Background ozone variations at Mt. Cimone Station

Abstract

In order to evaluate the background ozone concentration at Mt. Cimone (2165 m a.s.l.), the contribution of air masses characterised by different provenances is analysed in this paper. The analysis method is based on identification of background air masses which travelled above the 780 hPa pressure level for at least 48 h before arriving at Mt. Cimone. Not being recently mixed with boundary layer air, these air masses are characterised by a chemical age greater than 2 days. This analysis has shown that under background conditions the yearly principal maximum of ozone is recorded in spring and a secondary maximum is recorded in summer. In contrast, if we consider non-background conditions, the principal maximum is found in late summer and a secondary one in spring. In addition, the analysis indicates the presence of a smooth latitudinal gradient of background ozone concentrations in air masses arriving at Mt. Cimone, with higher concentrations coming from the north and lower ones from the south.