Abstract:

Atmospheric processes such as transfer, transformation and deposition of nitrogen are closely related to the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen in the earths surface. Nitrogen isotope as a tracer to determine nitrogen sources and to quantitatively study the atmospheric nitrogen processes is paid close attention to now. This paper briefly described the isotopic characteristics of potential nitrogen sources, the nitrogen isotope fractionation mechanism during atmospheric processes, and the methods of quantitatively studying the atmospheric nitrogen processes. As a new tool used to study nitrogen processes in the atmosphere, the new findings from nitrogen isotope in mosses was also introduced. Detailed introduction to the researches related to nitrogen isotope in the atmosphere and mosses conducted in China was emphasized in this paper.

Key words:  nitrogen isotope, isotope fractionation, nitrogen sources, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, quantitative estimate, mosses