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At least 163 records · Page 9
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NASA NTRS2011

Rapid Transpacific Transport in Autumn Observed by the A-Train Satellites

Transpacific transport of dust and pollutants is well documented for spring, but less so for other seasons. Here we investigate rapid transpacific transport in autumn utilizing the A-train satellites. In three episodes studied as examples, SO2 plumes over East Asia were detected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument aboard the Aura satellite, and found to reach North America in 5-6 days. They were likely derived from anthropogenic sources, given that identical transport patterns of CO, a tracer for incomplete combustion, were simultaneously observed by the Aqua satellite. Trajectory analysis and meteorological data were employed to explore the meteorological circumstances surrounding these events: like many of their counterparts in spring, all three plumes were lifted to the free troposphere in warm conveyor belt associated with mid-latitude wave cyclones, and their migration to downwind region was regulated by the meteorology over the East Pacific. These cases provide further evidence that a fraction of S02 could escape wet scavenging, and be transported at much greater efficiency than NOx (NO + N02). An analysis of the S02 and CO data from September to November during 2005-2008 found 16 S02 long-range transport episodes, out of 62 Asian outflow events. While the counts are sensitive to the choice of criteria, they suggest that the long-range transport of Asian sulfur species occurs quite frequently, and could exert strong impacts on large downstream areas. This study also highlights the importance of transpacific transport in autumn, which has thus far been rarely studied and deserves more attention from the community.

Li. Can↗
NASA NTRS2000

Use of Maps, GTE and UARS-MLS Data in Understanding Tropospheric Processes Critical to Model Development

Two of the major problems in using meteorological models to explain observed tropospheric trace constituent distributions and thereby to understand the global budgets of the tracers are to properly define the vertical layered structure in the free atmosphere, and to understand the contribution of advection processes in generating horizontal inhomogeneities at all scales. We proposed to tackle these problems through the examination of an extensive collection of trace constituent data from research and commercial aircraft in conjunction with meteorological data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The physical mechanisms responsible for these advection and layering processes were explored and their implications for theories and models assessed. In addition, we calculated examples of how thin layers (not currently resolved by models) affect the radiative heating/cooling rates. We developed an improved algorithm for trace constituent layer detection, and used it to analyze over 100,000 km of ozone and humidity vertical profiles collected by instruments piggybacked on commercial aircraft. We have also performed radiative heating/cooling calculations on some observed layer structures, and have demonstrated that the sharp edges on humidity layers can have strong local effects of self-stabilization (dry layers) or destabilization (wet layers), and have suggested that clear-air turbulence might result from the latter case through convective instability. We also systematically analyzed the mesoscale variabilities, not only of the trace constituents, but also of the aircraft-measured dynamical variables.

Newell, Reginald E.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Use of Maps, GTE and UARS-MLS Data in Understanding Tropospheric Processes Critical to Model Development

Two of the major problems in using meteorological models to explain observed tropospheric trace constituent distributions and thereby to understand the global budgets of the tracers are to properly define the vertical layered structure in the free atmosphere, and to understand the contribution of advection processes in generating horizontal inhomogeneities at all scales. We proposed to tackle these problems through the examination of an extensive collection of trace constituent data from research and commercial aircraft in conjunction with meteorological data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The physical mechanisms responsible for these advection and layering processes were explored and their implications for theories and models assessed. In addition, we calculated examples of how thin layers (not currently resolved by models) affect the radiative heating/cooling rates. We developed an improved algorithm for trace constituent layer detection, and used it to analyze over 100,000 km of ozone and humidity vertical profiles collected by instruments piggybacked on commercial aircraft. The same method was also used to examine ozone, humidity, carbon monoxide, and methane data from the NASA Pacific Exploratory Missions. The major conclusions from these studies were that tropospheric trace constituent layers are ubiquitous, and that their characteristics are remarkably universal. These results support the notion that ozone layers coming in from the stratosphere play a large role in creating tropospheric layers, whether by themselves or by capping buoyant pollution plumes. This, in turn, has important implications for the transport (especially in the vertical) of trace gases and how it is represented in models.

