Investigating Changes in Ozone Formation Chemistry during Summertime Pollution Events over the Northeastern United States

Tao, Madankui; Fiore, Arlene M.; Jin, Xiaomeng; Schiferl, Luke; Commane, R.; Judd, Laura; Janz, S. J.; Sullivan, John T.; Miller, Paul J.; Karambelas, Alexandra; Davis, Sharon E.; Tzortziou, Maria; Valin, L. C.; Whitehill, Andrew; Civerolo, Kevin; Tian, Yuhong

doi:10.1021/acs.est.2c02972

Cited by 23 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 117 publications

(210 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Tao et al, 2022;Derwent and Parrish, 2022). Similar to Shanghai, many of the world's cities, such as Los Angeles and New York, are still in VOC-limited regimes (Jin et al, 2020;Tao et al, 2022). Our results show that drastically decreasing emissions from conventional fossil-fuel-powered transportation sectors during the 2022 LCD can lead to increased and elevated O 3 concentrations in VOC-limited urban areas.…”

Section: Summary and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 70%

See 1 more Smart Citation

What caused ozone pollution during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown? Insights from ground and satellite observations

Tan

Wang²

2022

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Shanghai, one of China's most important economic centres, imposed a citywide lockdown in April and May 2022 to contain a resurgence in cases of the coronavirus disease in 2019. Compared with the 2020 lockdown, the 2022 lockdown occurred in a warm season and lasted much longer, thereby serving as a relevant real-world test of the response of ambient ozone (O3) concentrations to emission reductions in a high-O3 season. In this study, we analysed surface observations of O3 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations and satellite-retrieved tropospheric NO2 and formaldehyde (HCHO) column concentrations in the first 5 months of 2022 with comparisons to the year 2021. During the 2-month 2022 lockdown, the maximum daily 8 h average (MDA8) O3 concentrations at 1 or more of the city's 19 sites exceeded China's air quality standard of 160 µg m−3 21 times, with the highest value being 200 µg m−3. The city-average MDA8 O3 concentration increased by 13 % in April–May 2022 year-on-year, despite sharp declines in NO2 surface and column concentrations (both by 49 %) and a 19 % decrease in the HCHO column concentration. These results show that the reductions in O3 precursors and other pollutants during the 2022 lockdown did not prevent ground-level O3 pollution. An analysis of meteorological data indicates that there were only small changes in the meteorological conditions, and there was little transport of O3 from the high-O3 inland regions during the 2022 lockdown, neither of which can account for the increased and high concentrations of O3 that were observed during this period. The mean HCHO/NO2 ratio in April–May increased from 1.11 in 2021 to 1.68 in 2022, and the correlation between surface O3 and NO2 concentrations changed from negative in 2021 to positive in 2022. These results indicate that the high O3 concentrations in 2022 were mainly due to large reductions in the emissions of NOx and that the decrease in the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could not overcome the NO titration effect. During the 2022 lockdown, Shanghai's urban centre remained VOC-sensitive despite drastic reductions in road transportation (73 %–85 %) and industrial activities (∼60 %), whereas its semi-rural areas transitioned from VOC-limited to VOC–NOx-co-limited regimes. Our findings suggest that future emission reductions similar to those that occurred during the lockdown, such as those that will result from electrifying transportation, will not be sufficient to eliminate O3 pollution in urban areas of Shanghai and possibly other VOC-limited metropoles without the imposition of additional VOC controls or more substantial decreases in NOx emissions.

show abstract

Section: Summary and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…O 3 pollution is also a persistent environmental hazard in the US and Europe even after a few decades of research and control (e.g. Tao et al, 2022;Derwent and Parrish, 2022). Similar to Shanghai, many of the world's cities, such as Los Angeles and New York, are still in VOC-limited regimes (Jin et al, 2020;Tao et al, 2022).…”

Section: Summary and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

What caused ozone pollution during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown? Insights from ground and satellite observations

Tan

Wang²

2022

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, O 3 precursors such as HCHO (a proxy for VOC reactivity) were relatively low (1.0 and 0.9 ppb) on these 2 days, 52% and 57% lower than the campaign‐average concentration (2.1 ± 1.3 ppb). HCHO is produced alongside O 3 during VOC oxidation (Tao et al., 2022). Lower HCHO concentrations suggest that VOC oxidation reactions were inhibited during the 21–22 June period, resulting in limited O 3 production.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…HCHO is produced alongside O 3 during VOC oxidation (Tao et al, 2022). Lower HCHO concentrations suggest that VOC oxidation reactions were inhibited during the 21-22 June period, resulting in limited O 3 production.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Surface O 3 and Its Precursorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the Summertime Ozone Formation Regime in Southeast Michigan Using MOOSE Ground‐Based HCHO/NO₂ Measurements and F0AM Box Model

