Ozone Concentrations in Rural Regions of the Yangtze Delta in China

Elevated concentrations of ozone have been observed at six non-urban, surface monitoring sites in the Yangtze Delta of China during a 16-month field experiment carried out in 1999 and 2000 as part of the joint Chinese-American China-MAP Project (the Yangtze Delta of china as an Evolving Metro-Agro-Plex). The average daytime (0900–1600 h) ozone levels for the monitoring period at sites ranged from 35 to 47 ppbv (parts per billion by volume) and the mean ozone levels from 26 to 35 ppbv. Observed data show seasonal variation obviously, with highest mixing ratios of ozone in May. Average daytime ozone levels in May at sites were between 60 and 79 ppbv. High ozone concentrations were most prevalent during the late spring. Frequency counts of hourly mean ozone concentration over 60 ppbv and 40 ppbv appeared peak values of 22–39% and 42–74% in May at sites. Even higher daytime ozone levels were observed during two regional episodes, in which average daytime (0900–1600 h) ozone concentrations during 10 May and 23 May 2000 were 68 to 81 ppbv, during Oct. 18 and Oct. 28, 1999 were 59 to 67 ppbv at sites. Peak value of ozone mixing ratio appearing in late spring, instead of in summer, was attributed to summer monsoon. Backward trajectories showed that ozone episodes associated with meteorological conditions. Also many high ozone levels associated with high CO levels and high CO to NO _x ratios, which suggests a contribution from sources of emission involving incomplete combustion.     

Impact of Air Transport on Seasonal Variations and Trends of Surface Ozone at Kislovodsk High Mountain Station

The impact of air transport on the surface ozone variations is analyzed at Kislovodsk High Mountain Station for the period 1989–1996 on the basis of 2D back trajectories. It was shown that the contribution of photochemical and dynamical processes is different for the different seasons. In summer months the surface ozone concentration is governed by photochemical ozone production in semi polluted air from the regions of Northern Caspian, Southern Ural and Volga region. Time of the seasonal ozone maximum appearance is defined by joint influence of the processes of photochemical production and destruction in the eastern sectors and advection from Ukraine and Central Europe. The value of the seasonal minimum is determined by the processes of ozone destruction in the air coming from northeastern direction in the stable frontal zone. Distribution of sectors of the air transport changes from year to year and it can partly explain strong negative trend of the surface ozone concentration at the site.     

Modeling of Regional High Ozone Episode Observed at Two Mountain Sites (Mt. Tai and Huang) in East China

A high O₃ episode was observed during 23–25 May 2004 at two high-mountain sites reflecting the regional pattern of air pollutants over East China. This episode lasted about three days with the maximum hourly O₃ mixing ratios reaching 111 and 114 ppbv at Mt. Tai and Huang, respectively. Backward trajectories and meteorological analysis indicated that regional transport, associated with a weak high pressure system over the East China Sea, might play an important role in the formation of this high ozone episode. The nested air quality prediction modeling system (NAQPMS) was applied to investigate the formation and evolution of this high O₃ event. The comparison of model results with observations showed that NAQPMS successfully reproduced the main observed patterns of O₃ and meteorological parameters during the simulated period. The model results with emission over the Yangtze Delta and the East Central China switched on/off clearly showed that ozone and its precursors transported from the Yangtze Delta and the East Central China enhanced the high ozone episode at two sites, with a contribution of 20%–50% during the episode. In addition, based on process analysis with the model, chemical production and regional transport appeared to be the main causes of high ozone episode involving a large amount of high-ozone air masses and precursors transported from the surrounding areas. The horizontal transport is more active during the period of high ozone episode than that during the non-episode at Mt. Tai as well as Mt. Huang.     

