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Transport of Asian air pollution to North America
Author(s) -
Jaffe Dan,
Anderson Theodore,
Covert Dave,
Kotchenruther Robert,
Trost Barbara,
Danielson Jen,
Simpson William,
Berntsen Terje,
Karlsdottir Sigrun,
Blake Donald,
Harris Joyce,
Carmichael Greg,
Uno Itsushi
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl900100
Subject(s) - troposphere , environmental science , climatology , spring (device) , air pollution , observatory , pollution , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geography , geology , mechanical engineering , physics , astrophysics , engineering , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry , biology
Using observations from the Cheeka Peak Observatory in northwestern Washington State during March‐April, 1997, we show that Asian anthropogenic emissions significantly impact the concentrations of a large number of atmospheric species in the air arriving to North America during spring. Isentropic back‐trajectories can be used to identify possible times when this impact will be felt, however trajectories alone are not sufficient to indicate the presence of Asian pollutants. Detailed chemical and meteorological data from one of these periods (March 29th, 1997) indicates that the surface emissions were lifted into the free troposphere over Asia and then transported to North America in ∼6 days.