Newell, Reginald E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Constructing Synoptic Maps of Stratospheric Column Ozone from HALOE, SAGE and Balloonsonde Data Using Potential Vorticity Isentropic Coordinate Transformations

In this study we utilize potential vorticity - isentropic (PVI) coordinate transformations as a means of combining ozone data from different sources to construct daily, synthetic three-dimensional ozone fields. This methodology has been used successfully to reconstruct ozone maps in particular regions from aircraft data over the period of the aircraft campaign. We expand this method to create high-resolution daily global maps of profile ozone data, particularly in the lower stratosphere, where high-resolution ozone data are sparse. Ozone climatologies in PVI-space are constructed from satellite-based SAGE II and UARS/HALOE data, both of which-use solar occultation techniques to make high vertical resolution ozone profile measurements, but with low spatial resolution. A climatology from ground-based balloonsonde data is also created. The climatologies are used to establish the relationship between ozone and dynamical variability, which is defined by the potential vorticity (in the form of equivalent latitude) and potential temperature fields. Once a PVI climatology has been created from data taken by one or more instruments, high-resolution daily profile ozone field estimates are constructed based solely on the PVI fields, which are available on a daily basis from NCEP analysis. These profile ozone maps could be used for a variety of applications, including use in conjunction with total ozone maps to create a daily tropospheric ozone product, as input to forecast models, or as a tool for validating independent ozone measurements when correlative data are not available. This technique is limited to regions where the ozone is a long-term tracer and the flow is adiabatic. We evaluate the internal consistency of the technique by transforming the ozone back to physical space and comparing to the original profiles. Biases in the long-term average of the differences are used to identify regions where the technique is consistently introducing errors. Initial results show the technique is useful in the lower stratosphere at most latitudes throughout the year,and in the winter hemisphere in the middle stratosphere. The results are problematic in the summer hemisphere middle stratosphere due to increased ozone photochemistry and weak PV gradients. Alternate techniques in these regions will be discussed. An additional limitation is the quality and resolution of the meteorological data.

Hollandsworth, Stacey M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Tracer-based Determination of Vortex Descent in the 1999/2000 Arctic Winter

A detailed analysis of available in situ and remotely sensed N2O and CH4 data measured in the 1999/2000 winter Arctic vortex has been performed in order to quantify the temporal evolution of vortex descent. Differences in potential temperature (theta) among balloon and aircraft vertical profiles (an average of 19-23 K on a given N2O or CH4 isopleth) indicated significant vortex inhomogeneity in late fall as compared with late winter profiles. A composite fall vortex profile was constructed for 26 November 1999, whose error bars encompassed the observed variability. High-latitude extravortex profiles measured in different years and seasons revealed substantial variability in N2O and CH4 on theta surfaces, but all were clearly distinguishable from the first vortex profiles measured in late fall 1999. From these extravortex-vortex differences we inferred descent prior to 26 November: as much as 397 plus or minus 15 K (lsigma) at 30 ppbv N2O and 640 ppbv CH4, and falling to 28 plus or minus 13 K above 200 ppbv N2O and 1280 ppbv CH4. Changes in theta were determined on five N2O and CH4 isopleths from 26 November through 12 March, and descent rates were calculated on each N2O isopleth for several time intervals. The maximum descent rates were seen between 26 November and 27 January: 0.82 plus or minus 0.20 K/day averaged over 50- 250 ppbv N2O. By late winter (26 February to 12 March), the average rate had decreased to 0.10 plus or minus 0.25 K/day. Descent rates also decreased with increasing N2O; the winter average (26 November to 5 March) descent rate varied from 0.75 plus or minus 0.10 K/day at 50 ppbv to 0.40 plus or minus 0.11 K/day at 250 ppbv. Comparison of these results with observations and models of descent in prior years showed very good overall agreement. Two models of the 1999/2000 vortex descent, SLIMCAT and REPROBUS, despite theta offsets with respect to observed profiles of up to 20 K on most tracer isopleths, produced descent rates that agreed very favorably with the inferred rates from observation.

Greenblatt, Jeffrey B.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The accuracy of temperature distributions used to derive the net transport for a zonally averaged model

Comparisons of satellite-derived temperatures with correlative temperatures indicate that the LIMS temperatures are accurate and contain more of the needed vertical resolution for calculating a residual mean circulation for transporting tracer-like species. Generally, the LIMS temperatures are accurate to at least 2 K. Other satellite data sets are comprised of temperatures with coarser vertical resolution, leading to biases that occur with an error pattern that is characteristic of their resolution. Their biases exceed 2 K at some altitudes. Retrievals of species using an infrared limb emission technique are sensitive to any temperature bias. Generally, the IMS comparisons with other data sets for ozone and water vapor are good to better than 20 percent; this represents an independent confirmation of the quality of LIMS and temperatures. Zonal mean comparisons between LIMS and SAMS temperatures also indicate agreement to better than 2 K from about 7 to 2hPa. Therefore, we are confident that SAMS N2O and CH4 are relatively free of temperature bias in that region. These factors support the generally good agreement in G90 between model N2O transported using a LIMS-derived RMC and the N2O contours from SAMS.

