Key challenges for tropospheric chemistry in the Southern Hemisphere

• Published in: Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene
• Main Authors: Paton-Walsh, Clare, Emmerson, Kathryn, Garland, Rebecca, Keywood, Melita, Hoelzemann, Judith, Huneeus, Nicolás, Buchholz, Rebecca, Humphries, Ruhi, Altieri, Katye, Schmale, Julia, Wilson, Stephen, Labuschagne, Casper, Kalisa, Egide, Fisher, Jenny, Deutscher, Nicholas, van Zyl, Pieter, Beukes, Johan, Joubert, Warren, Martin, Lynwil, Mkololo, Thumeka, Barbosa, Cybelli, de Fatima Andrade, Maria, Schofield, Robyn, Mallet, Marc, Harvey, Mike, Formenti, Paola, Piketh, Stuart, Olivares, Gustavo
• Other Authors: Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry Wollongong (CAC), University of Wollongong Australia, CSIRO Climate Science Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Canberra (CSIRO), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Pretoria (CSIR), Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies Hobart (IMAS), University of Tasmania Hobart, Australia (UTAS), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Universidad de Chile = University of Chile Santiago (UCHILE), Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling Laboratory (ACOML), National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder (NCAR), Department of Oceanography Cape Town, University of Cape Town, Extreme Environments Research Laboratory (EERL), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), South African Weather Service (SAWS), North-West University South Aftrica (NWU), Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas São Paulo (IAG), Universidade de São Paulo = University of São Paulo (USP), University of Melbourne, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Wellington (NIWA), Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA (UMR_7583)), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Auckland (NIWA)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2022
• Subjects: Biogenics; Fires; Southern Ocean; [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03836154; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03836154/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03836154/file/Patton_elementa.2021.00050.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2021.00050

International audience This commentary paper from the recently formed International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Southern Hemisphere Working Group outlines key issues in atmospheric composition research that particularly impact the Southern Hemisphere. In this article, we present a broad overview of many of the challenges for understanding atmospheric chemistry in the Southern Hemisphere, before focusing in on the most significant factors that differentiate it from the Northern Hemisphere. We present sections on the importance of biogenic emissions and fires in the Southern Hemisphere, showing that these emissions often dominate over anthropogenic emissions in many regions. We then describe how these and other factors influence air quality in different parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Finally, we describe the key role of the Southern Ocean in influencing atmospheric chemistry and conclude with a description of the aims and scope of the newly formed IGAC Southern Hemisphere Working Group.