Butene Emissions From Coastal Ecosystems May Contribute to New Particle Formation

Chiara Giorio , Jean-François Doussin (1) , Barbara d'Anna (2) , Sébastien Mas (3) , Daniele Filippi , Cyrielle Denjean , Marc Daniel Mallet (1) , Thierry Bourrianne , Frédéric Burnet , Mathieu Cazaunau (1) , Chibo Chikwililwa , Karine Desboeufs (1) , Anaïs. Feron (1) , Vincent Michoud (1) , Andreas Namwoonde , Meinrat O. Andreae , Stuart J. Piketh , Paola Formenti (1)

1 LISA (UMR_7583) - Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques
2 LCE - Laboratoire Chimie de l'environnement
3 OSU OREME - Observatoire de REcherche Méditerranéen de l'Environnement

Marine ecosystems are important drivers of the global climate system. They emit volatile species into the atmosphere, involved in complex reaction cycles that influence the lifetime of greenhouse gases. Sea spray and marine biogenic aerosols affect Earth's climate by scattering solar radiation and controlling cloud microphysical properties. Here we show larger than expected marine biogenic emissions of butenes, three orders of magnitude higher than dimethyl sulfide, produced by the coastal part of the Benguela upwelling system, one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. We show that these emissions may contribute to new particle formation in the atmosphere within the marine boundary layer through production of Criegee intermediates that oxidize SO₂ to H₂SO₄. Butene emissions from the marine biota may affect air quality and climate through ozone, secondary organic aerosol, and cloud condensation nuclei formation even in pristine regions of the world. Our results indicate a potentially important role of butene emissions in marine particle formation that requires investigation in other regions.

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Climatology

Chiara Giorio, Jean-François Doussin, Barbara d'Anna, Sébastien Mas, Daniele Filippi, et al.. Butene Emissions From Coastal Ecosystems May Contribute to New Particle Formation. Geophysical Research Letters, 2022, 49, ⟨10.1029/2022GL098770⟩. ⟨insu-03749606⟩