Surprising Insights on Atmospheric Dynamics from an Atmospheric Carbon Cycle Tracer

Viernes 22 de mayo de 2026 • 12:00 hrs

Auditorio Dr. Julián Adem Chahín, ICAyCC

Instituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático

Ciudad Universitaria, CDMX

IMPARTE: Professor and Presidential Chair Elliott Campbell ┃Environmental Studies, University of California

RESUMEN:

Atmospheric trace measurements hold a record of the carbon cycle, but accurately interpreting this trace gas record remains challenging due to confounding factors from meteorological variability.  Here we report in situ evidence of a pronounced seasonal cycle in chemical meteorology from a regional network of Brazilian aircraft sites.  We observed widespread depletion (drawdown) of atmospheric carbonyl sulfide in the boundary layer.  These data reveal an unexpected surge in carbonyl sulfide drawdown during the dry season.  Simultaneous measurements of carbon monoxide, along with mechanistic and empirical simulations, show that this surge in drawdown was largely controlled by meteorology, rather than seasonality in plant uptake or other surface fluxes.  Taken together, carbonyl sulfide and CO2 measurements favor a smaller carbon source from the region than previously estimated.  This suggests that meteorological processes leave observable chemical signals in the atmosphere, providing a window into the forest response to climate.

SEMBLANZA:

Professor and Presidential Chair Elliott Campbell

 Elliott Campbell is Professor and Presidential Chair in the Environmental Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dr. Campbell’s research emphasizes the use of regional and global atmospheric simulations to interpret observations from airborne, FTIR, and ice core records. This work has led to his CAREER award from the National Science Foundation, appearances in media ranging from NPR to The Economist, and consultations to the U.S. EPA and other government agencies.

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