Mesoscale Meteorological Structure of a High-Ozone Episode during the 1995 NARSTO-Northeast Study

Abstract Observations and numerical model fields were analyzed to study the meteorological structures contributing to high concentrations of lower-tropospheric ozone over the northeastern United States on 14–15 July 1995. It was found that the episode is characteristic of high-ozone events associated with the Bermuda high, having light winds, high temperatures, few clouds, and sparse rain over the entire region. The specific distribution of ozone at the peak of the episode on 14 July is of particular interest, however, since only the area from the urban corridor to the Atlantic Coast experienced ozone exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. The analyses showed that an Appalachian lee trough (APLT) played a vital role in this pattern. Mesoscale structures associated with the APLT that affected ozone formation and distribution included 1) south-southwesterly winds east of the trough, which favored accumulation of emissions in an airstream that passed directly along the urban corridor; 2) w...

[1]  Naresh Kumar,et al.  Multiscale air quality modeling of the Northeastern United States , 1996 .

[2]  W. Skamarock,et al.  The resolution dependence of explicitly modeled convective systems , 1997 .

[3]  J. Kain,et al.  A One-Dimensional Entraining/Detraining Plume Model and Its Application in Convective Parameterization , 1990 .

[4]  B. Yarnal,et al.  Relationships between synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation and ozone concentrations in Metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , 1992 .

[5]  Toby N. Carlson,et al.  Mid-Latitude Weather Systems , 1991 .

[6]  J. Dudhia.  A Nonhydrostatic Version of the Penn State–NCAR Mesoscale Model: Validation Tests and Simulation of an Atlantic Cyclone and Cold Front , 1993 .

[7]  G. Grell,et al.  A description of the fifth-generation Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) , 1994 .

[8]  T. Smith,et al.  Anatomy of a Los Angeles smog episode: pollutant transport in the daytime sea breeze regime. , 1978, Atmospheric environment.

[9]  Y. Kuo,et al.  Tracer Verification of Trajectory Models , 1987 .

[10]  J. Dudhia.  Numerical Study of Convection Observed during the Winter Monsoon Experiment Using a Mesoscale Two-Dimensional Model , 1989 .

[11]  E. Jáuregui.  Local wind and air pollution interaction in the Mexico basin , 1988 .

[12]  David R. Stauffer,et al.  Multiscale four-dimensional data assimilation , 1994 .

[13]  Roger A. Pielke,et al.  Applications of the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) to Provide Input to Photochemical Grid Models for the Lake Michigan Ozone Study (LMOS) , 1995 .

[14]  T. Warner,et al.  Characteristics of Summertime Circulations and Pollutant Ventilation in the Los Angeles Basin , 1982 .

[15]  J. Seinfeld.  RETHINKING THE OZONE PROBLEM IN URBAN AND REGIONAL AIR POLLUTION , 1991 .

[16]  D. Stauffer,et al.  Use of Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation in a Limited-Area Mesoscale Model. Part I: Experiments with Synoptic-Scale Data , 1990 .

[17]  J. Edinger.  CHANGES IN THE DEPTH OF THE MARINE LAYER OVER THE LOS ANGELES BASIN , 1959 .

[18]  Naresh Kumar,et al.  Multiscale air quality modeling : application to southern California , 1994 .

[19]  Gregory D. Wight,et al.  An investigation of long-range transport of ozone across the midwestern and eastern united states , 1977 .

[20]  Nelson L. Seaman,et al.  Assimilation of NEXRAD-VAD Winds in Summertime Meteorological Simulations over the Northeastern United States , 2000 .

[21]  David R. Stauffer,et al.  A Multiscale Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation System Applied in the San Joaquin Valley during SARMAP. Part I: Modeling Design and Basic Performance Characteristics , 1995 .

[22]  R. Anthes.  A Cumulus Parameterization Scheme Utilizing a One-Dimensional Cloud Model , 1977 .

[23]  Robert E. Davis,et al.  Statistics for the evaluation and comparison of models , 1985 .