate Concentrations

Cyanobacterial mats collected in hypersaline salterns were incubated in a greenhouse under low sulfate concentrations ([SO4]) and examined for their primary productivity and emissions of methane and other major carbon species. Atmospheric greenhouse warming by gases such as carbon dioxide and methane must have been greater during the Archean than today in order to account for a record of moderate to warm paleoclemates, despite a less luminous early sun. It has been suggested that decreased levels of oxygen and sulfate in Archean oceans could have significantly stimulated microbial methanogenesis relative to present marine rates, with a resultant increase in the relative importance of methane in maintaining the early greenhouse. We maintained modern microbial mats, models of ancient coastal marine communities, in artificial brine mixtures containing both modern [SO4=] (ca. 70 mM) and "Archean" [SO4] (less than 0.2 mM). At low [SO4], primary production in the mats was essentially unaffected, while rates of sulfate reduction decreased by a factor of three, and methane fluxes increased by up to ten-fold. However, remineralization by methanogenesis still amounted to less than 0.4 % of the total carbon released by the mats. The relatively low efficiency of conversion of photosynthate to methane is suggested to reflect the particular geometry and chemical microenvironment of hypersaline cyanobacterial mats. Therefore, such mats w-ere probably relatively weak net sources of methane throughout their 3.5 Ga history, even during periods of low- environmental levels oxygen and sulfate.

Bebout, Brad M.↗

Uptake of Nitrate and Sulfate on Dust Aerosols during TRACE-P

Aerosol data collected near Asia on the DC-8 aircraft platform during TRACE-P has been examined for evidence of uptake of NO3(-) and SO4(-) on dust surfaces. Data is compared between a sector where dust was predominant and a sector where dust was less of an influence. Coincident with dust were higher mixing ratios of anthropogenic pollutants. HNO3, SO2, and CO were higher in the dust sector than the nondust sector by factors of 2.7, 6.2, and 1.5, respectively. The colocation of dust and pollution sources allowed for the uptake of NO3(-) and nss-SO4(-) on the coarse dust aerosols, increasing the mixing ratios of these particulates by factors of 5.7 and 2.6 on average. There was sufficient nss-SO4(-) to take up all of the NH4(+) present, with enough excess nss-SO4(-) to also react with dust CaCO3. This suggests that the enhanced NO3(-) was not in fine mode NH4NO3. Particulate NO3(-) (p-NO3(-)) constituted 54% of the total NO3(-), (t-NO3(-)) on average, reaching a maximum of 72% in the dust sector. In the nondust sector, p-NO3(-) contributed 37% to t-NO3(-), likely due to the abundance of sea salts there. In two other sectors where the influence of dust and sea salt were minimal, p-NO3(-), accounted for < 15% of t-NO3(-).

Jordan, C. E.↗

Calcium Sulfate in Atacama Desert Basalt: A Possible Analog for Bright Material in Adirondack Basalt, Gusev Crater

The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the driest deserts on Earth (< 2mm/y). The hyper-arid conditions allow extraordinary accumulations of sulfates, chlorides, and nitrates in Atacama soils. Examining salt accumulations in the Atacama may assist understanding salt accumulations on Mars. Recent work examining sulfate soils on basalt parent material observed white material in the interior vesicles of surface basalt. This is strikingly similar to the bright-white material present in veins and vesicles of the Adirondack basalt rocks at Gusev Crater which are presumed to consist of S, Cl, and/or Br. The abundance of soil gypsum/anhydrite in the area of the Atacama basalt suggested that the white material consisted of calcium sulfate (Ca-SO4) which was later confirmed by SEM/EDS analysis. This work examines the Ca-SO4 of Atacama basalt in an effort to provide insight into the possible nature of the bright material in the Adirondack basalt of Gusev Crater. The objectives of this work are to (i) discuss variations in Ca-SO4 crystal morphology in the vesicles and (ii) examine the Ca-SO4 interaction(s) with the basalt interior.

