Transport and build-up of tropospheric trace gases during the MINOS campaign: comparision of GOME, in situ aircraft measurements and MATCH-MPIC-data

Abstract

Abstract. The MINOS (Mediterranean INtensive Oxidant Study) campaign was an international, multi-platform field campaign to measure long-range transport of air-pollution and aerosols from South East Asia and Europe towards the Mediterranean basin during August 2001. High pollution events were observed during this campaign. For the Mediterranean region enhanced tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde (HCHO), which are precursors of tropospheric ozone (O3), were detected by the satellite based GOME (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) instrument and compared with airborne in situ measurements as well as with the output from the global 3D photochemistry-transport model MATCH-MPIC (Model of Atmospheric Transport and CHemistry - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry). The increase of pollution in that region leads to severe air quality degradation with regional and global implications.