Evaluation of nitrogen oxides sources and sinks and ozone production in Colombia and surrounding areas
Abstract. In Colombia, industrialization and a shift towards intensified agriculture have led to increased emissions of air pollutants. However, the baseline state of air quality in Colombia is relatively unknown. In this study we aim to assess the baseline state of air quality in Colombia with a focus on the spatial and temporal variability in emissions and atmospheric burden of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) and evaluate surface NOx, ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) mixing ratios. We quantify the magnitude and spatial distribution of the four major NOx sources (lightning, anthropogenic activities, soil biogenic emissions and biomass burning), by integrating global NOx emission inventories into the mesoscale meteorology and atmospheric chemistry model WRF-Chem. The comparison with in situ measurements is bound to urban areas whereas the use of remote sensing data allows to also evaluate air quality in remote regions. WRF-Chem was set up for a domain centered over Colombia with a similar resolution as OMI observed NO2 vertical columns as well as the EDGAR anthropogenic emission inventory, both providing information on a ~20 km resolution. However, this apparently poses a challenge regarding comparison with these urban observations. Air mass factors were recalculated based on the vertical distribution of NO2 within WRF-Chem, with respect to the coarse (1° x 1°) a priori profiles. The main reason for recalculation is a more consistent satellite-model comparison but it also reduced the mean bias. WRF-Chem was, on average, able to provide good estimates for tropospheric NO2 columns with an averaged difference of 0.02 x 1015 molecules cm-2, which is