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The countrywide lockdown in China during the COVID-19 pandemic provided a natural experiment to study the characteristics of surface ozone (O3). Based on statistical analysis of air quality across China before and during the lockdown, the tempo-spatial variations and site-specific formation regimes of wintertime O3 were analyzed. The results showed that the O3 pollution with concentrations higher than air quality standards could occur widely in winter, which had been aggravated by the emission reduction during the lockdown. On the national scale of China, with the significant decrease (54.03%) in NO2 level from pre-lockdown to COVID-19 lockdown, the maximum daily 8-h average concentration of O3 (MDA8h O3) increased by 39.43% from 49.05 to 64.22 μg/m3. This increase was comprehensively contributed by attenuated NOx suppression and favorable meteorological changes on O3 formation during the lockdown. As to the pollution states of different monitoring stations, surface O3 responded oppositely to the consistent decreased NO2 across China. The O3 levels were found to increase in the northern and central regions, but decrease in the southern region, where the changes in both meteorology (e.g. temperature drops) and precursors (reduced emissions) during the lockdown had diminished local O3 production. The spatial differences in NOx levels generally dictate the site-specific O3 formation regimes in winter, with NOx-titration/VOCs-sensitive regimes being dominant in northern and central China, while VOCs-sensitive/transition regimes being dominant in southern China. These findings highlight the influence of NOx saturation levels on winter O3 formation and the necessity of VOCs emission reductions on O3 pollution controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present long-term near-surface measurements of sulfur dioxide (SO), oxides of nitrogen (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O) carried out at an urban location, Kanpur (26.46°N, 80.33°E, 125 m amsl), in Northern India from June 2009 to May 2013. The mean concentrations of SO, NO, CO, and O over the entire study period were 3.0, 5.7, 721, and 27.9 ppb, respectively. SO, NO and CO concentrations were highest during the winter season, whereas O concentration peaked during summer. The former could be attributed mainly to the near-surface anthropogenic sources (e.g. automobiles, residential cooking, brick kilns, coal-burning power plants, agricultural land-clearing, and biomass burning) and low mixing height in winter, whereas the latter was clearly due to enhanced chemical production of O during the pre-monsoon (i.e. summer) season. The lowest concentration of all trace gases were observed during the monsoon season, due to efficient wet scavenging by precipitation. The averaged diurnal patterns also showed similar seasonal variation. NO and CO showed peaks during morning and evening traffic hours and a valley in the afternoon irrespective of the seasons, clearly linked to the boundary layer height evolution. Contrarily, O depicted a reverse pattern with highest concentrations during afternoon hours and lowest in the morning hours. The mean rate of change of O concentrations (dO/dt) during the morning hours (08:00 to 11:00 h) and evening hours (17:00 to 19:00 h) at Kanpur were 3.3 ppb h and −2.6 ppb h, respectively. O followed a positive linear relationship with temperature, except in post-monsoon season while the strong negative with the relative humidity in all seasons. The ventilation coefficient was found to be highest in the pre-monsoon season (15,622 m s) and lowest during winter (2564 m s), indicative of excellent pollution dispersion efficiency during the pre-monsoon season. However, the low ventilation coefficient during winter and post-monsoon seasons indicated that the high-pollution potential occurs at this site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous measurements of surface ozone (O), NOx (NO + NO) and meteorological parameters have been made in Kannur (11.9 °N, 75.4 °E, 5 m asl), India from November 2009 to October 2010. It was observed that O and NOx showed distinct diurnal and seasonal variabilities at this site. The annual average diurnal profile of O showed a peak of (30.3 ± 10.4) ppbv in the late afternoon and a minimum of (3.2 ± 0.7) ppbv in the early morning. The maximum value of O mixing ratio was observed in winter (44 ± 3.1) ppbv and minimum during monsoon (18.46 ± 3.5) ppbv. The rate of production of O was found to be higher in December (10.1 ppbv/h) and lower in July (1.8 ppbv/h) during the time interval 0800-1000 h. A correlation coefficient of 0.52 for the relationship between O and [NO]/[NO] reveals the role of NO photolysis that generates O at this site. The correlation between O and meteorological parameters indicate the influence of seasonal changes on O production. Investigations were further extended to explore the week day weekend variations in O mixing ratio at an urban site reveals the enhancement of O. The variations of O mixing ratio with seasonal air mass flows were elucidated with the aid of backward air trajectories. This study also indicates how vapor phase organic species present in the ambient air at this location may influence the complex chemistry involving (VOCs) that enhances the production of O at this location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven year data of hourly surface ozone concentration is analyzed to study diurnal cycle, trends, excess of ozone levels above threshold value and cumulative ozone exposure indices at a tropical megacity, Delhi. The ozone levels clearly exhibit a diurnal cycle, similar to what has been found in other urban places. A sharp increase in the ozone levels during forenoon and a sharp decrease in the early afternoon can be observed. The average rate of increase in ozone concentration between 09 and 12 h has been observed to be 7.1 ppb h−1. We find that the daily maximum and daytime 8-h (10–17 h) ozone levels are increasing at a rate of about 1.7 (± 0.7) and 1.3 (± 0.56) ppb y−1, respectively. The directives on ozone pollution in ambient air provided by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and World Health Organization for vegetation (AOT40) and human health protection were used to assess the air quality. The present surface ozone levels in the city are high enough to exceed “Critical Levels” which are considered to be safe for human health, vegetation and forest. The human health