Progress in Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring and Modelling

Abstract

The chapter reviews progress in monitoring and modelling of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition at regional and global scales. The Working Group expressed confidence in the inorganic N wet deposition estimates in U.S., eastern Canada, Europe and parts of East Asia. But, long-term wet or dry N deposition information in large parts of Asia, South America, parts of Africa, Australia/Oceania, and oceans and coastal areas is lacking. Presently, robust estimates are only available for inorganic N as existing monitoring generally does not measure the complete suite of N species, impeding the closing of the atmospheric N budget. The most important species not routinely measured are nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ammonia (NH₃), organic N and nitric acid (HNO₃). Uncertainty is much higher in dry deposition than in wet deposition estimates. Inferential modelling (combining air concentrations with exchange rates) and direct flux measurements are good tools to estimate dry deposition; however, they are not widely applied. There is a lack of appropriate parameterizations for different land uses and compounds for input into inferential models. There is also a lack of direct dry deposition flux measurements to test inferential models and atmospheric model estimates.