Anthropogenic ammonia (NH3) emissions have risen sharply in recent decades, largely due to intensified agricultural activity. While their impact on surface air quality is well known, new research shows these emissions also play a critical role in atmospheric processes far above the Earth’s surface.
A groundbreaking modeling study, conducted by scientists from The Cyprus Institute, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC), and CERN, demonstrates how human-driven NH3 influences aerosol formation in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Using the advanced EMAC Earth system model, the team incorporated state-of-the-art particle formation data from the CERN CLOUD experiment, which uniquely replicates atmospheric conditions in a controlled laboratory setting.
Key Findings:
NH3 emissions can increase cloud condensation nuclei concentrations by up to 2.5 times in regions with high agricultural activity.
Aerosol optical depth may rise by as much as 80 %, potentially altering cloud properties and climate forcing.
“These results highlight the need to include upper tropospheric NH3-driven aerosol processes in Earth system models,” said Christos Xenofontos (Lead author), “Improved representation of these mechanisms is essential for accurate climate and air quality predictions.”