A model study of the influence of NMHC and NO(x) emissions on rural O3 concentrations in Georgiargia

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6558080

Zheng, J

Ambient concentrations of O3, NO(x), NO, HNO3, PAN, NO(y), C4-Cl0 hydrocarbons including isoprene, and some meteorological parameters were measured at a rural site in Georgia from June 24 to July 15, 1990. Two days with the early evening ozone concentrations of about 80 ppb are identified and chosen for this model study. The rural background' concentrations and the distribution of O3 and its precursors over the region of this study are simulated first with an embedded plumes' model. It is predicted that, for the period of this simulation, the rural background' O3 concentrations are below 60 ppb and only 12% of the region has O3 above 80 ppb. It is also found that, due to large amount of NO(x), released into the urban and power plant areas, the maximum concentrations of O3, PAN and HNO3 tend to occur 0-8 hours downwind of these major emission areas. The maximum H2O2 is likely found in the rural area because of the NO titration of HO2. The comparison between this plumes' model, which has multi-box structure, and the one-dimensional vertical model, which has no horizontal resolution, demonstrates the non-linearity possessed by the chemical system. A multi-level Lagrangian model of turbulent diffusion and photochemistry in the boundary layer is then applied to trace the oxidant formation in the air parcel arriving at Elberton, the rural site located 120 miles northeast of Atlanta. On the selected two days, the calculated Elberton pollutant levels are compared with observations. The comparison indicates that the Lagrangian model predicts reasonably good pollutant levels. The impact of Atlanta anthropogenic emissions on this rural site is demonstrated. The sensitivity studies indicate that ozone concentrations at Elberton and in area downwind of Atlanta are more sensitive to NO(x) emission reductions.

• Research Organization: Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6558080
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GEORGIA
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
POLLUTION
SIMULATION
USA