Emissions of atmospherically reactive gases nitrous acid and nitric oxide from Arctic permafrost peatlands

Abstract Soils are important sources of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous acid (HONO) in the atmosphere. These nitrogen (N)-containing gases play a crucial role atmospheric chemistry climate at different scales because reactions modulated by NO hydroxyl radicals (OH), which formed via HONO photolysis. Northern permafrost soils have so far remained unexplored for emissions despite their high N stocks, capacity to emit (N 2 O), enhancing mineral turnover due warming thawing. Here, we report first from high-latitude based on measurements permafrost-affected subarctic peatlands. We show large (0.1–2.4 µ g m −2 h −1 ) (0.4–59.3 unvegetated peat surfaces, rich with N, compared low (⩽0.2 both gases) adjacent vegetated surfaces (experiments intact cores). observed production under highly variable soil moisture conditions dry wet. However, complementary slurry experiments, was strongly favored anoxic conditions. suggest urgent examination other Arctic landscapes better constrain these reactive chemistry.