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New estimates of nitrous oxide emissions from biomass burningThe recent discovery of an artifact producing increased levels of N2O in combustion gas samples collected and stored in grab bottles before chemical analysis has resulted in the downgrading of fossil-fuel combustion and the questioning of biomass burning as important sources of N2O. As almost all reported analyses of N2O produced from biomass burning have involved essentially the same collection and analysis protocols as used in the fossil-fuel studies, this source of N2O must also be reexamined. Here, measurements of N2O made over a large prescribed fire using a near real-time in situ measurement technique are reported and compared with measurements of N2O from simultaneously collected grab-bottle samples. The results from 27 small laboratory biomass test fires are also used to help clarify the validity of earlier assessments. It is concluded that biomass burning contributes about seven percent of atmospheric N2O, as opposed to earlier estimates of several times this value.
Document ID
19910042672
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Cofer, W. R., III
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Levine, J. S.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Winstead, E. L.
(ST Systems Corp. Hampton, VA, United States)
Stocks, B. J.
(Forestry Canada, Great Lakes Forestry Centre Sault Sainte Marie, Canada)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
February 21, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Nature
Volume: 349
ISSN: 0028-0836
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Accession Number
91A27295
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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