scholarly journals Accurate satellite-derived estimates of the tropospheric ozone impact on the global radiation budget

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 5505-5547 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Joiner ◽  
M. R. Schoeberl ◽  
A. P. Vasilkov ◽  
L. Oreopoulos ◽  
S. Platnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Global Radiation ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Radiation Budget ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Cloud Data ◽  
Cloud Effect ◽  
Tropospheric O3

Abstract. Estimates of the radiative forcing due to anthropogenically-produced tropospheric O3 are derived primarily from models. Here, we use tropospheric ozone and cloud data from several instruments in the A-train constellation of satellites as well as information from the GEOS-5 Data Assimilation System to accurately estimate the radiative effect of tropospheric O3 for January and July 2005. Since we cannot distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources with the satellite data, our derived radiative effect reflects the unadjusted (instantaneous) effect of the total tropospheric O3 rather than the anthropogenic component. We improve upon previous estimates of tropospheric ozone mixing ratios from a residual approach using the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) by incorporating cloud pressure information from OMI. We focus specifically on the magnitude and spatial structure of the cloud effect on both the short- and long-wave radiative budget. The estimates presented here can be used to evaluate the various aspects of model-generated radiative forcing. For example, our derived cloud impact is to reduce the radiative effect of tropospheric ozone by ~16%. This is centered within the published range of model-produced cloud effect on instantaneous radiative forcing.

scholarly journals Accurate satellite-derived estimates of the tropospheric ozone impact on the global radiation budget

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (13) ◽  
pp. 4447-4465 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Joiner ◽  
M. R. Schoeberl ◽  
A. P. Vasilkov ◽  
L. Oreopoulos ◽  
S. Platnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Global Radiation ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Radiation Budget ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Cloud Data ◽  
Cloud Effect ◽  
Tropospheric O3

Abstract. Estimates of the radiative forcing due to anthropogenically-produced tropospheric O3 are derived primarily from models. Here, we use tropospheric ozone and cloud data from several instruments in the A-train constellation of satellites as well as information from the GEOS-5 Data Assimilation System to accurately estimate the radiative effect of tropospheric O3 for January and July 2005. Since we cannot distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources with the satellite data, our derived radiative effect reflects the unadjusted (instantaneous) effect of the total tropospheric O3 rather than the anthropogenic component. We improve upon previous estimates of tropospheric ozone mixing ratios from a residual approach using the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) by incorporating cloud pressure information from OMI. We focus specifically on the magnitude and spatial structure of the cloud effect on both the short- and long-wave radiative budget. The estimates presented here can be used to evaluate the various aspects of model-generated radiative forcing. For example, our derived cloud impact is to reduce the radiative effect of tropospheric ozone by ~16%. This is centered within the published range of model-produced cloud effect on unadjusted ozone radiative forcing.

scholarly journals The Impact of Future Emission Policies on Tropospheric Ozone using a Parameterised Approach

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Turnock ◽  
Oliver Wild ◽  
Frank Dentener ◽  
Yanko Davila ◽  
Louisa Emmons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Source Attribution ◽  
The Future ◽  
Future Emission ◽  
Tropospheric O3 ◽  
Near Term ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Surface O3

