Identification and tracking of polluted air masses in the south- central coast air basin

Abstract

The analyses find that elevated ozone concentrations are primarily attributed to transport and storage of ozone-enriched air from Los Angeles. During one type of episode (2-3 October) ozone and ozone precursors are stored near the surface over the Santa Barbara Channel overnight and transported into coastal areas on the following day. In another type of episode (23-24 September) ozone is transported into the study domain from the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles via flow around the Santa Monica Hills. Transport of pollutant-enriched air takes place in a layer 200-500 m aloft, in many places overlaying cleaner marine-layer air. This advected ozone is mixed down to contribute to ground-level ozone concentrations over terrain where the marine layer does not intrude. -from Authors