scholarly journals Regional-scale transport of air pollutants: impacts of southern California emissions on Phoenix ground-level ozone concentrations

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 8361-8401
Author(s):  
J. Li ◽  
M. Georgescu ◽  
P. Hyde ◽  
A. Mahalov ◽  
M. Moustaoui
Keyword(s):  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Anthropogenic Emissions ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
Phoenix Metropolitan Area ◽  
The Phoenix

Abstract. In this study, WRF-Chem is utilized at high-resolution (1.333 km grid spacing for the innermost domain) to investigate impacts of southern California anthropogenic emissions (SoCal) on Phoenix ground-level ozone concentrations ([O3]) for a pair of recent exceedance episodes. First, WRF-Chem Control simulations are conducted to evaluate model performance. Compared with surface observations of hourly ozone, CO, NOx, and wind fields, the Control simulations reproduce observed variability well. Simulated [O3] are within acceptance ranges recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that characterize skillful experiments. Next, the relative contribution of SoCal and Arizona local anthropogenic emissions (AZ) to ozone exceedance within the Phoenix metropolitan area is investigated via a trio of sensitivity simulations: (1) SoCal emissions are excluded, with all other emissions as in Control; (2) AZ emissions are excluded with all other emissions as in Control; and (3) SoCal and AZ emissions are excluded (i.e., all anthropogenic emissions are eliminated) to account only for biogenic emissions [BEO]. Results for the selected events indicate the impacts of AZ emissions are dominant on daily maximum 8 h average (DMA8) [O3] in Phoenix. SoCal contributions to DMA8 [O3] for the Phoenix metropolitan area range from a few ppbv to over 30 ppbv (10–30% relative to Control experiments). [O3] from SoCal and AZ emissions exhibit the expected diurnal characteristics that are determined by physical and photochemical processes, while BEO contributions to DMA8 [O3] in Phoenix also play a key role. Finally, ozone transport processes and pathways within the lower troposphere are investigated. During daytime, pollutants (mainly ozone) near the southern California coasts are pumped into the planetary boundary-layer over the southern California desert through the mountain chimney and pass channel effects, aiding eastward transport along the desert air basins in southern California and finally, northeastward along the Gila River basin in Arizona, thereby affecting Phoenix air quality during subsequent days. This study indicates that local emission controls in Phoenix need to be augmented with regional emission reductions to attain the federal ozone standard, especially if a more stringent standard is adopted in future years.

scholarly journals Regional-scale transport of air pollutants: impacts of Southern California emissions on Phoenix ground-level ozone concentrations

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (16) ◽  
pp. 9345-9360 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Li ◽  
M. Georgescu ◽  
P. Hyde ◽  
A. Mahalov ◽  
M. Moustaoui
Keyword(s):  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Anthropogenic Emissions ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
Phoenix Metropolitan Area ◽  
The Phoenix

Abstract. In this study, WRF-Chem is utilized at high resolution (1.333 km grid spacing for the innermost domain) to investigate impacts of southern California anthropogenic emissions (SoCal) on Phoenix ground-level ozone concentrations ([O3]) for a pair of recent exceedance episodes. First, WRF-Chem control simulations, based on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2005 National Emissions Inventories (NEI05), are conducted to evaluate model performance. Compared with surface observations of hourly ozone, CO, NOX, and wind fields, the control simulations reproduce observed variability well. Simulated [O3] are comparable with the previous studies in this region. Next, the relative contribution of SoCal and Arizona local anthropogenic emissions (AZ) to ozone exceedances within the Phoenix metropolitan area is investigated via a trio of sensitivity simulations: (1) SoCal emissions are excluded, with all other emissions as in Control; (2) AZ emissions are excluded with all other emissions as in Control; and (3) SoCal and AZ emissions are excluded (i.e., all anthropogenic emissions are eliminated) to account only for Biogenic emissions and lateral boundary inflow (BILB). Based on the USEPA NEI05, results for the selected events indicate the impacts of AZ emissions are dominant on daily maximum 8 h average (DMA8) [O3] in Phoenix. SoCal contributions to DMA8 [O3] for the Phoenix metropolitan area range from a few ppbv to over 30 ppbv (10–30 % relative to Control experiments). [O3] from SoCal and AZ emissions exhibit the expected diurnal characteristics that are determined by physical and photochemical processes, while BILB contributions to DMA8 [O3] in Phoenix also play a key role. Finally, ozone transport processes and pathways within the lower troposphere are investigated. During daytime, pollutants (mainly ozone) near the Southern California coasts are pumped into the planetary boundary-layer over the Southern California desert through the mountain chimney and pass channel effects, aiding eastward transport along the desert air basins in southern California and finally, northeastward along the lower Gila River basin in Arizona, thereby affecting Phoenix air quality during subsequent days. This study indicates that local emission controls in Phoenix need to be augmented with regional emission reductions to attain the federal ozone standard, especially if a more stringent standard is adopted in the future.