Abstract. This study quantifies future changes in tropospheric ozone (O3) using a simple parameterisation of source-receptor relationships based on simulations from a range of models participating in the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollutants (TF-HTAP) experiments. Surface and tropospheric O3 changes are calculated globally and across 16 regions from perturbations in precursor emissions (NOx, CO, VOCs) and methane (CH4) abundance. A source attribution is provided for each source region along with an estimate of uncertainty based on the spread of the results from the models. Tests against model simulations using HadGEM2-ES confirm that the approaches used within the parameterisation are valid. The O3 response to changes in CH4 abundance is slightly larger in TF-HTAP Phase 2 than in the TF-HTAP Phase 1 assessment (2010) and provides further evidence that controlling CH4 is important for limiting future O3 concentrations. Different treatments of chemistry and meteorology in models remains one of the largest uncertainties in calculating the O3 response to perturbations in CH4 abundance and precursor emissions, particularly over the Middle East and South Asian regions. Emission changes for the future ECLIPSE scenarios and a subset of preliminary Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs) indicate that surface O3 concentrations will increase by 1 to 8 ppbv in 2050 across different regions. Source attribution analysis highlights the growing importance of CH4 in the future under current legislation. A global tropospheric O3 radiative forcing of +0.07 W m−2 from 2010 to 2050 is predicted using the ECLIPSE scenarios and SSPs, based solely on changes in CH4 abundance and tropospheric O3 precursor emissions and neglecting any influence of climate change. Current legislation is shown to be inadequate in limiting the future degradation of surface ozone air quality and enhancement of near-term climate warming. More stringent future emission controls provide a large reduction in both surface O3 concentrations and O3 radiative forcing. The parameterisation provides a simple tool to highlight the different impacts and associated uncertainties of local and hemispheric emission control strategies on both surface air quality and the near-term climate forcing by tropospheric O3.

The Vertical Structure of Cloud Occurrence and Radiative Forcing at the SGP ARM Site as Revealed by 8 Years of Continuous Data

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 2591-2610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald G. Mace ◽  
Sally Benson
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Annual Cycle ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Middle Latitude ◽  
Radiation Budget ◽  
Continuous Data ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Flux Divergence ◽  
Boundary Layer Clouds

Abstract Data collected at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program ground sites allow for the description of the atmospheric thermodynamic state, cloud occurrence, and cloud properties. This information allows for the derivation of estimates of the effects of clouds on the radiation budget of the surface and atmosphere. Herein 8 yr of continuous data collected at the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) are analyzed, and the influence of clouds on the radiative flux divergence of solar and infrared energy on annual, seasonal, and monthly time scales is documented. Given the uncertainties in derived cloud microphysical properties that result in calculated radiant flux errors, it is demonstrated that the ability to quantitatively resolve all but the largest heating and cooling influences by clouds is marginal for averaging periods less than 1 month. Concentrating on seasonal and monthly averages, it is found that the net column-integrated radiative effect of clouds on the atmosphere is nearly neutral at this middle-latitude location. However, a net heating of the upper troposphere by upper-tropospheric clouds and a cooling of the lower troposphere by boundary layer clouds is documented. The balance evolves over the course of an annual cycle as the troposphere deepens in summer and boundary layer clouds become less frequent relative to upper-tropospheric clouds. Although the top-of-atmosphere IR radiative effect is nearly invariant through the annual cycle, the seasonally varying heating profile is determined largely by the convergence of IR flux because solar heating is offset by IR cooling within the column.

scholarly journals Halogen chemistry reduces tropospheric O<sub>3</sub> radiative forcing

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 1557-1569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomás Sherwen ◽  
Mat J. Evans ◽  
Lucy J. Carpenter ◽  
Johan A. Schmidt ◽  
Loretta J. Mickley
Keyword(s):  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Observational Evidence ◽  
Anthropogenic Emissions ◽  
Transport Models ◽  
Model Calculations ◽  
Halogen Chemistry ◽  
Tropospheric O3 ◽  
Observational Record ◽  
Surface O3

Abstract. Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a global warming gas, but the lack of a firm observational record since the preindustrial period means that estimates of its radiative forcing (RFTO3) rely on model calculations. Recent observational evidence shows that halogens are pervasive in the troposphere and need to be represented in chemistry-transport models for an accurate simulation of present-day O3. Using the GEOS-Chem model we show that tropospheric halogen chemistry is likely more active in the present day than in the preindustrial. This is due to increased oceanic iodine emissions driven by increased surface O3, higher anthropogenic emissions of bromo-carbons, and an increased flux of bromine from the stratosphere. We calculate preindustrial to present-day increases in the tropospheric O3 burden of 113 Tg without halogens but only 90 Tg with, leading to a reduction in RFTO3 from 0.43 to 0.35 Wm−2. We attribute  ∼ 50 % of this reduction to increased bromine flux from the stratosphere,  ∼ 35 % to the ocean–atmosphere iodine feedback, and  ∼ 15 % to increased tropospheric sources of anthropogenic halogens. This reduction of tropospheric O3 radiative forcing due to halogens (0.087 Wm−2) is greater than that from the radiative forcing of stratospheric O3 (∼ 0.05 Wm−2). Estimates of RFTO3 that fail to consider halogen chemistry are likely overestimates (∼ 25 %).

scholarly journals Hydrological controls on the tropospheric ozone greenhouse gas effect

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Kuai ◽  
Kevin W. Bowman ◽  
Helen M. Worden ◽  
Robert L. Herman ◽  
Susan S. Kulawik
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Longwave Radiation ◽  
Hadley Cell ◽  
Water Vapor Absorption ◽  
Inter Tropical Convergence Zone ◽  
Tropospheric O3

The influence of the hydrological cycle in the greenhouse gas (GHG) effect of tropospheric ozone (O3) is quantified in terms of the O3 longwave radiative effect (LWRE), which is defined as the net reduction of top-of-atmosphere flux due to total tropospheric O3 absorption. The O3 LWRE derived from the infrared spectral measurements by Aura’s Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) show that the spatiotemporal variation of LWRE is relevant to relative humidity, surface temperature, and tropospheric O3 column. The zonally averaged subtropical LWRE is ~0.2 W m–2 higher than the zonally averaged tropical LWRE, generally due to lower water vapor concentrations and less cloud coverage at the downward branch of the Hadley cell in the subtropics. The largest values of O3 LWRE over the Middle East (&gt;1 W/m2) are further due to large thermal contrasts and tropospheric ozone enhancements from atmospheric circulation and pollution. Conversely, the low O3 LWRE over the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (on average 0.4 W m–2) is due to strong water vapor absorption and cloudiness, both of which reduce the tropospheric O3 absorption in the longwave radiation. These results show that changes in the hydrological cycle due to climate change could affect the magnitude and distribution of ozone radiative forcing.

scholarly journals Combined assimilation of IASI and MLS observations to constrain tropospheric and stratospheric ozone in a global chemical transport model

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 21455-21505
Author(s):  
E. Emili ◽  
B. Barret ◽  
S. Massart ◽  
E. Le Flochmoen ◽  
A. Piacentini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Chemical Transport ◽  
Free Troposphere ◽  
Chemical Transport Model ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Global Chemical Transport Model ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Accurate and temporally resolved fields of free-troposphere ozone are of major importance to quantify the intercontinental transport of pollution and the ozone radiative forcing. In this study we examine the impact of assimilating ozone observations from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) in a global chemical transport model (MOdèle de Chimie Atmosphérique à Grande Échelle, MOCAGE). The assimilation of the two instruments is performed by means of a variational algorithm (4-D-VAR) and allows to constrain stratospheric and tropospheric ozone simultaneously. The analysis is first computed for the months of August and November 2008 and validated against ozone-sondes measurements to verify the presence of observations and model biases. It is found that the IASI Tropospheric Ozone Column (TOC, 1000–225 hPa) should be bias-corrected prior to assimilation and MLS lowermost level (215 hPa) excluded from the analysis. Furthermore, a longer analysis of 6 months (July–August 2008) showed that the combined assimilation of MLS and IASI is able to globally reduce the uncertainty (Root Mean Square Error, RMSE) of the modeled ozone columns from 30% to 15% in the Upper-Troposphere/Lower-Stratosphere (UTLS, 70–225 hPa) and from 25% to 20% in the free troposphere. The positive effect of assimilating IASI tropospheric observations is very significant at low latitudes (30° S–30° N), whereas it is not demonstrated at higher latitudes. Results are confirmed by a comparison with additional ozone datasets like the Measurements of OZone and wAter vapour by aIrbus in-service airCraft (MOZAIC) data, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) total ozone columns and several high-altitude surface measurements. Finally, the analysis is found to be little sensitive to the assimilation parameters and the model chemical scheme, due to the high frequency of satellite observations compared to the average life-time of free-troposphere/low-stratosphere ozone.