Sutter, B.↗

The Influence of Ozone Precursor Emissions from Four World Regions on Tropospheric Composition and Radiative Climate Forcing

Ozone (O3) precursor emissions influence regional and global climate and air quality through changes in tropospheric O3 and oxidants, which also influence methane (CH4) and sulfate aerosols (SO4 (sup 2-)). We examine changes in the tropospheric composition of O3, CH4, SO4 (sup 2-) and global net radiative forcing (RF) for 20% reductions in global CH4 burden and in anthropogenic O3 precursor emissions (NOx, NMVOC, and CO) from four regions (East Asia, Europe and Northern Africa, North America, and South Asia) using the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution Source-Receptor global chemical transport model (CTM) simulations, assessing uncertainty (mean plus or minus 1 standard deviation) across multiple CTMs. We evaluate steady state O3 responses, including long-term feedbacks via CH4. With a radiative transfer model that includes greenhouse gases and the aerosol direct effect, we find that regional NOx reductions produce global, annually averaged positive net RFs (0.2 plus or minus 0.6 to 1.7 2 mWm(sup -2)/Tg N yr(sup -1), with some variation among models. Negative net RFs result from reductions in global CH4 (-162.6 plus or minus 2 mWm(sup -2) for a change from 1760 to 1408 ppbv CH4) and regional NMVOC (-0.4 plus or minus 0.2 to 0.7 plus or minus 0.2 mWm(sup -2)/Tg C yr(sup -1) and CO emissions (-0.13 plus or minus 0.02 to -0.15 plus or minus 0.02 mWm(sup-2)/Tg CO yr(sup-1). Including the effect of O3 on CO2 uptake by vegetation likely makes these net RFs more negative by -1.9 to- 5.2 mWm(sup -2)/Tg N yr(sup -1), -0.2 to -0.7 mWm(sup -2)/Tg C yr(sup -1), and -0.02 to -0.05 mWm(sup -2)/ Tg CO yr(sup -1). Net RF impacts reflect the distribution of concentration changes, where RF is affected locally by changes in SO4 (sup -2), regionally to hemispherically by O3, and globally by CH4. Global annual average SO4 2 responses to oxidant changes range from 0.4 plus or minus 2.6 to -1.9 plus or minus 1.3 Gg for NOx reductions, 0.1 plus or minus 1.2 to -0.9 plus or minus 0.8 Gg for NMVOC reductions, and -0.09 plus or minus 0.5 to -0.9 plus or minus 0.8 Gg for CO reductions, suggesting additional research is needed. The 100-year global warming potentials (GWP(sub 100)) are calculated for the global CH4 reduction (20.9 plus or minus 3.7 without stratospheric O3 or water vapor, 24.2 plus or minus 4.2 including those components), and for the regional NOx, NMVOC, and CO reductions (18.7 plus or minus 25.9 to 1.9 plus or minus 8.7 for NOx, 4.8 plus or minus 1.7 to 8.3 plus or minus 1.9 for NMVOC, and 1.5 plus or minus 0.4 to 1.7 plus or minus 0.5 for CO). Variation in GWP(sub 100) for NOx, NMVOC, and CO suggests that regionally specific GWPs may be necessary and could support the inclusion of O3 precursors in future policies that address air quality and climate change simultaneously. Both global net RF and GWP100 are more sensitive to NOx and NMVOC reductions from South Asia than the other three regions.

ozone↗

Solar Metal Sulfate-Ammonia Based Thermochemical Water Splitting Cycle for Hydrogen Production

Two classes of hybrid/thermochemical water splitting processes for the production of hydrogen and oxygen have been proposed based on (1) metal sulfate-ammonia cycles (2) metal pyrosulfate-ammonia cycles. Methods and systems for a metal sulfate MSO.sub.4--NH3 cycle for producing H2 and O2 from a closed system including feeding an aqueous (NH3)(4)SO3 solution into a photoctalytic reactor to oxidize the aqueous (NH3)(4)SO3 into aqueous (NH3)(2)SO4 and reduce water to hydrogen, mixing the resulting aqueous (NH3)(2)SO4 with metal oxide (e.g. ZnO) to form a slurry, heating the slurry of aqueous (NH4)(2)SO4 and ZnO(s) in the low temperature reactor to produce a gaseous mixture of NH3 and H2O and solid ZnSO4(s), heating solid ZnSO4 at a high temperature reactor to produce a gaseous mixture of SO2 and O2 and solid product ZnO, mixing the gaseous mixture of SO2 and O2 with an NH3 and H2O stream in an absorber to form aqueous (NH4)(2)SO3 solution and separate O2 for aqueous solution, recycling the resultant solution back to the photoreactor and sending ZnO to mix with aqueous (NH4)(2)SO4 solution to close the water splitting cycle wherein gaseous H2 and O2 are the only products output from the closed ZnSO4--NH3 cycle.

