Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

NOx or VOC Limitation in East German Ozone Plumes?

  • Published:
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ozone forming potential of VOCs and NOx for plumes observed from several cities and a power plant in eastern Germany was investigated. A closed box model with a gas phase photochemical reaction mechanism was employed to simulate several scenarios based upon aircraft observations. In several of the scenarios, the initial concentrations of NOx, VOCs, and SO2, were reduced to study the factors limiting the O3 production. Ozone production was limited by the initial VOC concentrations for all of the simulated plumes. Higher O3 concentrations were produced with reduced initial NOx. In one sample with high SO2 mixing ratios (>100 ppb), SO2 was also identified as a significant contributor to the production of O3.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atkinson, R., 1994: Gas-phase tropospheric chemistry of organic compounds, J. Chem. Phys. Ref. Data, Monograph 2.

  • Atkinson, R., Baulch, D. L., Cox, R. A., Hampson, R. F., Kerr, J. A., and Troe, J., 1992: Evaluated kinetic, photochemical and heterogeneous data for atmospheric chemistry: Supplement IV, IUPAC subcommittee on gas kinetic data evaluation for atmospheric chemistry, J. Chem. Phys. Ref. Data 21, 1125-1568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calvert, J. G. and Stockwell, W. R., 1984: The mechanism and rates of the gas-phase oxidations of sulfur dioxide and the nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere, in J. G. Calvert (ed.), Acid Precipitation: SO 2 , NO and NO 2 Oxidation Mechanisms: Atmospheric Considerations, Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Ann Arbor, Michigan, pp. 1-62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, W. P. L., 1994: Development of ozone reactivity scales for volatile organic compounds, J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc. 44, 881-899.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chameides, W. L., Fehsenfeld, F., Rodgers, M. O., Cardelino, C., Martinez, J., Parrish, D., Lonneman, W., Lawson, D. R., Rasmussen, R. A., Zimmerman, P., Greenberg, J., Middleton, P., and Wang, T., 1992: Ozone precursor relationships in the ambient atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res. 97, 6037-6055.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, J. S., Brost, R. A., Isaksen, I. S. A., Madronich, S., Middleton, P., Stockwell, W. R., and Walcek, C. J., 1987: A three dimensional Eulerian acid deposition model: Physical concepts and formulation, J. Geophys. Res. 92, 14681-14700.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derwent, R. G. and Davies, T. J., 1994: Modelling the impact of NOx or hydrocarbon control on photochemical ozone in Europe, Atmos. Environ. 28, 2039-2052.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMore, W. B., Sander, S. P., Golden, D. M., Hampson, R. F., Kurylo, M. J., Howard, C. J., Ravishankara, A. R., Kolb, C. E., and Molina, M. J., 1994: Chemical Kinetics and Photochemical Data for Use in Stratospheric Modeling, Eval 11, Natl. Aeronaut. and Space Admin., Jet Propul. Lab., Pasadena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, M. C., 1984: Combined effects of organic reactivity and NMHC/NOx ratio on photochemical oxidant formation–A modeling study, Atmos. Environ. 18, 1657-1665.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finlayson-Pitts, B. J. and Pitts, J. N., 1986: Atmospheric Chemistry: Fundamentals and Experimental Techniques, John Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finlayson-Pitts, B. J. and Pitts, J. N., 1993: Atmospheric chemistry of tropospheric ozone formation: Scientific and regulatory implications, Air & Waste 43, 1091-1099.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, R., 1996: European emissions–distributions and trends, in P. M. Borrell, P. Borrell, T. Cvitas, K. Kelly, and W. Seiler (eds), Proceedings of EUROTRAC Symposium 1996, Comp. Mech. Publ., Southampton, pp. 29-34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao, D., Stockwell, W. R., and Milford, J. B., 1995: First order sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for a regional scale gas-phase chemical mechanism, J. Geophys. Res. 100, 23153-23166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hass, H., Ebel, A., Feldmann, H., Jakobs, H. J., and Memmesheimer, M., 1993: Evaluation studies with a regional chemical transport model (EURAD) using air quality data from the EMEP monitoring network, Atmos. Environ. 27A, 867-887.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacob, D. J., Horowitz, L. W., Munger, J. W., Heikes, B. G., Dickerson, R. R., Artz, R. S., and Keene, W. C., 1995: Seasonal transition from NOx-to hydrocarbon-limited conditions for ozone production over the United States in September, J. Geophys. Res. 100, 9315-9324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanter, H.-J., Slemr, F., Mohnen, V., and Corsmeier, U., 1996: Airborne chemical and meteorological measurements made during the 1992 TRACT experiment: Quality control and assessment, J. Air & Waste Manage. Assoc. 46, 710-724.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, T. J., Ward, G. F., and Fortune, C. R., 1990: Development of real-time monitors for gaseous formaldehyde, Fin. Rep. to U.S. Environ. Prot. Agency, EPA/600/3-90/088.

