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An investigation into the source of the springtime tropospheric ozone maximum at Mauna Loa Observatory
Author(s) -
Harris J. M.,
Oltmans S. J.,
Dlugokencky E. J.,
Novelli P. C.,
Johnson B. J.,
Mefford T.
Publication year - 1998
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 - 10.1029/98gl01410
Subject(s) - troposphere , ozone , atmospheric sciences , observatory , environmental science , stratosphere , pollution , climatology , water vapor , ozone depletion , meteorology , geology , physics , astrophysics , ecology , biology
Measurements of CH 4 , CO, O 3 , and H 2 O vapor from Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) are examined in conjunction with isentropic trajectories to investigate the cause of a maximum in tropospheric O 3 consistently observed during spring. CO and O 3 have been found to be positively correlated in pollution plumes containing O 3 precursors downwind of industrialized regions. However, we report that during continental transport from Asia, O 3 is not correlated with either CO or CH 4 , although CO and CH 4 are strongly correlated. The relationship between CO and CH 4 suggests common source regions. The lack of correlation between these species and O 3 probably indicates an O 3 source distinct from that of CO and CH 4 . While Asian pollution does not appear to be a strong candidate for causing the spring increase in O 3 , transport characteristics and H 2 O vapor measurements are consistent with both an upper‐tropospheric/stratospheric contribution and an enhancement from transport across O 3 gradients.