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NOx production in lightningThe rate of odd nitrogen (NOx) production by electrical discharge through air was theoretically and experimentally estimated to be about 60,000 trillion NOx molecules per joule. The theoretical treatment employed a cylindrical shock-wave solution to calculate the rate of NOx production in high temperature reactions. The limits obtained were experimentally verified by subjecting a regulated air flow to electrical discharges followed by a measurement of NOx production using chemiluminescence. These measurements also indicated that water vapor content has no detectable effect on the NOx production rate. The results imply that lightning is a significant source of NOx, producing about 30-40 megatons NOx-N per year and possibly accounting for as much as 50% of the total atmospheric NOx source.
Document ID
19770037933
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Chameides, W. L.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Stedman, D. H.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Dickerson, R. R.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Rusch, D. W.
(Michigan Univ. Ann Arbor, MI, United States)
Cicerone, R. J.
(Michigan, University Ann Arbor, Mich., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1977
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Volume: 34
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
77A20785
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-23-005-015
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7187
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF DES-74-11478
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-23006
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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