Xiong,

Chai,

Mao

et al. 2023

JGR Atmospheres

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ambient ozone (O3) concentrations in Southeast Michigan (SEMI) can exceed the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Despite past efforts to measure O3 precursors and elucidate reaction mechanisms, changing emission patterns and atmospheric composition in SEMI warrant new measurements and updated mechanisms to understand the causes of observed O3 exceedances. In this study, we examine the chemical drivers of O3 exceedances in SEMI, based on the Phase I MOOSE (Michigan‐Ontario Ozone Source Experiment) field study performed during May – June 2021. A zero‐dimensional (0‐D) box model is constrained with measurement data of meteorology and trace gas concentrations. Box model sensitivity simulations suggest that the formaldehyde to nitrogen dioxide ratio (HCHO/NO2) for the transition between the volatile organic compounds (VOC)‐ and nitrogen oxides (NOx)‐limited O3 production regimes is 3.0 ± 0.3 in SEMI. The midday (12:00‐16:00) averaged HCHO/NO2 ratio during the MOOSE Phase I study is 1.62 ± 1.03, suggesting that O3 production in SEMI is limited by VOC emissions. This finding implies that imposing stricter regulations on VOC emissions should be prioritized for the SEMI O3 nonattainment area. This study, through its use of ground‐based HCHO/NO2 ratios and box modeling to assess O3‐VOC‐NOx sensitivities, has significant implications for air quality policy and the design of effective O3 pollution control strategies, especially in O3 nonattainment areas.

show abstract

“…The campaigns broadly indicate that episodes where aloft layers or recirculation patterns persisted were the days generally driving exceedances of the ozone NAAQS. These features have occurred in several coastal regions (Table 1) as described for Long Island Sound (Rogers et al., 2020; Torres‐Vazquez et al., 2022; Wu et al., 2021) and the Chesapeake Bay (Bernier et al., 2022; Dreessen et al., 2016; Kotsakis et al., 2022; Sullivan et al., 2017, 2019; Tao et al., 2022; Yang, Demoz, Delgado, Sullivan, et al., 2022, Yang, Demoz, Delgado, Tangborn, et al., 2022). Quantify chemical perturbations from offshore transport of urban emissions, ships, boats (both commercial and personal/recreational) and offshore oil and gas drill sites, as they interact with the onset of a bay/sea breeze in the shallow marine boundary layer.…”

Section: Summarizing Community Needs To Improve Coastal Air Quality S...mentioning

confidence: 93%

Surf, Turf, and Above the Earth: Unmet Needs for Coastal Air Quality Science in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL)

et al. 2023

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Most of the world's megacities are in the coastal zone (Brown et al., 2013), and nearly 50% of the US population lives in coastal counties (Crossett et al., 2004), facing urban environmental challenges that occur within the complex coastal atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL). While the definitions of the PBL and the PBL height/depth (PBLH) vary depending on scientific application (e.g., gradients in temperature/atmospheric stability, composition, or turbulence), we generally refer to the PBL as the lowest layer of the atmosphere that is directly affected by heat and moisture fluxes and friction from the Earth's surface (Medeiros et al., 2005). The interaction of both land and ocean surfaces with the PBL is a very active area of research, with distinct communities (land-atmosphere and ocean-atmosphere) and driving science questions (e.g., Santanello et al., 2018 and refs therein;Teixeira et al., 2021). Routine measurements of the PBLH are provided via high temporal and vertical resolution ground-based measurements, such as radiosonde soundings, commercial aircraft measurements (e.g., Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR), Y. , and lidar backscatter/ceilometer. For near global coverage, satellite estimates of PBLH can be derived from spaceborne lidar instruments, such as the

show abstract

Investigating Changes in Ozone Formation Chemistry during Summertime Pollution Events over the Northeastern United States

Cited by 23 publications

References 117 publications

What caused ozone pollution during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown? Insights from ground and satellite observations

What caused ozone pollution during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown? Insights from ground and satellite observations

Examining the Summertime Ozone Formation Regime in Southeast Michigan Using MOOSE Ground‐Based HCHO/NO₂ Measurements and F0AM Box Model

Surf, Turf, and Above the Earth: Unmet Needs for Coastal Air Quality Science in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Investigating Changes in Ozone Formation Chemistry during Summertime Pollution Events over the Northeastern United States

Cited by 23 publications

References 117 publications

What caused ozone pollution during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown? Insights from ground and satellite observations

What caused ozone pollution during the 2022 Shanghai lockdown? Insights from ground and satellite observations

Examining the Summertime Ozone Formation Regime in Southeast Michigan Using MOOSE Ground‐Based HCHO/NO2 Measurements and F0AM Box Model

Surf, Turf, and Above the Earth: Unmet Needs for Coastal Air Quality Science in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Examining the Summertime Ozone Formation Regime in Southeast Michigan Using MOOSE Ground‐Based HCHO/NO₂ Measurements and F0AM Box Model