Remsberg, Ellis E.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Low Ozone in the Marine Boundary Layer of the Tropical Pacific Ocean

Aircraft measurements of ozone, its key precursors, and a variety of chemical tracers were made in the troposphere of the western and central Pacific in October 1991. These data are presented and analyzed to examine the occurrence of low ozone concentrations in the remote marine boundary layer of the tropical and equatorial Pacific Ocean. The data from these flights out of Guam, covering an area extending from the equator to 20 N and from south of the Philippines to Hawaii, show average O3 concentrations as low as 8-9 ppb (ppb=10(exp-9)v/v) at altitudes of 0.3-0.5 km in the boundary layer. Individual measurements as low as 2-5 ppb were recorded. Low O3 concentrations do not always persist in space and time. High O3, generally associated with the transport of upper tropospheric air, was also encountered in the boundary layer. In practically all cases, O3 increased to values as large as 25-30 ppb within 2 km above the boundary layer top. Steady state model computations are used to suggest that these low O3 concentrations are a result of net photochemical O3 destruction in a low NO environment, sea-surface deposition, and extremely low net entrainment rates (1-2 mm per second) from the free troposphere. Day/night measurements of ethane, propane, gaseous and aerosol Cl suggest that daytime (morning) Cl atom concentrations in the vicinity of 10(exp 5) molecules per cubic centimeter may be present in the marine boundary layer. This Cl atom abundance can be rationalized only if sea salt aerosols can release free chlorine (Cl2) to the gas phase in the presence of sun light (and possibly O3). These Cl atom concentrations, however, are still insufficient and Cl (or Br) chemistry is not likely to be an important cause of the observed low O3.

Singh, Hanwant B.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Ozone Profiles in the Baltimore-Washington Region (2006-2011): Satellite Comparisons and DISCOVER-AQ Observations

Much progress has been made in creating satellite products for tracking the pollutants ozone and NO2 in the troposphere. Yet, in mid-latitude regions where meteorological interactions with pollutants are complex, accuracy can be difficult to achieve, largely due to persistent layering of some constituents. We characterize the layering of ozone soundings and related species measured from aircraft over two ground sites in suburban Washington, DC (Beltsville, MD, 39.05N; 76.9W) and Baltimore (Edgewood, MD, 39.4N; 76.3W) during the July 2011 DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) experiment. First, we compare column-ozone amounts from the Beltsville and Edgewood sondes with data from overpassing satellites. Second, processes influencing ozone profile structure are analyzed using Laminar Identification and tracers: sonde water vapor, aircraft CO and NOy. Third, Beltsville ozone profiles and meteorological influences in July 2011 are compared to those from the summers of 2006-2010. Sonde-satellite offsets in total ozone during July 2011 at Edgewood and Beltsville, compared to the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), were 3 percent mean absolute error, not statistically significant. The disagreement between an OMIMicrowave Limb Sounder-based tropospheric ozone column and the sonde averaged 10 percent at both sites, with the sonde usually greater than the satellite. Laminar Identification (LID), that distinguishes ozone segments influenced by convective and advective transport, reveals that on days when both stations launched ozonesondes, vertical mixing was stronger at Edgewood. Approximately half the lower free troposphere sonde profiles have very dry laminae, with coincident aircraft spirals displaying low CO (80-110 ppbv), suggesting stratospheric influence. Ozone budgets at Beltsville in July 2011, determined with LID, as well as standard meteorological indicators, resemble those of 4 of the previous 5 summers. The penetration of stratospheric air throughout the troposphere appears to be typical for summer conditions in the Baltimore-Washington region.

satellite validation↗
NASA NTRS2019

Air Pollution Inputs to the Mojave Desert By Fusing Surface Mobile and Airborne in Situ and Airborne and Satellite Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Interbasin Transport With Numerical Model Validation

