Nonlinear chemical couplings in the tropospheric NO x -HO x gas phase chemistry

A bifurcation phenomenon with relevance to atmospheric chemistry is discussed. The gasphase reactions in the troposphere exhibit two types of temporal evolution which are controlled by the strength of the source,Q, of nitric oxide, NO, via the nonlinear chemical coupling between the hydrogen oxides and nitrogen oxides chemistry. IfQ remains below a threshold value, all short-lived species, including NO, approach steady-state concentrations, while above the threshold bifurcation to another state with increasing (nonstationary) NO concentrations accompanied by a depletion of the OH and HO2 abundances takes place.