Characterization of ozone transport among metropolitan regions

Cláudia Boian,Maria De Fátima Andrade

doi:10.1590/s0102-77862012000200009

Cláudia Boian, Maria De Fátima Andrade

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0102-77862012000200009

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Abstract

The aim of this work is to determine the interaction in terms of ozone transport between two metropolitan regions of São Paulo State: The Metropolitan Region of Campinas (MRC) and Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), with different characteristics and dimensions. In order to describe the interaction between both regions, 3-D Eulerian photochemical CIT model was used with a new approach for São Paulo regions since most previous studies deal with individual areas considering the contribution of other areas only as boundary conditions. The results from the photochemical simulations showed that the ozone concentration in the MRC is associated to local emissions and the transport of ozone and its precursors from the MRSP, demonstrating the significant impact of a megacity in its neighborhood and the importance of meteorological and topography conditions in the transport of air pollutants from the local source to distant regions.

Highlights

Megacities and other major urbanized centers represent large, concentrated sources of anthropogenic pollutants to the atmosphere, with consequences for both local air quality and for regional and global atmospheric chemistry
In order to describe the interaction between both regions, the 3-D Eulerian photochemical California Institute of Technology (CIT) model has been used to simulate the air pollution dynamics for ozone in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas (MRC) and in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP)
The aim of this work was to determine the interaction in terms of ozone transport between two Metropolitan Regions of São Paulo State: The Metropolitan Region of Campinas (MRC) and Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP)

Summary

Introduction

Megacities and other major urbanized centers (as metropolitan regions) represent large, concentrated sources of anthropogenic pollutants to the atmosphere, with consequences for both local air quality and for regional and global atmospheric chemistry. The tradeoffs between the regional buildups of pollutants and their sources versus long-range export due to meteorological characteristics vary as function of geographical location and season. Both horizontal and vertical transports contribute to pollutant export, and the overall degree of export is strongly governed by the lifetimes of pollutants (Lawrence et al, 2007). The most common air pollutants in urban environments are sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and suspended particulate matter. Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur in the urban plume can contribute.

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