Large-Scale Atmospheric Pollution Over Eastern China: Results From Ozone and Carbon Monoxide Observation

Global CTM studies, satellite data analysis, and air pollution statistics have verified the large-scale atmospheric pollution over East Asia. Long-range transport studies of these air pollutants indicate that theirs effect could be observed even in the intercontinental or hemispherical scale. According to the models results and satellite data, the largest anthropogenic emission region is found over the mid-latitude eastern China. In this work, we investigated the present situation of large-scale atmospheric ozone and carbon monoxide pollution over eastern China. Since 2003, three regional ozone and carbon monoxide monitoring sites have been established at Mt. Tai (36 15N, 117 07E, 1524 m above sea level) in Shandon Province, Mt. Huang (30 10N, 118 11E, 1841 m asl) in Anhui Province, and Mt. Hua (34 20N, 110 05E, 2065 m asl) in Shaanxi Province. The results from observation show high mixing ratios and large variations of ozone and carbon monoxide, especially during spring and early-summer, at every observatory. Seasonal cycles of ozone and CO at these sites could be partly explained by the air mass climatology but the enhancements by regional anthropogenic emission are found to be dominant throughout the year. The large episodic ozone pollution events have been observed in early-summer for three consecutive years. Comparison of ozone and carbon monoxide in eastern China with the data from remote mid-latitude Northern Hemisphere background site in eastern Siberia show clearly different characteristics attributed to the regional sources. In this presentation, the sources and distribution of ozone and carbon monoxide in eastern China, theirs controlling factors, and their potential impact to environment will be discussed based mainly on observational results.