Air quality over Europe using Models-3 (i.e., CMAQ, MM5, SMOKE) modelling system is performed for winter (i.e., January 2006) and summer (i.e., July 2006) months with the 2006 TNO gridded ...anthropogenic emissions database. Higher ozone mixing ratios are predicted in southern Europe while higher NO2 levels are simulated over western Europe. Elevated SO2 values are simulated over eastern Europe and higher PM2.5 concentrations over eastern and western Europe. Regional average results suggest that NO2 and PM2.5 are underpredicted, SO2 is overpredicted, while Max8hrO3 is overpredicted for low mixing ratios and is underpredicted for the higher mixing ratios. However, in a number of countries observed and predicted values are in good agreement for the pollutants examined here. Speciated PM2.5 components suggest that NO3 is dominant during winter over western Europe and in a few eastern countries due to the high NO2 mixing ratios. During summer NO3 is dominant only in regions with elevated NH3 emissions. For the rest of the domain SO4 is dominant. Low OC concentrations are simulated mainly due to the uncertain representation of SOA formation.
The impact of biogenic emissions on ozone and PM2.5 levels over Europe is assessed using CMAQ. Biogenic emissions are predicted to increase Max8hrO3 mixing ratios by 5.7% and to decrease PM2.5 ...concentrations by 1.9%, increasing PM2.5_OC by 13.6% and decreasing PM2.5_SO4, PM2.5_NO3 and PM2.5_NH4 by 5.6%, 3.7% and 5.6%, respectively, on average over Europe due to their interactions with anthropogenic emissions. A suite of perturbations in temperature is imposed individually on the base case conditions in order to determine the sensitivities to air temperature changes. Temperature increases of 1, 2 or 3° K suggest an average increase in Max8hrO3 mixing ratios of 0.9%, 1.8% or 2.9%, respectively, and an average decrease in daily average PM2.5 concentrations of 2.5%, 4.2% and 5.8%, respectively, increasing PM2.5_OC and decreasing PM2.5_SO4, PM2.5_NO3 and PM2.5_NH4 component concentrations on average over Europe. In order to examine if abatement measures for anthropogenic emissions could offset ozone increases in higher temperatures and their effect on PM2.5 concentrations, a simulation with a domain wide reduction in anthropogenic NOx emissions of 10% is performed. This is estimated to reduce Max8hrO3 mixing ratios by 1.3% on average over Europe. However, NOx reduction is estimated to increase Max8hrO3 in VOCs limited areas. The reduction in anthropogenic NOx emissions is predicted to reduce PM2.5 concentrations by 1.0% enhancing the reduction simulated, here, with temperature increase but further modifying PM2.5 component concentrations.
•Biogenic emissions are simulated to increase O3, locally, while reduce PM2.5 levels.•Sensitivity to temperature increase is positive for O3 and negative for PM2.5 levels.•NOx emissions reduction lowers O3, in general, but leads to some local increases.•NOx emissions reduction lowers PM2.5 and modifies PM2.5 composition.
Uncertainties in calculated impacts of climate forecasts on future regional air quality are investigated using downscaled MM5 meteorological fields from the NASA GISS and MIT IGSM global models and ...the CMAQ model in 2050 in the continental US. Differences between three future scenarios: high-extreme, low-extreme and base case, are used for quantifying effects of climate uncertainty on regional air quality. GISS, with the IPCC A1B scenario, is used for the base case simulations. IGSM results, in the form of probabilistic distributions, are used to perturb the base case climate to provide the high- and low-extreme scenarios. Impacts of the extreme climate scenarios on concentrations of summertime fourth-highest daily maximum 8-h average ozone are predicted to be up to 10 ppbV (about one-seventh of the current US ozone standard of 75 ppbV) in urban areas of the Northeast, Midwest and Texas due to impacts of meteorological changes, especially temperature and humidity, on the photochemistry of tropospheric ozone formation and increases in biogenic VOC emissions, though the differences in average peak ozone concentrations are about 1–2 ppbV on a regional basis. Differences between the extreme and base scenarios in annualized PM2.5 levels are very location dependent and predicted to range between −1.0 and +1.5 μg m−3. Future annualized PM2.5 is less sensitive to the extreme climate scenarios than summertime peak ozone since precipitation scavenging is only slightly affected by the extreme climate scenarios examined. Relative abundances of biogenic VOC and anthropogenic NOx lead to the areas that are most responsive to climate change. Overall, planned controls for decreasing regional ozone and PM2.5 levels will continue to be effective in the future under the extreme climate scenarios. However, the impact of climate uncertainties may be substantial in some urban areas and should be included in assessing future regional air quality and emission control requirements.