Deserts are fragile and highly sensitive ecosystems that increasingly are affected by upwind urban areas and industrial activities. The Los Angeles Basin (LAB) contributes to poor air quality in downwind deserts including the Mojave Desert. Few studies have investigated potential air pollution inputs to the Mojave, whose fragile ecosystem includes endangered plant and animal species. Data were collected on 19 August 2015 by a mobile air quality laboratory, AMOG (AutoMObile trace Gas) Surveyor, that observed inputs can arise from the LAB as well as the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), California. The campaign used a strong methane (CH4) plume as a tracer for the downwind fate of emissions from Bakersfield area petroleum production and also measured ozone (O3). Additional in situ concurrent airborne GHG and O3 data were collected by AJAX - Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment. Both AMOG and AJAX measure winds. Mojave Desert air quality was very poor (visibility ~4 km). Based on the winds, an additional source was inferred beyond the LAB and SJV Basins. Numerical transport modeling and analysis of aerosol lidar data collected the same day by the Cloud Profiling LiDAR onboard the Earth Research-2 stratospheric airplane demonstrated that fires in Northern California were responsible, with prevailing winds transporting air southwards along the eastern Sierra Nevada Range (Bishop Valley) to the Mojave. Whereas the southern and eastern Mojave are impacted by SJV and LAB outflow, the north Mojave generally avoids these inputs. This study shows it can be affected by even distant wildfires, which likely will increase in occurrence and intensity from climate change. Thus, regulatory efforts to reduce air quality impacts on the endangered Mojave ecosystem must include wildfires and also account for the significant differences between different regions of the Mojave. Currently, there is a paucity of studies, highlighting the critical need for field research.

Ira Leifer↗
NASA NTRS1984

Determining highly elliptical earth orbits with VLBI and Delta-VLBI

This paper shows the feasibility of using Very Long Baseline Interferometric (VLBI) data acquired by the Deep Space Network to navigate highly elliptical earth orbiting satellites. The planned mission orbit of the Ion Release Module of the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers is used as a reference for developing strategies and provides the first opportunity for a possible flight demonstration with a spacecraft in a highly elliptical orbit. The navigation accuracy improvements achievable with VLBI and Delta-VLBI data types are determined for comparison with the capabilities of a reference Doppler strategy. The results show that strategies using wideband Delta-VLBI measurements taken near periapse perform best, determining apoapse position to an order of magnitude better than conventional Doppler, while also substantially reducing the required antenna support.

Frauenholz, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Tracer-Based Determination of Vortex Descent in the 1999-2000 Arctic Winter

A detailed analysis of available in situ and remotely sensed N2O and CH4 data measured in the 1999-2000 winter Arctic vortex has been performed in order to quantify the temporal evolution of vortex descent. Differences in potential temperature (theta) among balloon and aircraft vertical profiles (an average of 19-23 K on a given N2O or CH4 isopleth) indicated significant vortex inhomogeneity in late fall as compared with late winter profiles. A composite fall vortex profile was constructed for November 26, 1999, whose error bars encompassed the observed variability. High-latitude, extravortex profiles measured in different years and seasons revealed substantial variability in N2O and CH4 on theta surfaces, but all were clearly distinguishable from the first vortex profiles measured in late fall 1999. From these extravortex-vortex differences, we inferred descent prior to November 26: 397+/-15 K (1sigma) at 30 ppbv N2O and 640 ppbv CH4, and 28+/-13 K above 200 ppbv N2O and 1280 ppbv CH4. Changes in theta were determined on five N2O and CH4 isopleths from November 26 through March 12, and descent rates were calculated on each N2O isopleth for several time intervals. The maximum descent rates were seen between November 26 and January 27: 0.82+/-0.20 K/day averaged over 50-250 ppbv N2O. By late winter (February 26-March 12), the average rate had decreased to 0.10+/-0.25 K/day. Descent rates also decreased with increasing N2O; the winter average (November 26-March 5) descent rate varied from 0.75+/-0.10 K/day at 50 ppbv to 0.40+/-0.11 K/day at 250 ppbv. Comparison of these results with observations and models of descent in prior years showed very good overall agreement. Two models of the 1999-2000 vortex descent, SLIMCAT and REPROBUS, despite theta offsets with respect to observed profiles of up to 20 K on most tracer isopleths, produced descent rates that agreed very favorably with the inferred rates from observation.

