Analysis of ozone and meteorological balloon profile data from Summit, Greenland

• Other Authors: De Rivera Rivera, Garymar (author), Helmig, Detlev (contributor), Weis-Taylor, Pat (contributor), Sago, LuAnna (contributor), Navarro, Fabiola (contributor)
• Format: Manuscript
• Language: English
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: Atmospheric gas; Earth system; Troposphere; Toxic; Crop loss; Ozone budget; Sinks; Greenland
• Online Access: http://nldr.library.ucar.edu/repository/collections/SOARS-000-000-000-118; https://doi.org/10.5065/b0b4-1y21

Ozone is an important atmospheric gas that has positive and negatives effects on the Earth System. Recent studies have demonstrated that the total amount of ozone in the troposphere has increased by 36% since 1750. These changes are of concern because tropospheric ozone is a toxic or dangerous gas to breathe and it has been recognized that increased tropospheric ozone causes crop losses in agriculture. In order to get a better understanding of the global tropospheric ozone budget, especially about the sources and sinks that control the quantity of this gas, we investigated processes that control the depletion of ozone at the Earth’s surface. In this research, meteorological conditions were analyzed that may affect ozone concentration. We used vertical profile data generated in 3D contour maps using IDL (Interactive Data Language) software. The data were obtained at Summit, Greenland. This site has a flat topography with year-round snow cover. It experiences periods of extreme cold temperatures and 24 hours of darkness during winter. During the period of spring sunrise, chemicals accumulated in the snow are photochemically activated and changes in surface-atmosphere trace gas fluxes are observed. The 3D contour maps developed in this project are used to decipher meteorological changes and air transport, which is an important tool to reveal diurnal and seasonal controls of ozone transports, photochemical formations and surface deposition at Summit.