Considerations on Ambient Levels of Ozone Concentrations and Relationship with NOx in an Urban Environment

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 824-829
Author(s):  
Cornel Ianache ◽  
Laurentiu Predescu ◽  
Mirela Predescu ◽  
Dumitru Dumitru
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Oxides ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Weekend Effect ◽  
Monitoring Site ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations

The serious air pollution problem has determined public concerns, worldwide. One of the main challenges for countries all over the world is caused by the elevated levels of ground-level ozone (O3) concentrations and its anthropogenic precursors. Ploiesti city, as one of the major urban area of Romania, is facing the same situation. This research aims to investigate spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of O3 in relationship with nitrogen oxides (NOx) using statistical analysis methods. Hourly O3 and NOx measurements were collected during 2014 year in Ploiesti. The results obtained showed that the ozone spatial distribution was non-normal for each month in 2014. The diurnal cycle of ground-level ozone concentrations showed a mid-day peak, while NOx diurnal variations presented 2 daily peaks, one in the morning (7:00 a.m.) and one in the afternoon (between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.). In addition, it was observed a distinct pattern of weekly variations for O3 and NOx. Like in many other urban areas, the results indicated the presence of the �ozone weekend effect� in Ploiesti during the 2014 year, ozone concentrations being slightly higher on weekends compared to weekdays. For the same monitoring site, the nitrogen oxides were less prevalent on Saturdays and Sundays, probably due to reducing of road traffic and other pollution-generating activities on weekends than during the week.

scholarly journals Spatial–Temporal Distribution Variation of Ground-Level Ozone in China’s Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 872
Author(s):  
An Zhang ◽  
Jinhuang Lin ◽  
Wenhui Chen ◽  
Mingshui Lin ◽  
Chengcheng Lei
Keyword(s):  
Ozone Concentration ◽  
Pearl River Delta ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Pearl River ◽  
Ozone Pollution ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
The North

Long-term exposure to ozone pollution will cause severe threats to residents’ physical and mental health. Ground-level ozone is the most severe air pollutant in China’s Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region (PRD). It is of great significance to accurately reveal the spatial–temporal distribution characteristics of ozone pollution exposure patterns. We used the daily maximum 8-h ozone concentration data from PRD’s 55 air quality monitoring stations in 2015 as input data. We used six models of STK and ordinary kriging (OK) for the simulation of ozone concentration. Then we chose a better ozone pollution prediction model to reveal the ozone exposure characteristics of the PRD in 2015. The results show that the Bilonick model (BM) model had the highest simulation precision for ozone in the six models for spatial–temporal kriging (STK) interpolation, and the STK model’s simulation prediction results are significantly better than the OK model. The annual average ozone concentrations in the PRD during 2015 showed a high spatial variation in the north and east and low in the south and west. Ozone concentrations were relatively high in summer and autumn and low in winter and spring. The center of gravity of ozone concentrations tended to migrate to the north and west before moving to the south and then finally migrating to the east. The ozone’s spatial autocorrelation was significant and showed a significant positive correlation, mainly showing high-high clustering and low-low clustering. The type of clustering undergoes temporal migration and conversion over the four seasons, with spatial autocorrelation during winter the most significant.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Trends in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area from a Mobile Testing Program: Last Quarter of 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine S. M. Lau ◽  
Sebastian Shu ◽  
Jennifer Mayer ◽  
Mikayla Towns ◽  
Alexis Farris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Testing Program ◽  
Mobile Testing ◽  
Phoenix Metropolitan Area ◽  
The Phoenix

Survey of intestinal parasitism in dogs in the Phoenix metropolitan area

2017 ◽  
Vol 251 (5) ◽  
pp. 539-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather N. Cornell ◽  
Peter R. O'Neal ◽  
Valerie M. Wong ◽  
Donald L. Noah
Keyword(s):  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Intestinal Parasitism ◽  
Phoenix Metropolitan Area ◽  
The Phoenix

scholarly journals Current and future occurrences of health-relevant, compound heat and ozone pollution events in six European ozone-temperature regions 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Jahn ◽  
Elke Hertig
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Ozone Pollution ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
Elevated Ozone