Potential impacts of global climate and emissions changes on regional air quality over southern (western and eastern) Canada and northern Mexico are examined by comparing future summers' (i.e., ...2049–2051) average regional O3 and PM2.5 concentrations with historic concentrations (i.e., 2000–2002 summers). Air quality modeling was conducted using CMAQ and meteorology downscaled from the GISS-GCM using MM5. Emissions for North America are found using US EPA, Mexican and Canadian inventories and projected emissions following CAIR and IPCC A1B emissions scenario. Higher temperatures for all sub-regions and regional changes in mixing height, insolation and precipitation are forecast in the 2049-2051 period. Future emissions are calculated to be lower over both Canadian sub-regions, but higher over northern Mexico. Global climate change, alone, is predicted to affect PM2.5 concentrations more than O3 for the projections used in this study: average daily maximum eight (8) hour O3 (M8hO3) concentrations are estimated to be slightly different in all examined sub-regions while average PM2.5 concentrations are estimated to be higher over both Canadian sub-regions (8% over western and 3% over eastern) but 11% lower over northern Mexico. More days are forecast where M8hO3 concentrations are over 75 ppb in all examined sub-regions but the number of days where PM2.5 concentration will be over 15 μg/m3 is projected higher only over western Canada. Climate change combined with the projected emissions lead to greater change in pollutant concentrations: average M8hO3 concentrations are simulated to be 6% lower over western Canada and 8% lower over eastern Canada while average PM2.5 concentrations are simulated to be 5% lower over western Canada and 11% lower over eastern Canada. Although future emissions over northern Mexico are projected higher, pollutant concentrations are simulated to be lower due to US emissions reductions. Global climate change combined with the projected emissions will decrease average M8hO3 4% and PM2.5 17% over northern Mexico. Significant reductions in the number of days where M8hO3 concentrations are over 75 ppb and PM2.5 concentration over 15 μg/m3 are also projected with a significant reduction in peak values.
The impact of new particle formation on regional air quality and CCN formation is for the first time explored using the UAM-AERO air quality model. New particles are formed by ternary nucleation of ...sulfuric acid, ammonia and water; subsequent growth of clusters to large sizes is driven by condensation of sulfuric acid and organic vapors, as described by the recently developed nano-Köhler theory. Application of the model in Athens (GAA) and Marseilles (GMA) reveals higher sulfuric acid condensational sink and gaseous sulfuric acid (hence nucleation rate) for the latter. However, limited quantities of organic vapors in the GMA inhibit the growth of the formed clusters; therefore new particle formation is more efficient in the GAA. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates that (1) uncertainty in vaporization enthalpy does not affect organic carbon formed by nucleation, and (2) an accommodation coefficient of unity gives excellent agreement of condensation sink with in-situ observations. Nucleation affects the aerosol size distribution, and can be an important contributor to CCN; locally it can be more important than chemical ageing of pre-existing aerosols.
