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A Multivariate Time Series Approach to Study the Interdependence among O3, NO x , and VOCs in Ambient Urban Atmosphere

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Abstract

A multivariate time series approach vector autoregression (VAR) along with impulse response function and variance decomposition technique has been employed to look into the interrelationship among O3, NO, NO2, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs, namely, benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene in the present study) using 3 months long continuous time series data of 1 h average concentration of these pollutants at one of the traffic sites in Delhi, India. It is found that the VAR of order 2 (i.e., past two lagged values of 1 h interval) is sufficient to represent the observed time series at the station studied. The impulse response function and variance decomposition analysis indicate that O3 concentration shows an immediate rise and persists for a longer duration (typically 8–10 h) once the impulse of NO2, benzene, ethylbenzene, or xylene is given in the ambient environment. However, in case of toluene, the reverse effect has been observed. Since O3 forms in the troposphere due to photolysis of NO2, it is not surprising that its impulse triggers O3 formation in the ambient environment. However, in case of VOCs, this has been attributed to their tendency to show higher inclination toward intermediary reactions leading to the formation of O3 rather than their (VOCs) reaction with O3. Among VOCs, only toluene has been observed to show higher inclination toward its reaction with O3. Apart from this, variance decomposition technique also reveals that the relation of NO with NO2 is more important than the relation of NO with O3 creating a conducive atmosphere for O3 formation in the present scenario. Thus, the multivariate time series approach provides significant insight about the role played by the dominant individual VOCs and NO x in influencing the O3 concentration in ambient urban atmosphere whereas a photochemical modeling approach gives an overall view of NO x and VOCs behavior with respect to O3 by using the O3 isopleth technique.

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Acknowledgement

One of the authors, Dr. Ujjwal Kumar, would like to thank University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India for providing financial support during the course of this study. The necessary financial support provided by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, India to Mr. Amit Prakash is also duly acknowledged.

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  1. School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110 067, India

    Ujjwal Kumar, Amit Prakash & V. K. Jain

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  1. Ujjwal Kumar
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  2. Amit Prakash
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  3. V. K. Jain
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Correspondence to Ujjwal Kumar.

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Kumar, U., Prakash, A. & Jain, V.K. A Multivariate Time Series Approach to Study the Interdependence among O3, NO x , and VOCs in Ambient Urban Atmosphere. Environ Model Assess 14, 631–643 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-008-9167-1

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