Incorporation of volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> emissions in the Hemispheric CMAQ (H-CMAQ) version 5.2 modeling system and assessing their impacts on sulfate aerosol over Northern Hemisphere

Abstract

Abstract. The state-of-the-science Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System has recently been extended for hemispheric-scale modeling applications (referred to as H-CMAQ). In this study, satellite-constrained estimation of the degassing SO2 emissions from 50 volcanos over the northern hemisphere is incorporated into H-CMAQ, and their impact on tropospheric sulfate aerosol (SO42−) levels is assessed for 2010. The volcanic degassing improves predictions of observations from the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET), the United States Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET), and the United States Integrated Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE). Over Asia, the increased SO42− concentrations were seen to correspond to the locations of volcanoes, especially over Japan and Indonesia. Over the U.S.A., the largest impacts occurred over the central Pacific caused by including the Hawaiian Kilauea volcano while the impacts on the continental U.S.A. were limited to the western portion during summertime. The emissions of the Soufriere Hills volcano located on Montserrat Island in the Caribbean Ocean affected the southeastern U.S.A. during the winter season. The analysis at specific sites in Hawaii and Florida also confirmed improvements in regional performance for modeled SO42− by including volcanoes SO2 emissions. At the edge of the western U.S.A., monthly-averaged SO42− enhancements greater than 0.1 μg/m3 were noted within the boundary layer (defined as surface to 750 hPa) during June–September. Investigating the change on SO42− concentration throughout the free troposphere revealed that although the considered volcanic SO2 emissions occurred at or below the middle of free troposphere (500 hPa), compared to the simulation without the volcanic source, SO42− enhancements of more than 10 % were detected up to the top of the free troposphere (250 hPa). Our model simulations and comparisons with measurements across the Northern Hemisphere indicate that the degassing volcanic SO2 emissions are an important source impacting airborne sulfur budgets and should be considered in air quality model simulations assessing background SO42− levels and their source attribution.

Modelling SO<sub>2</sub> conversion into sulphates in the mid-troposphere with a 3D chemistry-transport model: the case of Mount Etna's eruption on April 12, 2012

“…Passive degassing occurs permanently at many volcanoes. For example, Etna emits an estimated 530 kt yr −1 of SO 2 annually, making it the eighth contributor to SO 2 emissions from passive degassing; the strongest contributor worldwide being Mount Kilauea (in Hawai, USA), which emits an estimated 2740 kt yr −1 annually (Itahashi et al (2021)). Explosive eruptions emit massive quantities of SO 2 into the atmosphere in a short period of time.…”