scholarly journals Comprehensive evaluations of diurnal NO<sub>2</sub> measurements during DISCOVER-AQ 2011: Effects of resolution dependent representation of NO<sub>x</sub> emissions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianfeng Li ◽  
Yuhang Wang ◽  
Ruixiong Zhang ◽  
Charles Smeltzer ◽  
Andrew Weinheimer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Global Radiation ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Spatial Variations ◽  
Radiation Budget ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Vertical Column ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Ozone Monitoring

Abstract. Nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) play a crucial role in the formation of ozone and secondary inorganic and organic aerosols, thus affecting human health, global radiation budget, and climate. The diurnal and spatial variations of NO2 are functions of emissions, advection, deposition, vertical mixing, and chemistry. Their observations, therefore, provide useful constraints in our understanding of these factors. We employ a Regional chEmical and trAnsport model (REAM) to analyze the observed temporal (diurnal cycles) and spatial distributions of NO2 concentrations and tropospheric vertical column densities (TVCDs) using aircraft in situ measurements, surface EPA Air Quality System (AQS) observations, as well as the measurements of TVCDs by satellite instruments (OMI: the Ozone Monitoring Instrument; and GOME-2A: Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment – 2A), ground-based Pandora, and the Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM) instrument, in July 2011 during the DISCOVER-AQ campaign over the Baltimore-Washington region. The model simulations at 36- and 4-km resolutions are in reasonably good agreement with the temporospatial NO2 observations in the daytime. However, nighttime mixing in the model needs to be enhanced to reproduce the observed NO2 diurnal cycle in the model. Another discrepancy is that Pandora measured NO2 TVCDs show much less variation in the late afternoon than simulated in the model. Relative to the 36-km model simulations, the 4-km model results show larger biases compared to the observations due largely to the larger spatial variations of NO2 in the model when the spatial resolution is increased from 36 to 4 km, although the biases are often comparable to the ranges of the observations. The high-resolution aircraft ACAM observations show a more dispersed distribution of NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs) and lower VCDs in urban regions than 4-km model simulations, reflecting likely the spatial distribution bias of NOx emissions in the National Emissions Inventory (NEI) 2011 at high resolution.

scholarly journals Tropospheric column amount of ozone retrieved from SCIAMACHY limb-nadir-matching observations

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 7811-7865 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Ebojie ◽  
C. von Savigny ◽  
A. Ladstätter-Weißenmayer ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
M. Weber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Weighting Function ◽  
European Space Agency ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Space Agency ◽  
Tropospheric O3 ◽  
Scanning Imaging

Abstract. Tropospheric ozone, O3, has two sources: transport from the stratosphere and photochemical production in the troposphere. It plays important roles in atmospheric chemistry and climate change. In this manuscript we describe the retrieval of tropospheric O3 columns from limb-nadir matching (LNM) observations of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) instrument, which flies as part of the payload onboard the European Space Agency (ESA) satellite Envisat. This retrieval technique is a residual approach that utilizes the subtraction of the stratospheric O3 columns, derived from the limb observations, from the total O3 columns, derived from the nadir observations. The technique requires accurate knowledge of the stratospheric O3 columns, the total O3 columns, tropopause height, and their associated errors. The stratospheric O3 columns were determined from the stratospheric O3 profile retrieved in the Hartley and Chappius bands, based on SCIAMACHY limb scattering measurements. The total O3 columns were also derived from SCIAMACHY measurements, in the nadir viewing mode using the Weighting Function Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (WFDOAS) technique in the Huggins band. Comparisons of the tropospheric O3 columns from SCIAMACHY and collocated measurements from ozonesondes, in both hemispheres between January 2003 and December 2011 show agreement to within 2–5 DU (1 DU = 2.69 × 1016 molecules cm−2). Comparison of tropospheric O3 from SCIAMACHY with the results from ozonesondes, the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES), and the LNM method combining Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) data (hereinafter referred to as OMI/MLS), have been investigated. We find that all four retrieved data sets show agreement within the error bars and exhibit strong seasonal variation, which differs in amplitude. The spatial distribution of tropospheric ozone observed shows pollution plumes related to the release of precursors at the different seasons in both hemispheres.

