Change in Tropospheric Ozone in the Recent Decades and Its Contribution to Global Total Ozone

Tropospheric ozone is a key chemically active trace gas and radiative forcer. Understanding its long-term changes is important to properly interpret observed changes in total column ozone and stratospheric ozone recovery. We investigate global and regional tropospheric ozone changes and their impact on total column ozone during 2005-2018 using satellite measurements and the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry Climate Model (GEOSCCM). Global total ozone increased similar to 4 DU during 2005-2018 (+0.28 +/- 0.06 DU yr(-1)) as inferred from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). Consistent with previous studies, the OMI/MLS (Microwave Limb Sounder) derived global tropospheric ozone increased 2.2 DU during this period, 60% of the global total column ozone increase. While GEOSCCM reproduces reasonably well the total column increase, it overestimates the stratospheric ozone increase and underestimates the tropospheric ozone increase. We find that the tropospheric ozone increases are likely attributed to a growth of regional emissions of key ozone precursors, especially volatile organic compounds as reflected by the positive trends in formaldehyde (CH2O). Although carbon monoxide (CO) has been decreasing everywhere around the globe, it has relatively small impact on the tropospheric ozone trend. Trends in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) vary with regions, and these changes counteract or reinforce the positive effects of CH2O on the tropospheric ozone increases. The model underestimates the observed tropospheric ozone increase, especially over the US and Europe, because of underestimated NO2 emissions changes used in the model. The stratospheric ozone contribution increases during this period in the Northern Hemisphere and contributes to the tropospheric ozone increase.

Automated summary

This study investigated global and regional tropospheric ozone changes and their impact on total column ozone from 2005 to 2018. It was found that the increase in tropospheric ozone is likely attributed to a growth of regional emissions of key ozone precursors, especially volatile organic compounds.