A new method of modelling agricultural ammonia emissions

Article: Evaluation of interactive and prescribed agricultural ammonia emissions for simulating atmospheric composition in CAM-chem

Authors: Vira, Julius et al.

Journal: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

Year: 2022

Ammonia emissions play a central role in the chemistry of inorganic secondary aerosols in the atmosphere. Ammonia is emitted from livestock wastes and fertilized soils. In this study, the ammonia emissions produced by the agricultural nitrogen model FANv2 (Flow of Agricultural Nitrogen) and the results of the entire emission inventory were simulated using the CAM-chem atmospheric model. The performance of the model was evaluated by comparing values ​​with measurement results from different parts of the world.

In industrialized regions, the emissions according to the model were in line with the measurement results, but for sub-Saharan Africa, the model predicted higher ammonia emissions than previous estimates. More detailed information on fertilization practices would be needed to develop both models and emission inventories.