scholarly journals Estimating background contributions and US anthropogenic enhancements to maximum ozone concentrations in the northern US

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (19) ◽  
pp. 12587-12605 ◽  
Author(s):  
David D. Parrish ◽  
Christine A. Ennis

Abstract. US ambient ozone concentrations have two components: US background ozone and enhancements produced from the country's anthropogenic precursor emissions. Only the enhancements effectively respond to national emission controls. We investigate the temporal evolution and spatial variability in the largest ozone concentrations, i.e., those that define the ozone design value (ODV) upon which the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) is based, within the northern tier of US states. We focus on two regions: rural western states, with only small anthropogenic precursor emissions, and the urbanized northeastern states, which include the New York City urban area, the nation's most populated. The US background ODV (i.e., the ODV remaining if US anthropogenic precursor emissions were reduced to zero) is estimated to vary from 54 to 63 ppb in the rural western states and to be smaller and nearly constant (45.8±3.0 ppb) throughout the northeastern states. These US background ODVs correspond to 65 % to 90 % of the 2015 NAAQS of 70 ppb. Over the past 2 to 3 decades US emission control efforts have decreased the US anthropogenic ODV enhancements at an approximately exponential rate, with an e-folding time constant of ∼22 years. These ODV enhancements are relatively large in the northeastern US, with state maximum ODV enhancements of ∼35–64 ppb in 2000, but are not discernible in the rural western states. The US background ODV contribution is significantly larger than the present-day ODV enhancements due to photochemical production from US anthropogenic precursor emissions in the urban as well as the rural regions investigated. Forward projections of past trends suggest that average maximum ODVs in northeastern US will drop below the NAAQS of 70 ppb by about 2021, assuming that the exponential decrease in the ODV enhancements can be maintained and the US background ODV remains constant. This estimate is much more optimistic than in the Los Angeles urban area, where a similar approach estimates the maximum ODV to reach 70 ppb in ∼2050 (Parrish et al., 2017a). The primary reason for this large difference is the significantly higher US ODV background (62.0±2.0 ppb) estimated for the Los Angeles urban area. The approach used in this work has some unquantified uncertainties that are discussed. Models can also estimate US background ODVs; some of those results are shown to correlate with the observationally based estimates derived here (r2 values for different models are ∼0.31 to 0.90), but they are on average systematically lower by 4 to 13 ppb. Further model improvement is required until their output can accurately reproduce the time series and spatial variability in observed ODVs. Ideally, the uncertainties in the model and observationally based approaches can then be reduced through additional comparisons.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
David D. Parrish

Abstract. U.S. ambient ozone concentrations have two components: U.S. background ozone and enhancements produced from the country’s anthropogenic precursor emissions; only the enhancements effectively respond to national emission controls. We investigate the temporal evolution and spatial variability of the largest ozone concentrations, i.e., those that define the ozone design value (ODV) upon which the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) is based, within the northern tier of U.S. states. We focus on two regions: rural western states, with only small anthropogenic precursor emissions, and the urbanized northeastern states, which include the New York City urban area, the nation's most populated. The U.S. background ODV (i.e., the ODV remaining if U.S. anthropogenic precursor emissions were reduced to zero) is estimated to vary from 54 to 63 ppb in the rural western states, and to be smaller and nearly constant (45.8 ± 1.7 ppb) throughout the northeastern states. These U.S. background ODVs correspond to 65 to 90 % of the 2015 NAAQS of 70 ppb. Over the past two to three decades U.S. emission control efforts have decreased the anthropogenic ODV enhancements at an approximately exponential rate with an e-folding time constant of ~ 22 years. These ODV enhancements are small in the rural western states (2.4 ± 1.2 ppb in 2000), with much larger state maximum ODV enhancements (~ 35–64 ppb in 2000) in the northeastern states. The U.S. background ODV contribution is significantly larger than the present-day ODV enhancements due to photochemical production from U.S. anthropogenic precursor emissions in the urban as well as the rural regions investigated. Forward projections of past trends suggest that average maximum ODVs in northeastern U.S. will drop below the NAAQS of 70 ppb by about 2021, assuming that the exponential decrease of the ODV enhancements can be maintained and the U.S. background ODV remains constant. This estimate is much more optimistic than in the Los Angeles urban area, where a similar approach estimates ~ 2050 for the maximum ODV to reach 70 ppb (Parrish et al., 2017). The primary reason for this large difference is the significantly higher U.S. ODV background (62.0 ± 2.0 ppb) estimated for the Los Angeles urban area. The approach used in this work has some unquantified uncertainties that are discussed. Models can also estimate U.S. background ODVs; some of those results are shown to correlate with the observational estimates derived here (r2 values for different models are ~ 0.31 to 0.85), but are on average systematically lower by 4 to 12 ppb. Further model improvement is required until their output can accurately reproduce the time series and variability of observed ODVs, and the uncertainties in the two approaches can be reduced through additional comparisons.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ketsiri Leelasakultum ◽  
Nicole Mölders ◽  
Huy N. Q. Tran ◽  
Georg A. Grell

The effects of using low-sulfur fuel for oil-heating and oil-burning facilities on the concentrations at breathing level in an Alaska city surrounded by vast areas were examined with the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with chemistry packages that was modified for the subarctic. Simulations were performed in forecast mode for a cold season using the National Emission Inventory 2008 and alternatively emissions that represent the use of low-sulfur fuel for oil-heating and oil-burning facilities while keeping the emissions of other sources the same as in the reference simulation. The simulations suggest that introducing low-sulfur fuel would decrease the monthly mean 24 h-averaged concentrations over the city’s nonattainment area by 4%, 9%, 8%, 6%, 5%, and 7% in October, November, December, January, February, and March, respectively. The quarterly mean relative response factors for of 0.96 indicate that with a design value of 44.7 μg/m3introducing low-sulfur fuel would lead to a new design value of 42.9 μg/m3that still exceeds the US National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 35 μg/m3. The magnitude of the relation between the relative response of sulfate and nitrate changes differs with temperature. The simulations suggest that, in the city, concentrations would decrease stronger on days with low atmospheric boundary layer heights, low hydrometeor mixing ratio, low downward shortwave radiation, and low temperatures.


Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Marc L. Mansfield ◽  
Seth N. Lyman

High concentrations of ground-level ozone have been observed during wintertime in the Uinta Basin of western Utah, USA, beginning in 2010. We analyze existing ozone and ozone precursor concentration data from 38 sites over 11 winter seasons and conclude that there has been a statistically significant (p < 0.02) decline in ozone concentration over the previous decade. Daily exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone (70 ppb) have been trending downward at the rate of nearly four per year. Ozone and NOx concentrations have been trending downward at the rates of about 3 and 0.3 ppb per year, respectively. Concentrations of organics in 2018 were at about 30% of their values in 2012 or 2013. Several markers, annual ozone exceedance counts and median ozone and NOx concentrations, were at their largest values in the period 2010 to 2013 and have never recovered since then. We attribute the decline to (1) weakening global demand for oil and natural gas and (2) more stringent pollution regulations and controls, both of which have occurred over the previous decade. We also see evidence of ozone titration when snow cover is absent.


2013 ◽  
Vol 807-809 ◽  
pp. 20-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Sheng ◽  
Jian Wu Shi ◽  
Sen Lin Tian ◽  
Li Mei Bi ◽  
Hao Deng ◽  
...  

According to the information of air quality which published by the urban air quality real-time publishing platform, the concentration characteristics of PM10 and PM2.5 were studied in Kunming (KM), Changsha (CS), Hangzhou (HZ), Shanghai (SH), Harbin (HEB), Beijing (BJ), Wuhan (WH) and Guangzhou (GZ). The results show that the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 exceeded the Ambient Air Quality Standard (GB3095-2012) in varying degrees in March, 2013. The concentrations of PM10 in Wuhan is the highest, reached 164μg/m3, exceeded the standard by 9.3%; the concentrations of PM2.5 is much higher in Wuhan, Changsha and Beijing, the average concentrations were 96μg/m3, 103μg/m3 and 110μg/m3, exceeded the standard by 28.0%, 37.3% and 46.7% respectively. The correlation of PM10 with PM2.5 in most of these cities was good in March. The correlation analysis of pollutant with meteorological factor in Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou was also studied, the results show that the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 are weakly positive correlation with temperature in the four cities, negative correlation with relative humidity without Beijing, and negative correlation with wind speed.


Jurnal Dampak ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Vera Surtia Bachtiar ◽  
Puspa Safitri Sanggar Rani

The purpose of this research are to analysis air quality and dust impact to people that came from factory activities at residential area around factory location of PT. Semen Padang. Measuring of air quality conducted in 3 residential area that are Komplek RW 1, RT 3 Batu Gadang district, Perumnas Indarung RW. VII, and housing of UNAND Blok D Gadut, using Personal Dust Sampler. The result is respirable dust concentration at housing complex RW. 1 RT. 3 Batu Gadang district that is 0,33 mg/m, the Perumnas Indarung RW.VII that is 0,55 mg/m along with housing of UNAND Blok D Gadut that is 0,44 mg/m. Concentration of dust respirable at all are still below ambient air quality standard that exist on PP RI No. 41 Tahun 1999, 3 mg/m. Based on quesioner and puskesmas data proximate with use univariat analysis, negative impact who feels people are impact of health is eyes irritation disease and impact of environment especially community-owned material. Keywords: air quality, negative impact, residential area, respirable dust, PT. Semen Padang ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bermaksud untuk menganalisis kualitas udara dan dampak negatif yang dirasakan masyarakat dari debu yang berasal dari aktivitas pabrik di kawasan perumahan sekitar lokasi pabrik PT. Semen Padang. Pengukuran kualitas udara dilakukan di 3 kawasan perumahan yaitu komplek perumahan RW. 1 RT. 3 Kelurahan Batu Gadang, Perumnas Indarung RW. VII, dan Perumahan UNAND Blok D Gadut dengan menggunakan alat Personal Dust Sampler. Diperoleh hasil konsentrasi debu respirable pada komplek perumahan RT.3 RW.1 Kelurahan Batu Gadang sebesar 0,33 mg/m, pada Perumnas Indarung RW.VII sebesar 0,55 mg/m serta pada Perumahan UNAND Blok D Gadut sebesar 0,44 mg/m. Konsentrasi debu respirable pada ketiga lokasi masih berada di bawah ambang batas baku mutu udara di lingkungan, 3 mg/m. Berdasarkan kuesioner dan data puskesmas terdekat dengan menggunakan analisis univariat, dampak negatif yang dirasakan masyarakat adalah dampak terhadap kesehatan berupa penyakit iritasi mata dan dampak terhadap lingkungan khususnya pada kondisi material yang dimiliki masyarakat.Kata kunci: kualitas udara, dampak negatif, kawasan perumahan, debu respirable, PT. Semen Padang


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