Surface ozone concentration variability in Moscow and Kiev

The comparison is represented of the results of surface ozone concentration measurements in two megalopolises, Moscow and Kiev. A temporal course of ozone concentration and temperature in both cities is close by the shape and is typical of medium-polluted plain stations. In both megalopolises, two maxima are observed within the seasonal ozone concentration variability, in spring and summer, and during the day, a usual ozone concentration maximum (approximately in 2–3 hours after the local noon) and the night one being typical of big cities. An average ozone concentration and an average temperature in corresponding periods are higher in Kiev than in Moscow. Evidently, the summer maximum is associated with photochemical ozone generation processes, and the spring one, with dynamic processes of its transport in the atmosphere. In both megalopolises, the episodes are observed in the warm period under meteorological conditions being unfavorable for the pollutant scattering in the atmosphere when the ozone concentration exceeds the threshold limit value and is dangerous for health. The repeatability of such episodes is the highest one in July-August. In Kiev, such episodes are more frequent than in Moscow. An effective statistical model is constructed for both megalopolises in which the observed ozone concentration is represented in the form of regression function of temperature and relative humidity.     

A Review of Atmospheric Chemistry Research in China: Photochemical Smog, Haze Pollution, and Gas-Aerosol Interactions

In this paper we present a review of atmospheric chemistry research in China over the period 2006-2010, focusing on tropospheric ozone, aerosol chemistry, and the interactions between trace gases and aerosols in the polluted areas of China. Over the past decade, China has suffered severe photochemical smog and haze pollution, especially in North China, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta. Much scientific work on atmospheric chemistry and physics has been done to address this large-scale, complex environmental problem. Intensive field experiments, satellite data analyses, and model simulations have shown that air pollution is significantly changing the chemical and physical characters of the natural atmosphere over these parts of China. In addition to strong emissions of primary pollutants, photochemical and heterogeneous reactions play key roles in the formation of complex pollution. More in-depth research is recommended to reveal the formation mechanism of photochemical smog and haze pollution and their climatic effects at the urban, regional, and global scales.     

我国霾和光化学污染观测研究进展

霾和光化学污染已成为我国最严重的环境气象灾害,受到政府和公众广泛关注。针对我国的环境气象问题,国内外科研人员开展了大量研究工作,发表了一系列的研究成果。该文对近年来我国霾和光化学污染的观测、分析和影响研究方面的文献进行综述,为将来相关研究提供基础。在霾污染方面,主要回顾了霾的现象与判别、组成与来源、影响霾的气象因素、霾的长期趋势等方面的研究进展。在光化学污染方面,主要回顾了污染的特征与水平、污染的区域化、臭氧垂直分布、地面臭氧影响因素、臭氧污染发展趋势等方面的研究进展。此外,还概括了霾和光化学污染危害研究主要成果,在文献综述的基础上,提出了未来研究中值得关注的几方面问题,包括进一步加强霾和雾的科学判识方法、污染物相互作用、污染-气象-化学-生态间耦合效应研究,特别关注光化学污染发展态势,加强长期观测资料的积累、分析与应用等。     

Observational study of surface ozone at an urban site in East China

In this study, we present the observational data of near surface ozone and some meteorological parameters during 2004, at an urban site (36°42′ N, 117°08′ E, 34.5 m a.s.l.) of Jinan, China. Hourly ozone concentrations exceeding the standard value of China, 100 ppbv, were observed for 65 h (in 23 days) from April to October, and values exceeding US NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standard) for 1 h ozone, 120 ppbv, were observed for 15 h (in 7 days) from late May to early July. Ozone formation presented the phenomenon of “weekend effect”, especially in summer. Monthly variation of ozone coincided with temperature except for July and August. The low ozone levels in July and August may be due to the short sunshine duration and much rainfall during this period. Among these meteorological parameters, daily averaged ozone shows a significant correlation with temperature (r = 0.66) in the year and with relative humidity (r = − 0.75) in summer. Throughout the year, high ozone concentrations were mainly associated with the wind from 180 to 247.5°, while high ozone concentration seemed to have no obvious correlation with a given wind direction in summer. An anomalous nocturnal high ozone episode during 23–25 May 2004 was investigated. Growth fractions of ozone during the nighttime episode were 62.2% and 71.1% for 23 and 24 May, respectively. Synoptic analysis shows that favorable synoptic condition had presumably elevated the background ozone level in this region. Backward trajectory analysis shows that the increase of ozone concentration and the relatively constant high ozone concentrations during the night of May 23 might originate from the transport of ozone rich air mass above boundary layer. Transport of ozone from Yangtze Delta and East Central China might be a significant process for the high ozone level during night May 24 at Jinan.     

