← Search

Data · dataset · 2026

Effects of trans-Eurasian transport of air pollutants on surface ozone concentrations over Western China

Listed in National Center for Atmospheric Research

Due to a lack of industrialization in Western China, surface air there was, until recently, believed to be relatively unpolluted.

Description

However, recent measurements and modeling studies have found high levels of ozone (O₃) there. Based on the state-of-the-science global chemical transport model MOZART-4, we identify the origin, pathway, and mechanism of trans-Eurasian transport of air pollutants to Western China in 2000.

MOZART-4 generally simulates well the observed surface O₃over inland areas of China. Simulations find surface ozone concentrations over Western China on average to be about 10 ppbv higher than Eastern China. Using sensitivity studies, we find that anthropogenic emissions from all Eurasian regions except China contribute 10-15 ppbv surface O₃ over Western China, superimposed upon a 35-40 ppbv natural background.

Read the rest (2 more)

Transport from European anthropogenic sources to Northwestern China results in 2-6 ppbv O₃ enhancements in spring and summer. Indian anthropogenic sources strongly influence O₃ over the Tibetan Plateau during the summer monsoon. Transport of O₃ originating from emissions in the Middle East occasionally reach Western China and increase surface ozone there by about 1-4 ppbv.

These influences are of similar magnitude as trans-Pacific and transatlantic transport of O₃ and its precursors, indicating the significance of trans-Eurasian ozone transport in hemispheric transport of air pollution. Our study further indicates that mitigation of anthropogenic emissions from Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East could benefit public health and agricultural productivity in Western China.

Links

Get the data

Where it is published

Catalogue records · 1

Topics

Provenance · 1 source records, 7 field assertions
SourceKeyLast seenRaw
National Center for Atmospheric Research3431366c-b236-4a0a-9be0-8e4e0c29975d12 d agoJSON v1
FieldAssertionExtractorEvidence
concepts[field].local:field:earth-environmentalmapping · data ucar educonnector:data_ucar_edu@1.0.0
concepts[field].local:field:ocean-atmosphericmapping · data ucar educonnector:data_ucar_edu@1.0.0
created_datesource · data ucar educonnector:data_ucar_edu@1.0.0
descriptionsource · data ucar educonnector:data_ucar_edu@1.0.0/notes
publication_datesource · data ucar educonnector:data_ucar_edu@1.0.0
titlesource · data ucar educonnector:data_ucar_edu@1.0.0/title
updated_datesource · data ucar educonnector:data_ucar_edu@1.0.0