The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone

The relationship between springtime mid-latitude cyclones and background ozone (O3) is explored using a combination of observational and reanalysis data sets. First, the relationship between surface O3 observations at two rural monitoring sites on the west coast of Europe – Mace Head, Ireland and Mo...

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Published in:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Main Authors: Knowland, K. Emma, Doherty, Ruth M., Hodges, Kevin I., Ott, Lesley E.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: European Geosciences Union 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/
https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/1/acp-17-12421-2017.pdf
https://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/acp-2017-318/
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spelling ftunivreading:oai:centaur.reading.ac.uk:72491 2024-09-15T18:24:00+00:00 The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone Knowland, K. Emma Doherty, Ruth M. Hodges, Kevin I. Ott, Lesley E. 2017-10 text https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/ https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/1/acp-17-12421-2017.pdf https://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/acp-2017-318/ en eng European Geosciences Union https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/1/acp-17-12421-2017.pdf Knowland, K. E., Doherty, R. M., Hodges, K. I. <https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/view/creators/90000463.html> orcid:0000-0003-0894-229X and Ott, L. E. (2017) The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17 (20). pp. 12421-12447. ISSN 1680-7316 doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12421-2017 <https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12421-2017> cc_by Article PeerReviewed 2017 ftunivreading https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12421-2017 2024-07-30T14:08:25Z The relationship between springtime mid-latitude cyclones and background ozone (O3) is explored using a combination of observational and reanalysis data sets. First, the relationship between surface O3 observations at two rural monitoring sites on the west coast of Europe – Mace Head, Ireland and Monte Velho, Portugal – and cyclone track frequency in the surrounding regions is examined. Second, detailed case study examination of four individual mid-latitude cyclones and the influence of the associated frontal passage on surface O3 is performed. Cyclone tracks have a greater influence on the O3 measurements at the more northern coastal European station, Mace Head, located within the main North Atlantic (NA) storm track. In particular, when cyclones track north of 53° N, there is a significant relationship with high levels of surface O3 (> 75th percentile). The further away a cyclone is from the NA storm track, the more likely it will be associated with both high and low (< 25th percentile) levels of O3 at the observation site during the cyclone's life cycle. The results of the four case studies demonstrate a) the importance of the passage of a cyclone's cold front in relation to surface O3 measurements, b) the ability of mid-latitude cyclones to bring down high levels of O3 from the stratosphere and c) that accompanying surface high pressure systems and their associated transport pathways play an important role in the temporal variability of surface O3. The main source of high O3 to these two sites is from the stratosphere, either from direct injection into the cyclone or associated with aged airstreams from decaying downstream cyclones that can become entrained and descend toward the surface within new cyclones over the NA region. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic CentAUR: Central Archive at the University of Reading Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 17 20 12421 12447
institution Open Polar
collection CentAUR: Central Archive at the University of Reading
op_collection_id ftunivreading
language English
description The relationship between springtime mid-latitude cyclones and background ozone (O3) is explored using a combination of observational and reanalysis data sets. First, the relationship between surface O3 observations at two rural monitoring sites on the west coast of Europe – Mace Head, Ireland and Monte Velho, Portugal – and cyclone track frequency in the surrounding regions is examined. Second, detailed case study examination of four individual mid-latitude cyclones and the influence of the associated frontal passage on surface O3 is performed. Cyclone tracks have a greater influence on the O3 measurements at the more northern coastal European station, Mace Head, located within the main North Atlantic (NA) storm track. In particular, when cyclones track north of 53° N, there is a significant relationship with high levels of surface O3 (> 75th percentile). The further away a cyclone is from the NA storm track, the more likely it will be associated with both high and low (< 25th percentile) levels of O3 at the observation site during the cyclone's life cycle. The results of the four case studies demonstrate a) the importance of the passage of a cyclone's cold front in relation to surface O3 measurements, b) the ability of mid-latitude cyclones to bring down high levels of O3 from the stratosphere and c) that accompanying surface high pressure systems and their associated transport pathways play an important role in the temporal variability of surface O3. The main source of high O3 to these two sites is from the stratosphere, either from direct injection into the cyclone or associated with aged airstreams from decaying downstream cyclones that can become entrained and descend toward the surface within new cyclones over the NA region.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Knowland, K. Emma
Doherty, Ruth M.
Hodges, Kevin I.
Ott, Lesley E.
spellingShingle Knowland, K. Emma
Doherty, Ruth M.
Hodges, Kevin I.
Ott, Lesley E.
The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone
author_facet Knowland, K. Emma
Doherty, Ruth M.
Hodges, Kevin I.
Ott, Lesley E.
author_sort Knowland, K. Emma
title The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone
title_short The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone
title_full The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone
title_fullStr The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone
title_full_unstemmed The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone
title_sort influence of mid-latitude cyclones on european background surface ozone
publisher European Geosciences Union
publishDate 2017
url https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/
https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/1/acp-17-12421-2017.pdf
https://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/acp-2017-318/
genre North Atlantic
genre_facet North Atlantic
op_relation https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/72491/1/acp-17-12421-2017.pdf
Knowland, K. E., Doherty, R. M., Hodges, K. I. <https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/view/creators/90000463.html> orcid:0000-0003-0894-229X and Ott, L. E. (2017) The influence of mid-latitude cyclones on European background surface ozone. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17 (20). pp. 12421-12447. ISSN 1680-7316 doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12421-2017 <https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12421-2017>
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op_doi https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-12421-2017
container_title Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
container_volume 17
container_issue 20
container_start_page 12421
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