Aerosol Plume during a Polluted Event Occuring Over Paris Area and its Potential Photochemical Effect

As in many big cities, there are several pollution events in Paris area. A thorough understanding of the processes leading on the formation of pollutants and their transport during pollution episodes is necessary. One of the pertinent factors, which contributions on atmospheric chemistry and radiative effect are not yet well known, is the aerosol. ESQUIF (Etude et Simulation de la QUalité de l?air en Ile de France) is the first program dedicated to study such issues over the Paris area. It was carried out from summer 1998 to winter 2000 (Menut et al., 2000). To characterize all the properties of the urban aerosol, many campaigns were coordinated using both ground and airborne measurements (Chazette et al., 2000). We are focusing on the 31st of July 2000 where a well-defined polluted plume has been observed. Aerosol number concentrations in different size classes were measured and show that urban aerosol in Paris area is mainly submicronic. The absorbent part of the aerosol, mainly associated to the black carbon component, has been observed to be associated to particles with diameter less than 0.1 æm. The single scattering albedo has been assessed to be close to 0.85 leading to a significant influence on the photochemical chemistry. Indeed, a significant decrease of the daily maximum ozone concentration has been calculated using the INCA model and will be presented. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Programme National de Chimie Atmosphérique, INSU supported this work. REFERENCES Chazette P., H. Randriamiarisoa, J. Sanak, C. Flamant, J. Pelon, M. Sicard, H. Cachier, F. Aulagnier, R. Sarda-Esteve, L. Gomes, S. Alfaro and A. Gaudichet (2001). ESQUIF 2000 : Aerosol survey over the Ile-de-France area, J. Aerosol Sci ., 32/suppl. 1, S439-S440. Menut, L., R. Vautard, C. Flamant, A. Abonnel, M. Beekmann, P. Chazette, P.H. Flamant, D. Gombert, D. Guédalia, D. Kley, M.P. Lefebvre, B. Lossec, D. Martin, G. Mégie, P. Perros, M. Sicard and G. Toupance (2000). Measurements and modelling of atmospheric pollution aver the Paris area: An overview of the ESQUIF project, Ann. Geophys., 18, 1467-1481.