An analytical investigation of a sequence of unusual springtime ozone episodes over metropolitan Taichung in 2007

This study investigated the potential factors contributing to a series of ozone (O₃) episodes in the Taichung metropolis, which occurred during the first half of May 2007. Surface data of the meteorological parameters and air pollutant concentrations, supported by Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration, and vertical data monitored via tethersonde sampling were analysed. The analyses showed that local anthropogenic activities and physical factors such as the sea–air interaction were not the main factors contributing to the O₃ events. Excluding these potential causes, the results suggest that, during the aforementioned period, the stronger Mainland High and Pacific Low may have been responsible for the long-range transport of large quantities of O₃ from Mainland China to Taiwan. Furthermore, O₃ photochemical activity also played an important role in the O₃ episodes. The faster consumption of NO lead to a more rapid increase in the O₃ concentration.     

A numerical study of tropospheric ozone in the springtime in East Asia

The Models-3 Community Multi-scale Air Quality modeling system (CMAQ)coupled with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS)is applied to East Asia to study the transport and photochemical transformation of tropospheric ozone in March 1998．The calculated mixing ratios of ozone and carbon monoxide are compared with ground 1evel observations at three remote sites in Japan and it is found that the model reproduces the observed features very well．Examination of several high episodes of ozone and carbon monoxide indicates that these elevated levels are found in association with continental outflow,demonstrating the critical role of the rapid transport of carbon monoxide and other ozone precursors from the continental boundary layer．In comparison with available ozonesonde data,it is found that the model-calculated ozone concentrations are generally in good agreement with the measurements,and the stratospheric contribution to surface ozone mixing ratios is quite limited．     

西太平洋地区大气边界层内臭氧的季节变化及其影响因子分析

利用臭氧探空资料,分析了西太平洋地区香港(Hong Kong)、那霸(Naha)和札幌(Sapporo)三个站点2000~2010年期间大气边界层内臭氧(O₃)的季节分布和年变化趋势。结果表明,三个站点O₃的季节分布存在明显的差异。其中,那霸和香港大气边界层内O₃季节平均呈双峰值分布,其峰值分别出现在春季和秋季;而札幌站为单峰分布,峰值出现在春季。造成季节分布差异的主要原因包括人为污染源和自然因素如气象条件。另外,三个站点大气边界层内O₃均呈上升趋势。其中札幌、那霸上升最快,分别达0.80 ppb a-1和0.77 ppb a-1。(ppb表示10-9,下同)香港的年际增长较不明显,但秋季增长却非常明显,高达1.21 ppb a-1。结合GOME (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) 和SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectro Meter for Atmospheric Chartography)卫星反演的NO₂数据发现,过去10年中国京津唐和东北地区的对流层内NO₂柱总量增加极为迅速。这些O₃前体物通过远距离输送是导致札幌、那霸O₃浓度增加的主要原因之一。珠江三角洲人为污染源的增加及偏北气流的影响,是导致香港地区秋季O₃增加的主要原因。     

