Effect of bromine and iodine chemistry on tropospheric ozone over Asia-Pacific using the CMAQ model

Yeqi Huang, Xingcheng Lu, Jimmy C.H. Fung*, Golam Sarwar, Zhenning Li, Qinyi Li, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Alexis K.H. Lau

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Articlepeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Recent studies have focused on the chemistry of tropospheric halogen species which are able to deplete tropospheric ozone (O3). In this study, the effect of bromine and iodine chemistry on tropospheric O3 within the annual cycle in Asia-Pacific is investigated using the CMAQ model with the newly embedded bromine and iodine chemistry and a blended and customized emission inventory considering marine halogen emission. Results indicate that the vertical profiles of bromine and iodine species show distinct features over land/ocean and daytime/nighttime, related to natural and anthropogenic emission distributions and photochemical reactions. The halogen-mediated O3 loss has a strong seasonal cycle, and reaches a maximum of −15.9 ppbv (−44.3%) over the ocean and −13.4 ppbv (−38.9%) over continental Asia among the four seasons. Changes in solar radiation, dominant wind direction, and nearshore chlorophyll-a accumulation all contribute to these seasonal differences. Based on the distances to the nearest coastline, the onshore and offshore features of tropospheric O3 loss caused by bromine and iodine chemistry are studied. Across a coastline-centric 400-km-wide belt from onshore to offshore, averaged maximum gradient of O3 loss reaches 1.1 ppbv/100 km at surface level, while planetary boundary layer (PBL) column mean of O3 loss is more moderate, being approximately 0.7 ppbv/100 km. Relative high halogen can be found over Tibetan Plateau (TP) and the largest O3 loss (approximately 4–5 ppbv) in the PBL can be found between the western boundary of the domain and the TP. Halogens originating from marine sources can potentially affect O3 concentration transported from the stratosphere over the TP region. As part of efforts to improve our understanding of the effect of bromine and iodine chemistry on tropospheric O3, we call for more models and monitoring studies on halogen chemistry and be considered further in air pollution prevention and control policy.

Original languageEnglish
Article number127595
JournalChemosphere
Volume262
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

  • Bromine and iodine chemistry
  • CMAQ
  • Onshore/offshore features
  • Tropospheric O
  • Vertical structure

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