threshold was exceeded for up to ~45 days per year. The AOT40 (Accumulated exposure Over a Threshold of 40 ppb) threshold was exceeded significantly during winter (D-J-F) and pre-monsoon (M-A-M) (Rabi crop growing season) season in India. Translating AOT40 exceedances during pre-monsoon into relative yield loss we estimate yield loss of 22.7%, 22.5%, 16.3% and 5.5% for wheat, cotton, soybean and rice, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, an attempt has been made to examine the governing photochemical processes of surface ozone (O3) formation in rural site. For this purpose, measurements of surface ozone and selected meteorological parameters have been made at Anantapur (14.62°N, 77.65°E, 331 m asl), a semi-arid zone in India from January 2002 to December 2003. The annual average diurnal variation of O3 shows maximum concentration 46 ppbv at noon and minimum 25 ppbv in the morning with 1σ standard deviation. The average seasonal variation of ozone mixing ratios are observed to be maximum (about 60 ppbv) during summer and minimum (about 22 ppbv) in the monsoon period. The monthly daytime and nighttime average surface ozone concentration shows a maximum (55 ± 7 ppbv; 37 ± 7.3 ppbv) in March and minimum (28 ± 3.4 ppbv; 22 ± 2.3 ppbv) in August during the study period. The monthly average high (low) O3 48.9 ± 7.7 ppbv (26.2 ± 3.5 ppbv) observed at noon in March (August) is due to the possible increase in precursor gas concentration by anthropogenic activity and the influence of meteorological parameters. The rate of increase of surface ozone is high (1.52 ppbv/h) in March and lower (0.40 ppbv/h) in July. The average rate of increase of O3 from midnight to midday is 1 ppbv/h. Surface temperature is highest (43–44°C) during March and April months leading to higher photochemical production. On the other hand, relative humidity, which is higher during the rainy season, shows negative correlation with temperature and ozone mixing ratio. It can be seen that among the two parameters are measured, correlation of surface ozone with wind speed is better ( R 2=0.84) in compare with relative humidity ( R 2=0.66). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated concentrations of ozone have been observed at six non-urban, surface monitoring sites in the Yangtze Delta of China during a 16-month field experiment carried out in 1999 and 2000 as part of the joint Chinese-American China-MAP Project (the Yangtze Delta of china as an Evolving Metro-Agro-Plex). The average daytime (0900–1600 h) ozone levels for the monitoring period at sites ranged from 35 to 47 ppbv (parts per billion by volume) and the mean ozone levels from 26 to 35 ppbv. Observed data show seasonal variation obviously, with highest mixing ratios of ozone in May. Average daytime ozone levels in May at sites were between 60 and 79 ppbv. High ozone concentrations were most prevalent during the late spring. Frequency counts of hourly mean ozone concentration over 60 ppbv and 40 ppbv appeared peak values of 22–39% and 42–74% in May at sites. Even higher daytime ozone levels were observed during two regional episodes, in which average daytime (0900–1600 h) ozone concentrations during 10 May and 23 May 2000 were 68 to 81 ppbv, during Oct. 18 and Oct. 28, 1999 were 59 to 67 ppbv at sites. Peak value of ozone mixing ratio appearing in late spring, instead of in summer, was attributed to summer monsoon. Backward trajectories showed that ozone episodes associated with meteorological conditions. Also many high ozone levels associated with high CO levels and high CO to NO x ratios, which suggests a contribution from sources of emission involving incomplete combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new multi-trajectory highly vectorizable Gear chemical-transport model is discussed and tested against measurements from 25 sites in Europe for a two-week summer period. The simulations are compared with measurement data and with results of a Quasi-Steady-State Approximation (QSSA) based Lagrangian model using the EMEP mechanism.The model is developed from the Lagrangian EMEP model. The Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism (RACM) is used as the model’s chemical mechanism. To solve the stiff chemical rate equations, a sparse-matrix highly vectorizable Gear algorithm is used. The meteorological data used to run the model are obtained from the HIgh Resolution Limited Area Model (HIRLAM).The vectorized Gear based model improves the accuracy of the numerical solution for the chemistry compared with the QSSA based model. The differences between the two models are explained by alternative approaches of the chemical modules employed in the model: a Gear algorithm versus a QSSA solver, photolysis rate parameters in RACM are calculated from a radiation transfer code versus parameterized photolysis rate parameters used in the Lagrangian EMEP model, the RACM versus the EMEP atmospheric chemical mechanisms and two methods of aggregating the emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Photolysis rate parameters calculated from radiation codes (which are more accurate than simple parameterizations) and the Gear algorithm (which is a benchmark solver compared with the QSSA solver) are recommended for atmospheric chemistry modeling because of the high sensitivity of ozone concentrations to the chemical reaction scheme and to the photolysis rates (Stockwell and Goliff, 2004). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of air transport on the surface ozone variations is analyzed at Kislovodsk High Mountain Station for the period 1989–1996 on the basis of 2D back trajectories. It was shown that the contribution of photochemical and dynamical processes is different for the different seasons. In summer months the surface ozone concentration is governed by photochemical ozone production in semi polluted air from the regions of Northern Caspian, Southern Ural and Volga region. Time of the seasonal ozone maximum appearance is defined by joint influence of the processes of photochemical production and destruction in the eastern sectors and advection from Ukraine and Central Europe. The value of the seasonal minimum is determined by the processes of ozone destruction in the air coming from northeastern direction in the stable frontal zone. Distribution of sectors of the air transport changes from year to year and it can partly explain strong negative trend of the surface ozone concentration at the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]