Greenblatt, Jeffery B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Observations of mesoscale vertical velocities around frontal zones

Vertical velocity and reflectivity data obtained with a VHF Doppler radar over a 15-day period in October and November of 1981 are analyzed. Standard radiosonde data and surface observations were used to locate two occluded fronts, two warm fronts, and a cold front that passed the radar site. These fronts are also evident in the radar reflectivity data. Most studies of the vertical circulation patterns associated with mososcale systems have used precipitation and cloud formations as tracers. Unlike other observational techniques, the VHF radar permits the continuous measurement of the three-dimensional air velocity vector in time and height from a fixed location. With the beam in a vertically pointing position, signals are scattered from turbulent variations in the refractive index with half the scale of the radar wavelength and by regions with sudden changes in the refractive index associated with horizontally stratified layers. Generally, the strongest echoes occur at the maximum in the vertical gradient of refractivity, usually at the base of a temperature inversion, such as the tropopause. VHF radars can also be used to locate atmospheric fronts, which are characterized by static stability, large horizontal temperature gradients, large vorticities, and vertical wind shears. These radars can provide the velocity field data needed to study wave motions associated with fronts and compare the actual vertical circulation to theoretical predictions.

Dennis, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS2013

The HERschel Inventory of the Agents of Galaxy Evolution in the Magellanic Clouds, a HERschel Open Time Key Program

We present an overview or the HERschel Inventory of The Agents of Galaxy Evolution (HERITAGE) in the Magellanic Clouds project, which is a Herschel Space Observatory open time key program. We mapped the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) at 100, 160, 250, 350, and 500 micron with the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) and Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instruments on board Herschel using the SPIRE/PACS parallel mode. The overriding science goal of HERITAGE is to study the life cycle of matter as traced by dust in the LMC and SMC. The far-infrared and submillimeter emission is an effective tracer of the interstellar medium (ISM) dust, the most deeply embedded young stellar objects (YSOs), and the dust ejected by the most massive stars. We describe in detail the data processing, particularly for the PACS data, which required some custom steps because of the large angular extent of a single observational unit and overall the large amount of data to be processed as an ensemble. We report total global fluxes for LMC and SMC and demonstrate their agreement with measurements by prior missions. The HERITAGE maps of the LMC and SMC are dominated by the ISM dust emission and bear most resemblance to the tracers of ISM gas rather than the stellar content of the galaxies. We describe the point source extraction processing and the critetia used to establish a catalog for each waveband for the HERITAGE program. The 250 micron band is the most sensitive and the source catalogs for this band have approx. 25,000 objects for the LMC and approx. 5500 objects for the SMC. These data enable studies of ISM dust properties, submillimeter excess dust emission, dust-to-gas ratio, Class 0 YSO candidates, dusty massive evolved stars, supemova remnants (including SN1987A), H II regions, and dust evolution in the LMC and SMC. All images and catalogs are delivered to the Herschel Science Center as part of the conummity support aspects of the project. These HERITAGE images and catalogs provide an excellent basis for future research and follow up with other facilities.

AGENTS↗
NASA NTRS2011

Atomic Data for Neutron-capture Elements I. Photoionization and Recombination Properties of Low-charge Selenium Ions

We present multi-configuration Breit-Pauli AUTOSTRUCTURE calculations of distorted-wave photoionization (PI) cross sections. and total and partial final-state resolved radiative recombination (RR) and dielectronic recombination (DR) rate coefficients for the first six ions of the trans-iron element Se. These calculations were motivated by the recent detection of Se emission lines in a large number of planetary nebulae. Se is a potentially useful tracer of neutron-capture nucleosynthesis. but accurate determinations of its abundance in photoionized nebulae have been hindered by the lack of atomic data governing its ionization balance. Our calculations were carried out in intermediate coupling with semi re1ativistic radial wavefunctions. PI and recombination data were determined for levels within the ground configuration of each ion, and experimental PI cross-section measurements were used to benchmark our results. For DR, we allowed (Delta)n = 0 core excitations, which are important at photoionized plasma temperatures. We find that DR is the dominant recombination process for each of these Se ions at temperatures representative of photoionized nebulae (approx.10(exp 4) K). In order to estimate the uncertainties of these data, we compared results from three different configuration-interaction expansions for each ion, and also tested the sensitivity of the results to the radial scaling factors in the structure calculations. We find that the internal uncertainties are typically 30-50% for the direct PI cross sections and approx.10% for the computed RR rate coefficients, while those for low-temperature DR can be considerably larger (from 15-30% up to two orders of magnitude) due to the unknown energies of near-threshold autoionization resonances. These data are available at the CDS, and fitting coefficients to the total RR and DR rate coefficients are presented. The results are suitable for incorporation into photoionization codes used to numerically simulate astrophysical nebulae, and will enable robust determinations of nebular Se abundances.

