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Source contributions of surface ozone in China using an adjoint sensitivity analysis
Citation:
Wang, M., S. Yim, David-C Wong, AND K. Ho. Source contributions of surface ozone in China using an adjoint sensitivity analysis. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. Elsevier BV, AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, 662:385-392, (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.116
Impact/Purpose:
This study utilizes an ADJOINT-CMAQ model to determine the source-receptor relationship between ozone and its precursors from various source regions. Different influential pathways were also examined. Relative contributions of NOx and VOC emission from different regions were quantified and such information can be provided for future ozone pollution control.
Description:
Air pollution has become an adverse environmental problem in China, resulting in serious public health impacts. This study advanced and applied the CMAQ adjoint model to quantitatively assess the source-receptor relationships between surface ozone (O3) changes over different receptor regions and precursor emissions across all locations in China. Five receptor regions were defined based on the administrative division, including northern China (NC), southern China (SC), Pearl River Delta region (PRD), Yangtz River Delta region (YRD), and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region (BTH). Our results identified the different influential pathways of atmospheric processes and emissions to O3 pollution. We found that the atmospheric processes such as horizontal and vertical advection could offset the O3 removal through chemical reactions in VOC-limited areas inside the receptor regions. In addition, O3 pollution can be induced by transport of O3 directly or its precursors. Our results of relative source contributions to O3 show that transboundary O3 pollution was significant in SC, NC and YRD, while the O3 pollution in PRD and BTH were more contributed by local sources. Anhui, Hubei and Jiangsu provinces were the three largest source areas of NOx and VOC emissions to O3 in SC (>52%) and YRD (>69%). NOx and VOC emissions from Tianjin and Beijing were the largest contributors to O3 in NC (>34%) and BTH (>51%). PRD was the dominant source areas of NOx (>89%) and VOC emissions (~98%) to its own regional O3.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Source contributions of surface ozone in China using an adjoint sensitivity analysis