Influence of meteorological conditions on explosive increase in O3 concentration in troposphere

Jizhi Wang; Yuanqin Yang; Yangmei Zhang; Tao Niu; Xiaofei Jiang; Yaqiang Wang; Huizheng Che

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.228

Influence of meteorological conditions on explosive increase in O₃ concentration in troposphere

Sci Total Environ. 2019 Feb 20:652:1228-1241. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.228. Epub 2018 Oct 17.

Authors

Jizhi Wang¹, Yuanqin Yang², Yangmei Zhang², Tao Niu², Xiaofei Jiang³, Yaqiang Wang², Huizheng Che²

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather & Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry of CMA, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China. Electronic address: jzwang@cma.gov.cn.
² State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather & Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry of CMA, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
³ China Meteorological Administration Training Centre, Beijing 100081, China.

PMID: 30586809
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.228

Abstract

Ozone (O₃) pollution in the troposphere, especially at the surface layer, has become a focus of attention in recent years. High O₃ concentration events tend to occur frequently in north China, Yangtze, the Pearl River Delta, and the Sichuan Basin, among others. Studies on the meteorological contribution to O₃ in the troposphere have become a new direction for the scientific community. This research intends to explore how meteorological conditions contribute to O₃ pollution in all seasons on the basis of further studies of the PLAM index. Our findings are as follows. (1) In pollution-sensitive areas, following a height uplift in the pollution mixing layer (H_PML), NO₂ concentration decreases initially, followed by an explosive increase (EI) in O₃ concentration after sunrise. (2) This process varies significantly by season and area. (3) According to an analysis of the meteorological conditions causing rises in O₃ concentration within a few hours after sunrise, the initial decrease-subsequent increase in NO₂ versus O₃ concentration satisfies the law of exponent power rule, according to which seasonal and regional differences in coastal and inland areas depend on coefficients α and β. The explosive increase in O₃ concentration, decrease in NO₂ concentration, and characteristics of their diurnal cycles are also discussed. (4) Under the meteorological condition of static stability, below the static and stable cover, the H_PML of the polluted mixed layer consistently indicates the reciprocating cycle of day uplift and night pressure. The effect of air pump suction on the pollutant is an important mechanism of large-scale pollution in the study area under the condition of static and stable cover. (5) The influencing mechanism of meteorological conditions in the diurnal H_PML cycle aids in improving the understanding of O₃ concentration increases in the troposphere.

Keywords: Air pumping effect; Diurnal cycle; Explosive increase of O(3) concentration; Law of power exponent; Pollution mixing layer uplifting.