Characterization of ozone episodes in Monterrey, Mexico
- Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences
Although in the last ten years the poor air quality in Monterrey has been pointed out in some reports, no large studies have been performed to characterize the processes that take place in this urban metropolitan area. This study is part of the first integrated examination of meteorology and air quality to have a further understanding of the factors that affect the generation and transport of ozone in the Monterrey air basin. Monterrey is one of the most rapidly growing industrial and urban areas in the north of Mexico and has experienced ozone episodes higher than the Mexican ambient air quality standard (110 ppb). The seasonal mean patterns of the ozone concentration for five monitoring regions were documented in a previous paper presented in the 89th. A and WMA Annual Meeting. This paper presents and analyzes the meteorology patterns and resulting air quality conditions associated with high ozone days during 1995 in the Monterrey air basin. In addition, ambient nonmethane hydrocarbon data collected in the northeastern region during January 1995 are examined. The ozone episodic days are characterized using surface meteorological and air quality measurements from five monitoring stations. Air quality data reported by the urban network consist of one-hour averaged gas and particle concentrations (O{sub 3}, NO{sub x}, CO, SO{sub 2} and PM{sub 10}) and meteorological parameters (temperature, wind speed vector and solar radiation). The atmospheric stability conditions, for these high ozone days, are examined using upper air data reported by the local weather station. The spatial and seasonal variations of the hourly data pointed out the preferred advection of the air masses and revealed some features about the synoptic and mesoscale flows under anticyclonic conditions. All these results are an important part in the verification of photochemical urban model calculations.
- OSTI ID:
- 351194
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970677--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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