Sterling, N. C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Introduction and data summary, chapter 5

A subset of data representing most of the participating model groups was discussed and reviewed. The results are presented for intercomparisons of that subset of data. Subsequent to the workshop, the various modeling groups had the opportunity to either update or add to the data sets discussed at the workshop. The overall revised data sets as of December 1988 are presented. Data from all the models (where available) are grouped according to: (1) photochemistry and radiation (photodissociation coefficients, and ultraviolet heating and infrared cooling); (2) transport (net radiative heating, tropospheric source tracer experiment, time-dependent source conserved tracer experiment, stratospheric source tracer experiment, and O3 column); (3) current atmosphere (integrated columns of trace gases, Cl(y) and NO(y), nitrogen gases, chlorine gases, O(x) and HO(x) gases, and source gases); and (4) perturbed circulations and temperatures. The data presented provide a detailed summary of the two-dimensional picture of the atmosphere as seen by current atmospheric models.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2008

Diagnosis of Magnetic Structures and Intermittency in Space Plasma Turbulence using the Method of Surrogate Data

Several observations in space plasmas have reported the presence of coherent structures at different plasma scales. Structure formation is believed to be a direct consequence of nonlinear interactions between the plasma modes, which depend strongly on phase synchronization of those modes. Despite this important role of the phases in turbulence, very limited work has been however devoted to study the phases as a potential tracers of nonlinearities in comparison with the wealth of literature on power spectra of turbulence where phases are totally missed. We present a method based on surrogate data to systematically detect coherent structures in turbulent signals. The new method has been applied successfully to magnetosheath turbulence (Sahraoui, Phys. Rev. E, 2008, in press), where the relationship between the identified phase coherence and intermittency (classically identified as non Gaussian tails of the PDFs) as well as the energy cascade has been studied. Here we review the main results obtained in that study and show further applications to small scale solar wind turbulence. Implications of the results on theoretical modelling of space turbulence (applicability of weak/wave turbulence, its validity limits and its connection to intermittency) will be discussed.

Sahraoui, Fouad↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A21I-1875: Leveraging TEMPO Formaldehyde Observations to Assess Surface Air Quality

Surface ozone (O3) pollution is detrimental to human health, crop yields, and ecosystem productivity. Ground-based ozone observations are sparse and surface ozone retrievals from space are challenging. The process of producing ozone from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of nitrogen oxides (NOx) results in formaldehyde (HCHO), which can be observed from satellite and by surface-based remote sensing. From limited field campaign observations, column formaldehyde has been shown to exhibit a strong relationship with surface ozone and, therefore, could be an useful proxy for detecting unmonitored regions of elevated ozone pollution. The spatiotemporal characteristics of this relationship are explored using ground-based Pandora spectrometers and airborne remote sensing data with surface ozone monitors across the United States during recent field campaigns over major cities (TRACER-AQ and STAQS). We extend our analysis to take advantage of HCHO column observations from recently launched Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO), a geostationary satellite over North America. TEMPO observations show preliminary promise in mapping regions of elevated surface ozone from space using column HCHO. We demonstrate the use of column HCHO in assessing the strength of the surface monitoring network, and in detecting the extent of regional ozone exceedances.

Prajjwal Rawat↗
NASA NTRS1993

Effects of Pinatubo aerosol on stratospheric ozone at mid-latitudes

Mid-latitude ozone data from ER-2 aircraft measurements in 1989, 1991, and 1992 were examined to determine how sulfate aerosols from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo had affected ozone at about 18 km. N2O was used as a tracer to help distinguish between chemical and dynamical aerosol effects. At 20-45 deg N in February 1992, ozone was about 10-20% lower than February 1989 and 1991, with respect to N2O. Data from Aug. 1991 - Mar. 1992 showed changes in ozone with respect to N2O, but the magnitude of those changes was not correlated with the magnitude of the changes in aerosol surface area density.

Weaver, A.↗