Observed and modelled “chemical weather” during ESCOMPTE

The new MOdèle de Chimie Atmosphérique à Grande Echelle (MOCAGE) three-dimensional multiscale chemistry and transport model (CTM) has been applied to study heavy pollution episodes observed during the ESCOMPTE experiment. The model considers the troposphere and lower stratosphere, and allows the possibility of zooming from the planetary scale down to the regional scale over limited area subdomains. Like this, it generates its own time-dependent chemical boundary conditions in the vertical and in the horizontal. This paper focuses on the evaluation and quantification of uncertainties related to chemical and transport modelling during two intensive observing periods, IOP2 and IOP4 (June 20–26 and July 10–14, 2001, respectively). Simulations are compared to the database of four-dimensional observations, which includes ground-based sites and aircraft measurements, radiosoundings, and quasi-continuous measurements of ozone by LIDARs. Thereby, the observed and modelled day-to-day variabilities in air composition both at the surface and in the vertical have been assessed. Then, three sensitivity studies are conducted concerning boundary conditions, accuracy of the emission dataset, and representation of chemistry. Firstly, to go further in the analysis of chemical boundary conditions, results from the standard grid nesting set-up and altered configurations, relying on climatologies, are compared. Along with other recent studies, this work advocates the systematic coupling of limited-area models with global CTMs, even for regional air quality studies or forecasts. Next, we evaluate the benefits of using the detailed high-resolution emissions inventory of ESCOMPTE: improvements are noticeable both on ozone reactivity and on the concentrations of various species of the ozone photochemical cycle especially primary ones. Finally, we provide some insights on the comparison of two simulations differing only by the parameterisation of chemistry and using two state-of-the-art chemical schemes for regional photochemical modelling. Regional air quality modelling is found to be highly sensitive to the emission inventory dataset and also to the vertical and horizontal boundary conditions and detailed representation of chemistry. Interestingly enough, they infer the same range of errors compared to total model errors.     

Impact of precursor levels and global warming on peak ozone concentration in the Pearl River Delta Region of China

The relationship between the emission of ozone precursors and the chemical production of tropospheric ozone(O3) in the Pearl River Delta Region(PRD) was studied using numerical simulation.The aim of this study was to examine the volatile organic compound(VOC)-or nitrogen oxide(NOx =NO+NO2)limited conditions at present and when surface temperature is increasing due to global warming,thus to make recommendations for future ozone abatement policies for the PRD region.The model used for this application is the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency’s(EPA’s) third-generation air-quality modeling system;it consists of the mesoscale meteorological model MM5 and the chemical transport model named Community Multi-scale Air Quality(CMAQ).A series of sensitivity tests were conducted to assess the influence of VOC and NOx variations on ozone production.Tropical cyclone was shown to be one of the important synoptic weather patterns leading to ozone pollution.The simulations were based on a tropicalcyclone-related episode that occurred during 14-16 September 2004.The results show that,in the future,the control strategy for emissions should be tightened.To reduce the current level of ozone to meet the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department(EPD) air-quality objective(hourly average of 120 ppb),emphasis should be put on restricting the increase of NOx emissions.Furthermore,for a wide range of possible changes in precursor emissions,temperature increase will increase the ozone peak in the PRD region;the areas affected by photochemical smog are growing wider,but the locations of the ozone plume are rather invariant.     

贵州安顺市PM2.5气象输送条件及贡献源空间分布

利用贵州省安顺市2015—2019年大气污染物资料和气象资料,分析安顺市空气质量特征和主要大气污染物特征,通过TrajStat软件中HYSPLIT模型的后向轨迹模式,结合GDAS气象数据、PM_2.5浓度,分析不同季节输送途径及其污染轨迹,采用潜在源贡献作用和浓度权重轨迹分析方法,分析研究期内所有PM_2.5污染日（PM_2.5日浓度高于75 μg·m^-3）输送轨迹垂直与水平方向分布特征。结果表明: PM_2.5是安顺城区主要大气污染物,冬季输送污染轨迹占比较大,输送方向主要为贵州东北方向、偏南方向; 污染日PM_2.5输送路径以贵州东北方向近距离输送为主,该类轨迹基本分布在880—980 hPa高度; 潜在源高值区主要集中在贵阳整个地区、毕节织金县、黔西市、金沙县等,高贡献值区主要集中在安顺紫云县、镇宁县、毕节织金县、大方县等。     

An insight into the formation of severe ozone episodes: modeling the 21/03/01 event in the ESCOMPTE region