scholarly journals Impacts of anthropogenic and natural sources on free tropospheric ozone over the Middle East

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 6537-6546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Jiang ◽  
Kazuyuki Miyazaki ◽  
John R. Worden ◽  
Jane J. Liu ◽  
Dylan B. A. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Tropospheric Ozone ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Nox Emissions ◽  
Total Contribution ◽  
Regional Emissions ◽  
Tropospheric O3 ◽  
Lightning Nox

Abstract. Significant progress has been made in identifying the influence of different processes and emissions on the summertime enhancements of free tropospheric ozone (O3) at northern midlatitude regions. However, the exact contribution of regional emissions, chemical and transport processes to these summertime enhancements is still not well quantified. Here we focus on quantifying the influence of regional emissions on the summertime O3 enhancements over the Middle East, using updated reactive nitrogen (NOx) emissions. We then use the adjoint of the GEOS-Chem model with these updated NOx emissions to show that the global total contribution of lightning NOx on middle free tropospheric O3 over the Middle East is about 2 times larger than that from global anthropogenic sources. The summertime middle free tropospheric O3 enhancement is primarily due to Asian NOx emissions, with approximately equivalent contributions from Asian anthropogenic activities and lightning. In the Middle Eastern lower free troposphere, lightning NOx from Europe and North America and anthropogenic NOx from Middle Eastern local emissions are the primary sources of O3. This work highlights the critical role of lightning NOx on northern midlatitude free tropospheric O3 and the important effect of the Asian summer monsoon on the export of Asian pollutants.

scholarly journals Impact of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide on the regional radiation budget

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 12675-12706 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Vasilkov ◽  
J. Joiner ◽  
L. Oreopoulos ◽  
J. F. Gleason ◽  
P. Veefkind ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Dioxide ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Global Distribution ◽  
Radiation Budget ◽  
Shielding Effect ◽  
Maximum Effect ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Optical Extinction ◽  
Atmospheric Heating ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Following the launch of several satellite ultraviolet and visible spectrometers including the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), much has been learned about the global distribution of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). NO2, which is mostly anthropogenic in origin, absorbs solar radiation at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. We parameterized NO2 absorption for fast radiative transfer calculations. Using this parameterization with cloud, surface, and NO2 information from different sensors in the NASA A-train constellation of satellites and NO2 profiles from the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI), we compute the global distribution of net atmospheric heating due to tropospheric NO2 for January and July 2005. We assess the impact of clouds and find that because most of N02 is contained in the boundary layer in polluted regions, the cloud shielding effect can significantly reduce the net atmospheric heating due to NO2. We examine the effect of diurnal variations in NO2 emissions and chemistry on net atmospheric heating and find only a small impact of these on the daily-averaged heating. While the impact of NO2 on the global radiative forcing is small, locally it can produce instantaneous net atmospheric heating of 2–4 W/m2 in heavily polluted areas. We also examine the sensitivity of NO2 absorption to various geophysical conditions. Effects of the vertical distributions of cloud optical depth and NO2 on net atmospheric heating and downwelling radiance are simulated in detail for various scenarios including vertically-inhomogeneous convective clouds observed by CloudSat. The maximum effect of NO2 on downwelling radiance occurs when the NO2 is located in the middle part of the cloud where the optical extinction peaks.

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