Journal article
Utility of Geostationary Lightning Mapper-derived lightning NO emission estimates in air quality modeling studies
Atmospheric chemistry and physics, Vol.24(1), pp.41-63
01/04/2024
DOI: 10.5194/acp-24-41-2024
Abstract
Lightning is one of the primary natural sources of nitric oxide (NO), and the influence of lightning-induced NO (LNO) emission on air quality has been investigated in the past few decades. In the current study an LNO emissions model, which derives LNO emission estimates from satellite-observed lightning optical energy, is introduced. The estimated LNO emission is employed in an air quality modeling system to investigate the potential influence of LNO on tropospheric ozone. Results show that lightning produced 0.174 Tg N of nitrogen oxides (NO x = NO + NO 2 ) over the contiguous US (CONUS) domain between June and September 2019, which accounts for 11.4 % of the total NO x emission. In August 2019, LNO emission increased ozone concentration within the troposphere by an average of 1 %-2 % (or 0.3-1.5 ppbv), depending on the altitude; the enhancement is maximum at similar to 4 km above ground level and minimum near the surface. The southeastern US has the most significant ground-level ozone increase, with up to 1 ppbv (or 2 % of the mean observed value) difference for the maximum daily 8 h average (MDA8) ozone. These numbers are near the lower bound of the uncertainty range given in previous studies. The decreasing trend in anthropogenic NO x emissions over the past 2 decades increases the relative contribution of LNO emissions to total NO x emissions, suggesting that the LNO production rate used in this study may need to be increased. Corrections for the sensor flash detection efficiency may also be helpful. Moreover, the episodic impact of LNO on tropospheric ozone can be considerable. Performing backward trajectory analyses revealed two main reasons for significant ozone increases: long-distance chemical transport and lightning activity in the upwind direction shortly before the event.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Utility of Geostationary Lightning Mapper-derived lightning NO emission estimates in air quality modeling studies
- Creators
- Peiyang Cheng - Zhejiang Meteorological BureauArastoo Pour-Biazar - University of AlabamaYuling Wu - University of AlabamaShi Kuang - University of AlabamaRichard T. McNider - University of AlabamaWilliam J. Koshak - Marshall Space Flight Center
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Atmospheric chemistry and physics, Vol.24(1), pp.41-63
- Publisher
- Copernicus Gesellschaft Mbh
- DOI
- 10.5194/acp-24-41-2024
- ISSN
- 1680-7316
- eISSN
- 1680-7324
- Number of pages
- 23
- Grant note
- NASA's TOLNet program NASA Science Mission Directorate Applied Sciences Program NOAA GOES-R Series program (Calibration and Algorithm Working Groups) under Dan Lindsey National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/04/2024
- Academic Unit
- Iowa Technology Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984721115002771
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