  • Kirchner, F. and Stockwell, W. R., 1997: Correction to ‘effect of peroxy radical reactions on the predicted concentrations of ozone, nitrogenous compounds and radicals’ by Frank Kirchner and William R. Stockwell, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 10871.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirchner, F. and Stockwell, W. R., 1996: Effect of peroxy radical reactions on the predicted concentrations of ozone, nitrogenous compounds and radicals, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 21007-21022.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinmann, L. I., 1994: Low and high NOx tropospheric photochemistry, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 16831-16838.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klemm, O., 1996: Five years of aircraft measurements of air pollution in an industrialized region in Eastern Germany, Meteorol. Zeitschr. N.F. 5, 221-233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klemm, O., Hahn, M. K., and Giehl, H., 1996: Airborne, continuous measurement of carbon monoxide in the lower troposphere, Environ. Sci. Technol. 30, 115-120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klemm, O., Werhahn, J., Schaller, E., Schlager, H., and Krautstrunk, M., 1995: Characterization of ozone plumes in Eastern Germany, Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 2021-2024.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klemm, O., Ziomas, I., Balis, D., Suppan, Slemr, J., Romero, R., and Vyras, L., 1998: A summer air pollution study in Athens, Greece, Atmos. Environ. 32, 2071-2087.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kömp, P., 1994: Entwicklung und Charakterisierung eines kontinuierlichen Formaldehyd-Meßgerätes auf der Basis der Hantzsch-Reaktion, Diplomarbeit Universität Bayreuth.

  • Kuhn, M., Builtjes, P. J. H., Poppe, D., Simpson, D., Stockwell, W. R., Andersson-Sköld, Y., Baart, A., Das, M., Fiedler, F., Hov, Ø, Kirchner, F., Makar, P. A., Milford, P. A., Roemer, M. G. M., Ruhnke, R., Strand, A., Vogel, B., and Vogel, H., 1998: Intercomparison of the gas-phase chemistry in several chemistry and transport models, Atmos. Environ. 32, 693-709.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazrus, A. L., Fong, K. L., and Lind, J. A., 1988: Automated fluorometric determination of formaldehyde in air, Anal. Chem. 60, 1074-1076.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazrus, A. L., Kok, G. L., Lind, J. A., Gitlin, S. N., Heikes, B. G., and Shetter, R. E., 1986: Automated fluorometric method for hydrogen peroxide in air, Anal. Chem. 58, 594-597.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Bras, G. (ed.), 1997: Chemical Processes in Atmospheric Oxidation, Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, X., Trainer, M., and Liu, S. C., 1988: On the nonlinearity of the tropospheric ozone production, J. Geophys. Res. 93, 15879-15888.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S. C., Trainer, M., Fehsenfeld, F. C., Parrish, D. D., Williams, E. J., Fahey, D.W., Hübler, G., and Murphy, P. C., 1987: Ozone production in the rural troposphere and the implications for regional and global ozone distributions, J. Geophys. Res. 92, 4191-4207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Madronich, S., 1987: Photodissociation in the atmosphere. 1. Actinic flux and the effects of ground reflections and clouds, J. Geophys. Res. 92, 9740-9752.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matuska, P., Koval, M., and Seiler, W., 1986: A high resolution GC analysis method for determination of C2–C10 hydrocarbons in air samples, JHRC & CC 9, 577-584.

