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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • ozone
  • climate change
  • air pollution
  • methane
  • tropospheric chemistry

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere: composition and chemistry
  • Global Change: Atmosphere
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Pollution: urban and regional
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere: constituent transport and chemistry

Abstract

Ozone air quality and radiative forcing consequences of changes in ozone precursor emissions

J. Jason West

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

Arlene M. Fiore

NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

Vaishali Naik

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

Larry W. Horowitz

NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

M. Daniel Schwarzkopf

NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

Denise L. Mauzerall

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA

Changes in emissions of ozone (O3) precursors affect both air quality and climate. We first examine the sensitivity of surface O3 concentrations (O3 srf) and net radiative forcing of climate (RFnet) to reductions in emissions of four precursors – nitrogen oxides (NO x ), non-methane volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and methane (CH4). We show that long-term CH4-induced changes in O3, known to be important for climate, are also relevant for air quality; for example, NO x reductions increase CH4, causing a long-term O3 increase that partially counteracts the direct O3 decrease. Second, we assess the radiative forcing resulting from actions to improve O3 air quality by calculating the ratio of ΔRFnet to changes in metrics of O3 srf. Decreases in CH4 emissions cause the greatest RFnet decrease per unit reduction in O3 srf, while NO x reductions increase RFnet. Of the available means to improve O3 air quality, therefore, CH4 abatement best reduces climate forcing.

Received 21 December 2006; accepted 22 February 2007; published 27 March 2007.

Citation: West, J. J., A. M. Fiore, V. Naik, L. W. Horowitz, M. D. Schwarzkopf, and D. L. Mauzerall (2007), Ozone air quality and radiative forcing consequences of changes in ozone precursor emissions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L06806, doi:10.1029/2006GL029173.

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