Vertical Profiles of Ozone Concentrations in the Lower Troposphere Downwind of New York City During LISTOS 2018–2019

Abstract

While surface concentrations of ozone are routinely monitored, ozone aloft is infrequently measured, but critical for a full understanding of ozone production and transport. In this study, twenty-six balloon-borne ozonesondes were launched near the north shore of central Long Island in the summers of 2018 and 2019 as part of the Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS). The observed vertical ozone profiles are presented and analyzed with additional data sources and modeling tools, including lidar wind profiles from the New York State Mesonet, back trajectories based on 3 km resolution high-resolution rapid refresh model data, and surface data, aircraft observations, sonde, and ozone lidar measurements from other LISTOS participants. Special attention is given to the region of interest for ozone pollution in the lower troposphere, from the surface to 2 km altitude. Cases analyzed in detail illustrate events with high ozone levels observed in the lower troposphere, often with pronounced vertical structure in the profile. Specifically, easily discernible layers are identified with ozone excursions of up to 40 ppb over short vertical distances. Analysis indicates that synoptic and local meteorological processes can combine to generate the observed vertical profiles. Hot, sunny days with high-pressure systems are accompanied by high precursor emissions due to increased power demands, plentiful radiation for photochemistry, and stagnation of synoptic winds. Under these conditions, meso- and smaller-scale flows like low-level jets and sea/bay/land breeze circulations may dominate synoptic flow to produce shearing and the complex vertical layered structure observed.