High ozone concentrations are observed more and more frequently in the lower troposphere. The development of such polluted episodes is linked to a complex set of chemical, physical and dynamical parameters that interact with each other. To improve air quality, it is necessary to understand and quantify the role of all these processes on the intensity of ozone formation. The ESCOMPTE program, especially dedicated to the numerical simulation of photochemical episodes, offers an ideal frame to investigate details of the roles of many of these processes through 3D modeling. This paper presents the analysis, with a 3D eulerian model, of a severe and local episode of ozone pollution that occurred on the 21st of March 2001 in the ESCOMPTE region. This episode is particularly interesting due to the intensity of the observed ozone peaks (450 μg/m³ during 15 mn) but also because it did not occur in summer but at the beginning of spring. As part of the premodeling work of the ESCOMPTE program, this study focuses on the sensitivity of the simulated ozone peaks to various chemical and physical phenomena (long-range transport, industrial emissions, local dynamic phenomena…) to determine their influence on the rise of high local photooxidant concentrations and to better picture the photochemistry of the ESCOMPTE region. Through sensitivity tests to dynamical calculation resolution and emissions, this paper shows how the combination of sea and pond breezes with emissions of reactive VOCs can generate local intense ozone peaks.     

Temporal variations in surface ozone and its precursors and meteorological effects at an urban site in China

Continuous measurements of ozone and its precursors including NO, NO₂, and CO at an urban site (32°03′N, 118°44′E) in Nanjing, China during the period from January 2000 to February 2003 are presented. The effects of local meteorological conditions and distant transports associated with seasonal changed Asian monsoons on the temporal variations of O₃ and its precursors are studied by statistical, backward trajectory, and episode analyses. The diurnal variation in O₃ shows high concentrations during daytime and low concentrations during late night and early morning, while the precursors show high concentrations during night and early morning and low concentrations during daytime. The diurnal variations in air pollutants are closely related to those in local meteorological conditions. Both temperature and wind speed have significant positive correlations with O₃ and significant negative correlations with the precursors. Relative humidity has a significant negative correlation with O₃ and significant positive correlations with the precursors. The seasonal variation in O₃ shows low concentrations in late autumn and winter and high concentrations in late spring and early summer, while the precursors show high concentrations in late autumn and winter and low concentrations in summer. Local mobile and stationary sources make a great contribution to the precursors, but distant transports also play a very important role in the seasonal variations of the air pollutants. The distant transport associated with the southeastern maritime monsoon contributes substantially to the O₃ because the originally clean maritime air mass is polluted when passing over the highly industrialized and urbanized areas in the Yangtze River Delta. The high frequency of this type of air mass in summer causes the fact that a common seasonal characteristic of surface O₃ in East Asia, summer minimum, is not observed at this site. The distant transports associated with the northern continental monsoons that dominate in autumn and winter are related to the high concentrations of the precursors in these two seasons. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the O₃ pollution in vast inland of China affected by meteorological conditions and the rapid urbanization and industrialization.     

Boundary-layer ozone depletion as seen in the Norwegian Arctic in spring

Several years of measurements of ozone, hydrocarbons, sulphate and meteorological parameters from Spitsbergen in the Norwegian Arctic are presented. Most of the measurements were taken on the Zeppelin Mountain at an altitude of 474 m a.s.l. The focus is the episodes of ozone depletion in the lower troposphere in spring, which are studied in a climatological way. Episodes of very low ozone concentrations are a common feature on the Zeppelin Mountain in spring. The low ozone episodes were observed from late March to the beginning of June. When the effect of transport direction was subtracted, the frequenty of the low ozone episodes was found to peak in the beginning of May, possibly reflecting the seasonal cycle in the actual depletion process. Analyses based on trajectory calculations show that most of the episodes occurred when the air masses were transported from W-N. Ozone soundings show that the ozone depletion may extend from the surface and up to 3–4 km altitude. The episodes were associated with a cold boundary layer beneath a thermally stable layer, suppressing mixing with the free troposphere. The concentration of several individual hydrocarbons was much lower during episodes of low ozone than for the average conditions. The change in concentration ratio between the hydrocarbons was in qualitative agreement with oxidation of hydrocarbons by Br and Cl atoms rather than by OH radicals.     

