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Evidence of lightning NO x and convective transport of pollutants in satellite observations over North America
Author(s) -
Choi Yunsoo,
Wang Yuhang,
Zeng Tao,
Martin Randall V.,
Kurosu Thomas P.,
Chance Kelly
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1029/2004gl021436
Subject(s) - lightning (connector) , convection , troposphere , satellite , environmental science , altitude (triangle) , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , chemical transport model , geology , climatology , geography , physics , power (physics) , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics , astronomy
Column observations of NO 2 by GOME and CO by MOPITT over North America and surrounding oceans for April 2000 are analyzed using a regional chemical transport model. Transient enhancements in these measurements due to lightning NO x production or convective transport are examined. Evidence is found for lightning enhancements of NO 2 over the continent and western North Atlantic and for convective transport enhancements of CO over the ocean. The two independent satellite measurements show consistent enhancements related to convective events. Model results suggest that the enhancements are particularly large in the lower troposphere due to convective downdrafts of lightning NO x and shallow convection of CO, implying that low‐altitude aircraft in situ observations are potentially critical for evaluating the model simulations and validating satellite observations of these transient features.