A comprehensive study on ozone pollution in a megacity in North China Plain during summertime: Observations, source attributions and ozone sensitivity

Abstract. Regional ozone pollution has become one of the top environmental concerns in China, especially in those economically vibrant and densely populated regions, such as North China region including Beijing. To address this issue, surface ozone and ancillary data over the period 2004–2006 from the Shangdianzi Regional Background Station in north China were analyzed. Due to the suitable location and valley topography of the site, transport of pollutants from the North China Plain was easily observed and quantified according to surface wind directions. Regional (polluted) and background (clean) ozone concentrations were obtained by detailed statistic analysis. Contribution of pollutants from North China Plain to surface ozone at SDZ was estimated by comparing ozone concentrations observed under SW wind conditions and that under NE wind conditions. The average daily accumulated ozone contribution was estimated to be 240 ppb·hr. The average regional contributions to surface ozone at SDZ from the North China Plain were 21.8 ppb for the whole year, and 19.2, 28.9, 25.0, and 10.0 ppb for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The strong ozone contribution in summer led to disappearance of the spring ozone maximum phenomenon at SDZ under winds other than from the NNW to E sectors. The emissions of nitrogen oxide in the North China plain cause a decrease in ozone concentrations in winter.

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Comprehensive study of regional haze in the North China Plain with synergistic measurement from multiple mobile vehicle-based lidars and a lidar network

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137773 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 721 ◽

pp. 137773 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lihui Lv ◽

Yan Xiang ◽

Tianshu Zhang ◽

Wenxuan Chai ◽

Wenqing Liu

Keyword(s):

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

The North ◽

Mobile Vehicle ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Regional Haze ◽

Comprehensive Study

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Substantial ozone enhancement over the North China Plain from increased biogenic emissions due to heat waves and land cover in summer 2017

10.5194/acp-2019-362 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mingchen Ma ◽

Yang Gao ◽

Yuhang Wang ◽

Shaoqing Zhang ◽

L. Ruby Leung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Cover ◽

Land Cover Change ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Urban Landscape ◽

Heat Waves ◽

Biogenic Emissions ◽

Ozone Pollution ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain

Abstract. In the summer of 2017, heavy ozone pollution swamped most of the North China Plain (NCP), with the maximum regional average of daily maximum 8-h ozone concentration (MDA8) reaching almost 120 ppbv. In light of the continuing reduction of anthropogenic emissions in China, the underlying mechanisms for the occurrences of these regional extreme ozone episodes are elucidated from two perspectives: meteorology and biogenic emissions. The significant positive correlation between MDA8 and temperature, which is amplified during heat waves concomitant with stagnant air and no precipitation, supports the crucial role of meteorology in driving high ozone concentrations. We also find that biogenic emissions are enhanced due to factors previously not considered. During the heavy ozone pollution episodes in June 2017, biogenic emissions driven by high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), land cover change and urban landscape yield an extra mean MDA8 ozone of 3.08, 2.79 and 4.74 ppbv, respectively over the NCP, which together contribute as much to MDA8 ozone as biogenic emissions simulated using the land cover of 2003 and ignoring VPD and urban landscape. In Beijing, the biogenic emission increase due to urban landscape has a comparable effect on MDA8 ozone to the combined effect of high VPD and land cover change between 2003 and 2016. This study highlights the vital contributions of heat waves, land cover change and urbanization to the occurrence of extreme ozone episode, with significant implications for ozone pollution control in a future when heat wave frequency and intensity are projected to increase under global warming.

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Cropland nitrogen dioxide emissions and effects on the ozone pollution in the North China plain

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118617 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 118617

Author(s):

Ruonan Wang ◽

Naifang Bei ◽

Jiarui Wu ◽

Xia Li ◽

Suixin Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Dioxide ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Ozone Pollution ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain

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Contributions of pollutants from North China Plain to surface ozone at the Shangdianzi GAW station

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-8-9139-2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 9139-9165 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

W. Lin ◽

X. Xu ◽

X. Zhang ◽

J. Tang

Keyword(s):

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Surface Ozone ◽

Surface Wind ◽

Ozone Pollution ◽

Ancillary Data ◽

Ozone Concentrations ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Autumn And Winter

Abstract. Regional ozone pollution has become one of the top environmental concerns in China, especially in those economically vibrant and densely populated regions, such as North China region including Beijing. To address this issue, surface ozone and ancillary data over the period 2004–2006 from the Shangdianzi Regional Background Station in north China were analyzed. Due to the suitable location and valley topography of the site, transport of pollutants from the North China Plain was easily observed and quantified according to surface wind directions. Regional (polluted) and natural (clean) background ozone concentrations were obtained by detailed statistic analysis. Contribution of pollutants from North China Plain to surface ozone at SDZ was estimated by comparing ozone concentrations observed under SW wind conditions and that under NE wind conditions. The average daily accumulated ozone contribution was estimated to be 240 ppb·hr. The average regional contributions to surface ozone at SDZ from the North China Plain were 21.8 ppb for the whole year, and 19.2, 28.9, 25.0, and 10.0 ppb for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The strong ozone contribution in summer led to disappearance of the spring ozone maximum phenomenon at SDZ under winds other than from the WNN to E sectors. High winter NOx concentrations in the North China Plain caused negative ozone contribution in winter.

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Supplementary material to "North China Plain as a hot spot of ozone pollution exacerbated by extreme high temperatures"

10.5194/acp-2021-849-supplement ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pinya Wang ◽

Yang Yang ◽

Huimin Li ◽

Lei Chen ◽

Ruijun Dang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Temperatures ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Hot Spot ◽

Ozone Pollution ◽

Supplementary Material

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Ozone pollution in the North China Plain spreading into the late-winter haze season

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2015797118 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 118 (10) ◽

pp. e2015797118

Author(s):

Ke Li ◽

Daniel J. Jacob ◽

Hong Liao ◽

Yulu Qiu ◽

Lu Shen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

General Tendency ◽

Ozone Pollution ◽

Abrupt Decrease ◽

Voc Emissions ◽

Ozone Concentrations ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Production Of Hydrogen

Surface ozone is a severe air pollution problem in the North China Plain, which is home to 300 million people. Ozone concentrations are highest in summer, driven by fast photochemical production of hydrogen oxide radicals (HOx) that can overcome the radical titration caused by high emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from fuel combustion. Ozone has been very low during winter haze (particulate) pollution episodes. However, the abrupt decrease of NOx emissions following the COVID-19 lockdown in January 2020 reveals a switch to fast ozone production during winter haze episodes with maximum daily 8-h average (MDA8) ozone concentrations of 60 to 70 parts per billion. We reproduce this switch with the GEOS-Chem model, where the fast production of ozone is driven by HOx radicals from photolysis of formaldehyde, overcoming radical titration from the decreased NOx emissions. Formaldehyde is produced by oxidation of reactive volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have very high emissions in the North China Plain. This remarkable switch to an ozone-producing regime in January–February following the lockdown illustrates a more general tendency from 2013 to 2019 of increasing winter–spring ozone in the North China Plain and increasing association of high ozone with winter haze events, as pollution control efforts have targeted NOx emissions (30% decrease) while VOC emissions have remained constant. Decreasing VOC emissions would avoid further spreading of severe ozone pollution events into the winter–spring season.

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