Clear-sky vertical profiles of trace gases as influenced by upstream convective activity

Journal Article · Fri Oct 20 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JD094iD12p14879· OSTI ID:5054231

Pickering, K E; Dickerson, R R ^[1]; Luke, W T; Nunnermacker, L J ^[2]

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1. Department of Meteorology, University of Maryland, College Park (US)
2. Department of Chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park (US)

We describe an experiment that shows the importance of convection in long-range transport of air pollutants and in enhancing upper tropospheric ozone production. A research flight was conducted during clear-sky summertime conditions over north-central Oklahoma and central Kansas to measure vertical profiles of CO, O{sub 3}, reactive nitrogen compounds, and a variety of meteorological variables. Correlation analyses were conducted on the profiles of pairs of the trace gases to infer source of these gases. Areas of ozone predominantly produced photochemically in the troposphere and smaller areas with ozone of primarily stratospheric origin were identified. Meteorological analyses indicated that increased CO and NO{sub {ital y}} concentrations found at high altitude were carried by convective clouds from the boundary layer to the upper troposphere. High levels of ozone precursors were still discernable a great distance (600 km) downwind. Net O{sub 3} production was computed for the lower and upper troposphere, while net destruction was computed for the midtroposphere, where NO levels were very low. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989

• OSTI ID: 5054231
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:D12; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CLOUDS
CONVECTION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
MASS TRANSFER
METEOROLOGY
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
POLLUTION
TROPOSPHERE