    Google Scholar 

  • Middleton, P., Stockwell, W. R., and Carter, W. P. L., 1990: Aggregation and analysis of volatile organic compound emissions for regional modeling, Atmos. Environ. 24A, 1107-1133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milford, J. B., Gao, D., Sillman, S., Blossey, P., and Russell, A. G., 1994: NOy as an indicator of the sensitivity of ozone to ROG and NOx emissions, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 3533-3542.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nester, K., Panitz, H.-J., Fiedler, F., 1995: Comparison of the DRAIS and EURAD model simulations of air pollution in a mesoscale area, Meteorol. Atmos. Phys. 57, 135-158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schiff, H. I., Mackay, G. I., Castledine, C., Harris, G. W., and Tran, Q., 1986: Atmospheric measurements of nitrogen dioxide with a sensitive luminol instrument, Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 30, 105-114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidbauer, N. and Oehme, M., 1985: Analysis of light hydrocarbons (C2––C5) at ppt levels by high resolution chromatography, JHRC & CC 8, 404-406.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidbauer, N. and Oehme, M., 1986: Improvement of a cryogenic preconcentration unit for C2–C6 hydrocarbons in ambient air at ppt levels, JHRC & CC 9, 503-505.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seiler, W. (ed.), 1996: BMBF-Verbundforschungsvorhaben SANA–Wissenschaftliches Begleitprogramm zur Sanierung der Atmosphäre über den neuen Bundesländern, BMBF Abschlußbericht 07 VLP 02, p. 1720.

  • Seinfeld, J. H., 1986: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics of Air Pollution, Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sillman, s., 1995: The use of NOy, H2O2, and HNO3 as indicators for ozone-NOx – hydrocarbon sensitivity in urban locations, J. Geophys. Res. 100, 14175-14188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sillman, S., Logan, J. A., and Wofsy, S. C., 1990: The sensitivity of ozone to nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons in regional ozone episodes, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 1837-1851.

    Google Scholar 

  • Staffelbach, T. and Neftel, A., 1996: On the VOC or NOx limitation of ozone formation over southern Switzerland: Experimental and model results, Eurotrac Newsletter 17, 18-21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockwell, W. R., 1994: The effect of gas-phase chemistry on aqueous-phase sulfur dioxide oxidation rates, J. Atmos. Chem. 19, 317-329.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockwell, W. R. and Calvert, J. G., 1983: The mechanism of the HO–SO2 reaction, Atmos. Environ. 17, 2231-2235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockwell, W. R., Kirchner, F., Kuhn, M., and Seefeld, S., 1997: A new mechanism for regional atmospheric chemistry modeling, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 25847-25879.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockwell, W. R., Middleton, P., Chang, J. S., and Tang, X., 1990: The second generation regional acid deposition model chemical mechanism for regional air quality modeling, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 16343-16367.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremmel, H. G., Junkermann, W., Slemr, F., and Platt, U., 1993: On the distribution of hydrogen peroxide in the lower tropospheric over the northeastern United States during late summer 1988, J. Geophys. Res. 98, 1083-1099.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warneck, P., 1988: The Chemistry of the Natural Atmosphere, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fraunhofer Institut für Atmosphärische Umweltforschung (IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, D-82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    O. Klemm & W. R. Stockwell

  2. Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, D-82230, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany

    H. Schlager & M. Krautstrunk

Authors
  1. O. Klemm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. R. Stockwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Schlager
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Krautstrunk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Klemm, O., Stockwell, W.R., Schlager, H. et al. NOx or VOC Limitation in East German Ozone Plumes?. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry 35, 1–18 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006237921920

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006237921920

Search

Navigation