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Cited by 15Atmospheric chemistry and aerosolsAtmospheric Ozone and ClimateAtmospheric aerosols and clouds

Sensitivity of tropospheric ozone to chemical kinetic uncertainties in air masses influenced by anthropogenic and biomass burning emissions

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Ridley, D. A., Cain, M., Methven, J., Arnold, S. R.·2017·Geophysical Research Letters
DOI 10.1002/2017gl073802
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Abstract

We use a Lagrangian chemical transport model with a Monte Carlo approach to determine impacts of kinetic rate uncertainties on simulated concentrations of ozone, NOy and OH in a high‐altitude biomass burning plume and a low‐level industrial pollution plume undergoing long‐range transport. Uncertainties in kinetic rate constants yield 10–12 ppbv (5th to 95th percentile) uncertainty in the ozone concentration, dominated by reactions that cycle NO and NO 2, control NOx conversion to NOy reservoir species, and key reactions contributing to O 3 loss (O(1 D) + H 2 O, HO 2 + O 3). Our results imply that better understanding of the peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN) thermal decomposition constant is key to predicting large‐scale O 3 production from fire emissions and uncertainty in the reaction of NO + O 3 at low temperatures is particularly important for both the anthropogenic and biomass burning plumes. The highlighted reactions serve as a useful template for targeting new laboratory experiments aimed at reducing uncertainties in our understanding of tropospheric O 3 photochemistry.

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  • Uncertainties in low-temperature gas-phase chemical reaction kinetics produce a substantial spread in predicted ozone concentrations in anthropogenic and biomass burning pollution plumes, due to particularly large uncertainties in a small number of key reactions, most notably NO + O3.

    “This produces a substantial spread in predicted oxidant (ozone) concentrations in not only anthropogenic but also biomass burning pollution plumes (Ridley et al., 2017) and is due to particularly large uncertainties in a small number of key reactions (most notably the NO + O3 reaction) at low temperatures.”

    From Local Arctic Air Pollution: A Neglected but Serious Problem (2018) · cites this paper as Ridley et al., 2017

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

  • Local Arctic Air Pollution: A Neglected but Serious Problem

    Schmale, J., Arnold, S. R., Law, K. S., Thorp, T., Anenberg, S., Simpson, W. R., Mao, J., & Pratt, K. A. (2018) · Earth's Future · doi:10.1029/2018ef000952 · Cited by 219 · see citing works

    “This produces a substantial spread in predicted oxidant (ozone) concentrations in not only anthropogenic but also biomass burning pollution plumes (Ridley et al., 2017) and is due to particularly large uncertainties in a small number of key reactions (most notably the NO + O3 reaction) at low…”
    BackgroundSelf-citation

Authors
Ridley, D. A., Cain, M., Methven, J., & Arnold, S. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Leeds (GB)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • University of Reading (GB)
Corresponding author
Arnold, S. R.
ORCID
Venue
Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Published
2017-07-18
Volume
44
Issue
14
Pages
7472-7481
ISSN
  • 0094-8276 (ISSN-L)
  • 1944-8007
DOI
10.1002/2017gl073802
OpenAlex
W2620983917
Cited by
15
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 6
FWCI
1.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Geophysical Research Letters (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
  • CentAUR (University of Reading) (acceptedVersion)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Apollo (cc-by)
Funders
  • UK Natural Environment Research Council (award NE/F00060X/1)
  • NERC ITOP project (NER/T/S/2002/00580)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Atmospheric Ozone and Climate
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
Keywords
tropospheric ozone, rate constants, biomass burning emissions, anthropogenic emissions, long-range transport, NOx chemistry, hydroxyl radicals, ozone photolysis, ozone formation, fire plume

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