华北平原夜间对流性天气对地面O3混合比的抬升效应

2013年6—9月在河北省固城站观测到多次夜间对流性天气伴随地面O₃混合比快速抬升的过程,并引起次日清晨到中午O₃混合比升高。大多数对流过程中,O₃混合比在半小时内升高至60×10-9～80×10-9,同时NO_x等反应性气体混合比下降,θ_se值降低,说明下沉气流将高空气团带到地面,造成了O₃混合比的升高。通过再分析资料得到下沉气团基本来源于对流层中下层,这一结论与当地进行的一次飞机观测结果吻合。多数对流过程中固城站和北京城区地面O₃混合比和θ_se值有相同的变化趋势和程度。根据观测结果,推测华北地区在夏季和初秋时,对流层中下层存在O₃高值区,混合比约为60×10-9～80×10-9。对流性天气对地面O₃抬升的影响区域与对流系统的影响范围有关,可达到中尺度范围。华北地区光化学污染严重,对流性天气引起的地面O₃混合比抬升程度比较强,对环境的影响值得关注。     

基于MODIS数据的土地覆盖资料对长三角城市群区域夏季高温模拟的影响评估

随着长三角地区经济发展的同时,人类活动对自然环境产生了很大影响,其中土地覆盖状况变化显著,尤以城市化扩展为主。为了评估土地覆盖资料对天气过程的数值模拟影响,了解土地覆盖变化对区域气象环境产生的作用,本文利用中尺度数值天气模式WRFV3.0/Noah/UCM,选取2005年250 m分辨率的MOD IS数据制作土地覆盖资料,针对2007年7月长三角地区一次夏季高温过程进行数值试验,分析表明:新的土地覆盖资料更真实地反映了长三角地区的下垫面结构,尤其体现出区域内城市群面积快速增长的特征。将模拟结果与高分辨率的气象站观测资料对比,统计结果显示精细化土地覆盖资料的引入明显改善了模拟效果,较真实的反映出城市化发展对区域气象环境的影响作用。     

A 10-year study of background surface ozone concentrations on the island of Gozo in the Central Mediterranean

A 10-year study of surface ozone mixing ratios in the Central Mediterranean was conducted based on continuous ozone measurements from 1997 to 2006 by a background regional Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) station on the island of Gozo. The mean annual maximum mixing ratio is of the order of 66 ppbv in April–May with a broad secondary maximum of 64 ppbv in July–September. No long-term increase or decrease in the background level of surface ozone could be observed over the last 10 years. This is contrary to observations made in the Eastern Mediterranean, where a slow decrease in the background ozone mixing ratio was observed over the past 7 years. Despite the very high average annual ozone mixing ratio exceeding 50 ppbv—in fact, the highest average background ozone mixing ratio ever measured in Europe—, the diurnal O _{3 max}/O _{3 min} index of <1.40 indicates that the island of Gozo is a good site for measuring background surface ozone. However, frequent photosmog events from June to September during the past 10 years with ozone mixing ratios exceeding 90 ppbv indicate that the Central Mediterranean is prone to long-range transport of air pollutants from Europe by northerly winds. This was particularly evident during the so-called “August heatwave” of the year 2003 when the overall ozone mixing ratio was 4.6 ppbv higher than the average of all other 9 months of August since 1997. Air mass back-trajectory analysis of the August 2003 photosmog episodes on Gozo confirmed that ozone pollution originated from the European continent. Regression analysis was used to analyse the 10-year data set in order to model the behaviour of the ozone mixing ratio in terms of the meteorological parameters of wind speed, relative humidity, global radiation, temperature, month of year, wind sector, atmospheric pressure, and time of day (predictors). Most of these predictors were found to significantly affect the ozone mixing ratios. From March to November, the monthly average of the AOT40 threshold value for the protection of crops and vegetation against ozone was constantly exceeded on Gozo during the past 10 years.