Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
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10.5194/acpd-8-20283-2008
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/20283/2008/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/20283/2008/acpd-8-20283-2008.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/20283/2008/acpd-8-20283-2008.pdf
20283
20309
2008-12-04
Assessing the regional impacts of Mexico City emissions on air quality and chemistry
M. Mena-Carrasco
mmena@unab.cl
G. R. Carmichael
J. E. Campbell
D. Zimmerman
Y. Tang
B. Adhikary
A. D'allura
L. T. Molina
M. Zavala
A. García
F. Flocke
T. Campos
A. J. Weinheimer
R. Shetter
E. Apel
D. D. Montzka
D. J. Knapp
W. Zheng
Universidad Andrés Bello, Department of Environmental Engineering, Santiago, Chile
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
The University of Iowa, Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, Iowa City, IA, USA
University of California at Merced, School of Engineering, Merced, CA, USA
The University of Iowa, Department of Statistical and Actuarial Science, Iowa City, IA, USA
Arianet Environmental Modeling, Milan, Italy
Molina Center for Energy and the Environment, La Jolla, CA, USA
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Delegación Coyoacán, México
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
The impact of Mexico City (MCMA) emissions is examined by studying its
effects on air quality, photochemistry, and on ozone production regimes by
combining model products and aircraft observations from the MILAGRO
experiment. The influence of MCMA emissions to enhancements in surface level
NO<sub>x</sub>, CO, and O<sub>3</sub> concentrations are confined to distances <200 km.
However, the extent of the influence is significantly larger at higher
altitudes. Broader MCMA impacts (some 900 km Northeast of the city) are
shown for specific outflow conditions in which enhanced ozone, NO<sub>y</sub>, and
MTBE mixing ratios over the Gulf of Mexico are linked to MCMA by source
tagged tracers and sensitivity runs. This study shows that the "footprint"
of MCMA on average is fairly local, with exception to reactive nitrogen,
which can be transported long range in the form of PAN, acting as a
reservoir and source of NO<sub>x</sub> with important regional ozone formation
implications. The simulated effect of MCMA emissions of anthropogenic
aerosol on photochemistry showed a maximum regional decrease of 40% in
<i>J</i>[NO<sub>2</sub>→NO+O], and resulting in the reduction of ozone production
by 5–10%. Observed ozone production efficiencies and photolysis rates are
evaluated as a function of distance from MCMA, and by modeled influence from
MCMA. These tend to be much lower closer to MCMA, and with higher MCMA
influence. This research shows that MCMA emissions have a discernible effect
on regional air quality and photochemistry, both contributing large amounts
of ozone and its precursors, but with caveat that aerosol concentrations
hinder formation of ozone to its potential due to its reduction in
photolysis rates.
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