Calendar Event Details
AEROCENTER: Zhining Tao
Affiliation: GESTAR USRA
Event Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Location: G133
Time: 11:00 AM
Impact of transpacific aerosol on air quality over the United States: A perspective from aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions
Observations have well established that aerosols from various sources in Asia, Europe, and Africa can travel across the Pacific and reach the contiguous United States (U.S.) at least on episodic bases throughout a year, with a maximum import in spring. The imported aerosol not only can serve as an additional source to regional air pollution, but also can influence regional air quality through the aerosol cloud-radiation (ACR) interactions that change local meteorology. This study assessed impacts of transpacific aerosol on air quality, focusing on surface ozone and PM2.5, over the U.S. using the NASA Unified Weather Research Forecast (NU-WRF) model. Based on the results of 3-month (April to June of 2010) simulation, the impact of direct input (as an additional source) of transpacific aerosol on surface PM2.5 caused an increase of surface PM2.5 concentration by around 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter over the west coast area and about 0.5 micrograms per cubic meter over the east coast. On the other hand, by influencing key meteorological processes through the ACR interactions, the transpacific aerosol exerted a significant effect on both surface PM2.5 (±6 micrograms per cubic meter) and ozone (±10 ppbv) over the central and eastern U.S.. This suggested that the transpacific transport of aerosol could either improve or deteriorate local air quality and complicate the compliance with the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
Posted or updated: Thursday, March 19, 2015
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