Surface ozone in southeast Tibet: variations and implications of tropospheric ozone sink over a highland
Yi Chen A , Weili Lin
A * , Xiaobin Xu B and Xiangdong Zheng B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (Minzu University of China), National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing, 100081, China.
B Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
Environmental Chemistry 19(5) 328-341 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN22015
Submitted: 24 February 2022 Accepted: 17 May 2022 Published: 21 June 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing.
Environmental context. One-year-long on-line measurements of surface O3 and CO mixing ratios were performed on the southeast Tibetan Plateau to examine O3 behaviour. During the daytime, the O3 mixing ratio was strongly affected by vertical air exchange. The O3 mixing ratio was high in the afternoon and decreased at night, indicating a sink of tropospheric O3. The upper limit of the tropospheric O3 sink averaged from 4.5 to 5.5 ppb h−1.
Rationale. Ozone (O3) behaviour over the Tibetan Plateau has attracted attention in recent decades. However, few long-term measurements have been performed in the region.
Methodology. Field observations were conducted at a mountain site on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau from June 2014 to July 2015 in order to understand the behaviour of surface O3 and its influencing factors. Backward trajectory cluster analysis was applied to understand long-range transport sources and their relative contributions.
Results. The monthly average O3 ranged from 22.1 to 48.6 ppb with a common high spring ozone concentration phenomenon. The O3 diurnal variation exhibited a similar pattern to those in polluted areas but the cause was different. The O3 mixing ratio was significantly positively correlated with mixed-layer depth and wind speed, and negatively with temperature and relative humidity, indicating strong vertical air exchange. Approximately 50% of air mass trajectories originated from the northeastern Bengal Bay region, with fairly low O3 (CO) mixing ratios and high humidity. Others originated from the north Indian subcontinent (28%) and the Middle East (18%), with fairly high O3 (and CO) and low humidity.
Discussion. The average relative contributions of different air masses to surface O3 and CO were small and scattered but large for trajectories arriving at 14:00 hours when vertical air exchange was close to its strongest for the day. The tropospheric O3 sink may be common in the highlands, indicating a negative greenhouse effect there. The O3 sink at Linzhi was estimated in the range of 4.5–5.5 ppb h−1 at maximum.
Keywords: backward trajectory, long‐range transport, O3 to CO ratios, ozone sink, ozone source, southeast Tibet, tropospheric ozone, vertical air exchange.
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