Huang, Cunping↗

Physical and chemical characteristics of Mount St. Helens airborne debris

Tephra and aerosols from the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington were sampled in the lower stratosphere with a WB-57F aircraft. The main body of the plume was intercepted over western Kansas on May 20, 48 hours after the eruption, at an altitude of 15.2 km. Concentrations on filter samples were 26 ng of SO4(-2) of air and 579 ng of ash/g of air. Angular glass pyroclasts ranged in size from 0.5 to 10 microns, with a mean grain of 2 microns. Samples collected at altitudes of 16.7 and 12.5 km had only traces of SO4(-2) and ash. A second flight was flown, 72 hours after the eruption, on May 21. From north Texas to central Wyoming, at an altitude of 15.2 km less than 0.5 to 38 ng of ash/g of air and 1.0 to 2.2 ng of SO4(-2)/g of air were sampled. At an altitude of 18.3 km, from central Wyoming to NW New Mexico, the plume density and character were variable.

Sedlacek, W. A.↗

Comparative effects of selenite and selenate on nitrate assimilation in barley seedlings

The effect of SeO3= and SeO4= on NO3- assimilation in 8-d-old barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings was studied over a 24-h period. Selenite at 0.1 mol m-3 in the uptake solutions severely inhibited the induction of NO3- uptake and active nitrate reductases. Selenate, at 1.0 mol m-3 in the nutrient solution, had little effect on induction of activities of these systems until after 12 h; however, when the seedlings were pretreated with 1.0 mol m-3 SeO4= for 24 h, subsequent NO3- uptake from SeO4(=) -free solutions was inhibited about 60%. Sulphate partially alleviated the inhibitory effect of SeO3= when supplied together in the ambient solutions, but had no effect in seedlings pretreated with SeO3=. By contrast, SO4= partially alleviated the inhibitory effect of SeO4= even in seedlings pretreated with SeO4=. Since uptake of NO3- by intact seedlings was also inhibited by SO3=, the percentage of the absorbed NO3- that was reduced was not affected. By contrast, SeO4=, which affected NO3- uptake much less, inhibited the percentage reduced of that absorbed. However, when supplied to detached leaves, both SeO3= and SeO4= inhibited the in vivo reduction of NO3- as well as induction of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase activities. Selenite was more inhibitory than SeO4= ; approximately a five to 10 times higher concentration of SeO4= than SeO3= was required to achieve similar inhibition. In detached leaves, the inhibitory effect of both SeO3= and SeO4= on in vivo NO3- reduction as well as on the induction of nitrate reductase activity was partially alleviated by SO4=. The inhibitory effects of Se salts on the induction of the nitrite reductase were, however, completely alleviated by SO4=. The results show that in barley seedlings SeO3= is more toxic than SeO4=. The reduction of SeO4= to SeO3= may be a rate limiting step in causing Se toxicity.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗

Arctic Amplification Response to Individual Climate Drivers

The Arctic is experiencing rapid climate change in response to changes in greenhouse gases, aerosols and other climate drivers. Emission changes in general, as well as geographical shifts in emissions and transport pathways of shortlived climate forcers, make it necessary to understand the influence of each climate driver on the Arctic. In the Precipitation Driver Response Model Intercomparison Project, ten global climate models perturbed five different climate drivers separately (CO2, CH4, the solar constant, BC and SO4). We show that the annual mean Arctic amplification (defined as the ratio between Arctic and the global mean temperature change) at the surface is similar between climate drivers, ranging from 1.9 (± an intermodel standard deviation of 0.4) for the solar to 2.3 (± 0.6) for the SO4 perturbations, with minimum amplification in the summer for all drivers. The vertical and seasonal temperature response patterns indicate that the Arctic is warmed through similar mechanisms for all climate drivers except BC. For all drivers, the precipitation change per degree global temperature change is positive in the Arctic, with a seasonality following that of the Arctic amplification. We find indications that SO4 perturbations produce a slightly stronger precipitation response than the other drivers, particularly compared to CO2.

greenhouse gases↗