<p>Air pollution and heat events present two major health risks, both already independently posing a significant threat to human health and life. High levels of ground-level ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) and air temperature often coincide due to the underlying physical relationships between both variables. The most severe health outcome is in general associated with the co-occurrence of both hazards (e.g. Hertig et al. 2020), since concurrent elevated levels of temperature and ozone concentrations represent a twofold exposure and can lead to a risk beyond the sum of the individual effects. Consequently, in the current contribution, a compound approach considering both hazards simultaneously as so-called ozone-temperature (o-t-)events is chosen by jointly analyzing elevated ground-level ozone concentrations and air temperature levels in Europe.</p><p>Previous studies already point to the fact that the relationship of underlying synoptic and meteorological drivers with one or both of these health stressors as well as the correlation between both variables vary with the location of sites and seasons (e.g. Otero et al. 2016; Jahn, Hertig 2020). Therefore, a hierarchical clustering analysis is applied to objectively divide the study domain in regions of homogeneous, similar ground-level ozone and temperature characteristics (o-t-regions). Statistical models to assess the synoptic and large-scale meteorological mechanisms which represent main drivers of concurrent o-t-events are developed for each identified o-t-region.</p><p>Compound elevated ozone concentration and air temperature events are expected to become more frequent due to climate change in many parts of Europe (e.g. Jahn, Hertig 2020; Hertig 2020). Statistical projections of potential frequency shifts of compound o-t-events until the end of the twenty-first century are assessed using the output of Earth System Models (ESMs) from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6).</p><p><em>Hertig, E. (2020) Health-relevant ground-level ozone and temperature events under future climate change using the example of Bavaria, Southern Germany. Air Qual. Atmos. Health. doi: 10.1007/s11869-020-00811-z</em></p><p><em>Hertig, E., Russo, A., Trigo, R. (2020) Heat and ozone pollution waves in Central and South Europe- characteristics, weather types, and association with mortality. Atmosphere. doi: 10.3390/atmos11121271</em></p><p><em>Jahn, S., Hertig, E. (2020) Modeling and projecting health‐relevant combined ozone and temperature events in present and future Central European climate. Air Qual. Atmos. Health. doi: 10.1007/s11869‐020‐009610</em></p><p><em>Otero N., Sillmann J., Schnell J.L., Rust H.W., Butler T. (2016) Synoptic and meteorological drivers of extreme ozone concentrations over Europe. Environ Res Lett. doi: 10.1088/ 1748-9326/11/2/024005</em></p>

scholarly journals Statistical evaluation of ozone concentrations on open plots in a submountain beech ecosystem in the Western Carpathians Mts.

Beskydy ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66
Author(s):  
Daniela Kellerová ◽  
Rastislav Janík
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Statistical Evaluation ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
Carpathian Region ◽  
Beech Stand ◽  
Research Period

The research was conducted on two plots without forest cover situated in the Štiavnické vrchy (A) Mts and in the Kremnické vrchy (B) Mts (Western Carpathian region) and a plot covered with several-year-old naturally regenerated beech stand (C) in the Kremnické vrchy Mts. The highest average value of 71 µg m-3 was recorded in 2007 for all plots; the lowest one was 45 µg m-3 recorded in 2009. Maximum values of ground level ozone concentrations ranging from 124 to 144 µg m-3 were recorded in spring 2008 on all study plots. The values were displaying fairly high variability over the whore research period, with minima in years 2007 and 2008 on the plot covered with forest stand at the time. Statistically significant differences were distinct especially between the years 2007 and 2009.

scholarly journals The impacts of precursor reduction and meteorology on ground-level ozone in the Greater Toronto Area

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 8197-8207 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Pugliese ◽  
J. G. Murphy ◽  
J. A. Geddes ◽  
J. M. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Health Hazard ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Ozone Production ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
Greater Toronto Area ◽  
High Solar Radiation ◽  
Linear Effects ◽  
Human Health Hazard ◽  
Ozone Levels

Abstract. Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a major component of photochemical smog and is a known human health hazard, as well as a damaging factor for vegetation. Its precursor compounds, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have a variety of anthropogenic and biogenic sources and exhibit non-linear effects on ozone production. As an update to previous studies on ground-level ozone in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), we present an analysis of NO2, VOC and O3 data from federal and provincial governmental monitoring sites in the GTA from 2000 to 2012. We show that, over the study period, summertime 24 h VOC reactivity and NO2 midday (11:00–15:00) concentrations at all sites decreased significantly; since 2000, all sites experienced a decrease in NO2 of 28–62% and in measured VOC reactivity of at least 53–71%. Comparing 2002–2003 to 2011–2012, the summed reactivity of OH towards NO2 and a suite of measured VOCs decreased from 8.6 to 4.6 s−1. Ratios of reactive VOC pairs indicate that the effective OH concentration experienced by primary pollutants in the GTA has increased significantly over the study period. Despite the continuous decrease in precursor levels, ozone concentrations are not following the same pattern at all stations; it was found that the Canada-wide Standard for ozone continues to be exceeded at all monitoring stations. Additionally, while the years 2008–2011 had consistently lower ozone levels than previous years, 2012 experienced one of the highest recorded summertime ozone concentrations and a large number of smog episodes. We demonstrate that these high ozone observations in 2012 may be a result of the number of days with high solar radiation, the number of stagnant periods and the transport of high ozone levels from upwind regions.

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