Regional-scale chemical transport modeling in support of the analysis of observations obtained during the TRACE-P experiment

Authors

G. R. Carmichael, University of Iowa
Y. Tang, University of Iowa
G. Kurata, Toyohashi University of Technology
I. Uno, Kyushu University, Research Institute for Applied Mechanics
D. Streets, Argonne National Laboratory
J. H. Woo, University of Iowa
H. Huang, University of Iowa
J. Yienger, University of Iowa
B. Lefer, National Center for Atmospheric Research
R. Shetter, National Center for Atmospheric Research
D. Blake, University of California, Irvine
E. Atlas, National Center for Atmospheric Research
A. Fried, National Center for Atmospheric Research
E. Apel, National Center for Atmospheric Research
F. Eisele, National Center for Atmospheric Research
C. Cantrell, National Center for Atmospheric Research
M. Avery, NASA Langley Research Center
J. Barrick, NASA Langley Research Center
G. Sachse, NASA Langley Research Center
W. Brune, Pennsylvania State University
S. Sandholm, Georgia Institute of Technology
Y. Kondo, University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology
H. Singh, NASA Ames Research Center
R. Talbot, University of New Hampshire Durham
A. Bandy, Drexel University
D. Thorton, Drexel University
A. Clarke, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
B. Heikes, University of Rhode Island

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

11-16-2003

Abstract

Data obtained during the TRACE-P experiment is used to evaluate how well the CFORS/STEM-2K1 regional-scale chemical transport model is able to represent the aircraft observations. Thirty-one calculated trace gas and aerosol parameters are presented and compared to the in situ data. The regional model is shown to accurately predict many of the important features observed. The mean values of all the model parameters in the lowest 1 km are predicted within ±30% of the observed values. The correlation coefficients (R) for the meteorological parameters are found to be higher than those for the trace species. For example, for temperature, R > 0.98. Among the trace species, ethane, propane, and ozone show the highest values (0.8 < R < 0.9), followed by CO, SO2, and NOy, NO and NO2 had the lowest values (R < 0.4). Analyses of pollutant transport into the Yellow Sea by frontal events are presented and illustrate the complex nature of outflow. Biomass burning from SE Asia is transported in the warm conveyor belt at altitudes above ∼2 km and at latitudes below 30N. Outflow of pollution emitted along the east coast of China in the postfrontal regions is typically confined to the lower ∼2 km and results in high concentrations with plume-like features in the Yellow Sea. During these situations the model underpredicts CO and black carbon (among other species). An analysis of ozone production in this region is also presented. In and around the highly industrialized regions of East Asia, where fossil fuel usage dominates, ozone is NMHC-limited. South of ∼30-35N, ozone production is NOx-limited, reflecting the high NMHC/NOx ratios due to the large contributions to the emissions from biomass burning, biogenics sources, and biofuel usage in central China and SE Asia. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

Volume

108

Issue

21

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Carmichael, G. R., Y. Tang, G. Kurata, I. Uno, D. Streets, J. H. Woo, H. Huang, J. Yienger, B. Lefer, R. Shetter, D. Blake, E. Atlas, A. Fried, E. Apel, F. Eisele, C. Cantrell, M. Avery, J. Barrick, G. Sachse, W. Brune, S. Sandholm, Y. Kondo, H. Singh, R. Talbot, A. Bandy, D. Thorton, A. Clarke, and B. Heikes. "Regional-scale chemical transport modeling in support of the analysis of observations obtained during the TRACE-P experiment." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 108, 21 (2003). doi: 10.1029/2002jd003117.