The role of Secondary Biogenic Organic Aerosol in aerosol budget is examined using the Atmospheric Dispersion of Pollutants over Complex Terrain–Urban Airshed Model–Aerosols (ADREA‐I/UAM‐AERO) ...modeling system in two representative Mediterranean areas. The areas have been selected, because of their elevated biogenic emission levels and the sufficient degree of meteorological and land use diversity characterizing the locations. Comparison of the model results with and without biogenic emissions reveals the significant role biogenic emissions play in modulating ozone and aerosol concentrations. Biogenic emissions are predicted to affect the concentrations of organic aerosol constituents through the reactions of terpenes with O3, OH and NO3. The ozonolysis of terpenes is predicted to cause an increase in OH radical concentrations that ranges from 10% to 78% for Athens, and from 20% to 95% for Marseilles, depending on the location, compared to the predictions without biogenic emissions. The reactions of this extra hydroxyl radical with SO2 and NOx have as final products increased concentrations of sulfates and nitrates in the particulate phase. As a result, biogenic emissions are predicted to affect the concentrations not only of organic aerosols, but those of inorganic aerosols as well. Thus biogenic emissions should be taken into consideration when models for the prediction and enforcement of abatement strategies of atmospheric pollution are applied.
An assessment of the magnitude and the spatial distribution of ammonia emissions originating from agricultural practices in the Greater Athens Area (GAA) is performed due to the primary role of ...ammonia in aerosol formation. As no emission factors are available for the area of interest, the emissions were estimated using typical emission factors for the emissions from animals, fertilized and unfertilized cultures, as well as the 1996 primary statistical data of the agricultural census for the GAA. Our analysis estimated the annual ammonia emissions from agricultural sources to be approximately 13
250±40% t of ammonia per year. This detailed ammonia emission record can and will be used for the study, via modeling, of the serious aerosol problem in the GAA.
The impact of biogenic emissions on ozone and PM2.5 levels over Europe is assessed using CMAQ. Biogenic emissions are predicted to increase Max8hrO3 mixing ratios by 5.7% and to decrease PM2.5 ...concentrations by 1.9%, increasing PM2.5_OC by 13.6% and decreasing , and by 5.6%, 3.7% and 5.6%, respectively, on average over Europe due to their interactions with anthropogenic emissions. A suite of perturbations in temperature is imposed individually on the base case conditions in order to determine the sensitivities to air temperature changes. Temperature increases of 1, 2 or 3 degree K suggest an average increase in Max8hrO3 mixing ratios of 0.9%, 1.8% or 2.9%, respectively, and an average decrease in daily average PM2.5 concentrations of 2.5%, 4.2% and 5.8%, respectively, increasing PM2.5_OC and decreasing , and component concentrations on average over Europe. In order to examine if abatement measures for anthropogenic emissions could offset ozone increases in higher temperatures and their effect on PM2.5 concentrations, a simulation with a domain wide reduction in anthropogenic NO x emissions of 10% is performed. This is estimated to reduce Max8hrO3 mixing ratios by 1.3% on average over Europe. However, NO x reduction is estimated to increase Max8hrO3 in VOCs limited areas. The reduction in anthropogenic NO x emissions is predicted to reduce PM2.5 concentrations by 1.0% enhancing the reduction simulated, here, with temperature increase but further modifying PM2.5 component concentrations.
This paper provides a synthesis of results that have emerged from recent modeling studies of the potential sensitivity of U.S. regional ozone (O₃) concentrations to global climate change (ca. 2050). ...This research has been carried out under the auspices of an ongoing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessment effort to increase scientific understanding of the multiple complex interactions among climate, emissions, atmospheric chemistry, and air quality. The ultimate goal is to enhance the ability of air quality managers to consider global change in their decisions through improved characterization of the potential effects of global change on air quality, including O₃. The results discussed here are interim, representing the first phase of the EPA assessment. The aim in this first phase was to consider the effects of climate change alone on air quality, without accompanying changes in anthropogenic emissions of precursor pollutants. Across all of the modeling experiments carried out by the different groups, simulated global climate change causes increases of a few to several parts per billion (ppb) in summertime mean maximum daily 8-h average O₃ concentrations over substantial regions of the country. The different modeling experiments in general do not, however, simulate the same regional patterns of change. These differences seem to result largely from variations in the simulated patterns of changes in key meteorological drivers, such as temperature and surface insolation. How isoprene nitrate chemistry is represented in the different modeling systems is an additional critical factor in the simulated O₃ response to climate change.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK