atmosphere Archive - ATTO - Amazon Tall Tower Observatory

When Storms Hit: Frequent Thunderstorms Shape the Amazon’s Forest–Atmosphere Interactions

Thunderstorms regularly reshape weather over the Amazon. Using high-frequency data from the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory, researchers cataloged 410 storms (Aug 2021–Dec 2023) and found they strike about every other day, mostly from midafternoon to evening and April–September. The forest canopy mutes most gusts below it, while above-canopy airflow matches textbook storm patterns—insights that improve models of energy, aerosol, and greenhouse gas exchanges for better weather and climate predictions.

Publications

How the Amazon rainforest reaches for the clouds

New study highlights Amazon’s critical role in the Earth’s climate system, revealing that land-use changes and accelerating deforestation reduce biogenic trace gas emissions and impact atmospheric chemistry up to 12 km altitude.

Publications

Can storms’ gust fronts increase carbon dioxide in the lower atmosphere?

Luciane Reis and her colleagues now performed a new study at the ATTO site that shows that gust fronts can also cause large jumps in carbon dioxide concentrations. But what are the sources of this carbon-dioxide-rich air?

Publications

Alike but different: Analyzing isomeric BVOC in the Amazonian atmosphere

Scientists measured carbonyl compounds in the atmosphere of the Amazon rainforest with the adopted instrumentation to separate aldehydes and ketones. They made some unexpected discoveries, showing studying the variety of carbonyl compounds separately is extremely worthwhile.

Publications

Nanoparticle Bursts over the Amazon Rainforest

Atmospheric aerosol particles are essential for the formation of clouds and precipitation, thereby influencing the Earth’s energy budget, water cycle, and climate. However, the origin of aerosol particles in pristine air over the Amazon rainforest during the wet season is poorly understood. A new study reveals that rainfall regularly induces bursts of newly formed nanoparticles in the air above the forest canopy.

Publications