In this paper, we evaluate the instantaneous O3 chemical production rates, NOx (= NO + NO2) loss rates and ozone production efficiency within ozone plumes sampled on the west side of Houston, Texas, during the Texas 2000 Air Quality Study. We emphasize days during which rapid increases associated with plume passage were observed in the 15-minute average ozone mixing ratio, O3. The basis for this work will be observations of key nitrogen species and VOCs collected from the top of a sky scraper on the western edge of the city. These observations are used in a 0-dimensional model to quantify the chemical kinetics within parcels of air associated with ozone levels in excess of 100 ppb. We identify the key VOCs affecting ozone production and assess the relative role of anthropogenic versus biogenic VOCs to local ozone production. We also examine how the daily variations in ozone production and ozone production efficiencies are related to differences in VOC/NOx ratios.
Revised: August 16, 2010 |
Published: January 1, 2004
Citation
Berkowitz C.M., C.W. Spicer, and P.V. Doskey. 2004.Photochemical Production Rates in Western Houston. In Proceedings of the Sixth Conference on Atmospheric Chemistry: Air Quality in Megacities and the Symposium on Planning, Nowcasting, and Forecasting in the Urban Zone, Paper No. J2.9. Boston, Massachusetts:American Meteorological Society.PNNL-SA-40084.