Comparison of measured and simulated NO2 integral content in the lower troposphere in Moscow region

Abstract

We presented preliminary results of a comparison of the NO2 integral contents (IC) measured by the DOAS technique and simulated by the COSMO-Ru7-ART chemical transport model at Zvenigorod Scientific Station (ZSS) located in 38 km west from Moscow. The comparison covers January and July of 2014 when background and polluted by Moscow air masses were observed at ZSS. The measured NO2 IC in the atmospheric boundary layer observed at ZSS does not exceed 0.5 × 1016 molec × cm−2 in background conditions of the atmosphere when non-east wind direction dominated. It grows up to 5.4 × 1016 molec × cm−2 when polluted air masses come from Moscow megacity. Simulated NO2 IC has similar behaviour. As a whole, a good agreement between measured and simulated datasets is observed. Some overestimation of the NO2 emission presents for sources located to the south and north-east from ZSS. Underestimation of the NO2 emission presents for sources located inside of Moscow megacity and located to south-west from ZSS.