Identification of the roles of urban plume and local chemical production in ozone episodes observed in Long Island Sound during LISTOS 2018: Implications for ozone control strategies

Long Island Sound (LIS) frequently experiences ozone (O3) exceedance events that surpass national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) due to complex driving factors. The underlying mechanisms governing summertime O3 pollution are investigated through collaborative observations from lidar remote sensing and ground samplers during the 2018 LIS Tropospheric O3 Study (LISTOS). Regional transport and local chemical reactions are identified as the two key driving factors behind the observed O3 episodes in LIS. An enhanced laminar structure is observed in the O3 vertical structure in the atmospheric boundary layer (i.e., 0-2 km layer) for the case domi-nated by regional transport. An O3 formation regime shift is found in ozone-precursor sensitivity (OPS) for the O3 exceedance event dominated by regional transport with NOx-enriched air mass transport from the New York City (NYC) urban area to LIS. Furthermore, the Integrated Process Rate (IPR) analysis demonstrates that transport from the NYC urban area contributed 40% and 27.1% of surface O3 enhancement to the cases dominated by regional transport and local production, respectively. This study provides scientific evidence to uncovers two key processes that govern summertime O3 pollution over LIS and can help to improve emission control strategies to meet the attainment standards for ambient O3 levels over LIS and other similar coastal areas.

Automated summary

Collaborative observations during the 2018 LIS Tropospheric O3 Study (LISTOS) reveal that regional transport and local chemical reactions are the two key driving factors behind summertime ozone pollution in Long Island Sound (LIS). The study also highlights the significant contribution of air mass transport from New York City (NOx-enriched) through regional transport to the ozone exceedance events in LIS. This research provides scientific evidence to understand the key processes governing ozone pollution over LIS and similar coastal areas, and can aid in improving emission control strategies to meet ambient ozone standards.