loading page

Persistence of Low Tropospheric Ozone over the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool
  • +9
  • Clara Maria Nussbaumer,
  • Andrea Pozzer,
  • Michael Hewson,
  • Linda Ort,
  • Bianca Krumm,
  • Joseph Byron,
  • Jonathan Williams,
  • Philipp Joppe,
  • Florian Obersteiner,
  • Andreas Zahn,
  • Jos Lelieveld,
  • Horst Fischer
Clara Maria Nussbaumer
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Andrea Pozzer
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Author Profile
Michael Hewson
Central Queensland University
Author Profile
Linda Ort
Max-Planck-Institut fur Chemie
Author Profile
Bianca Krumm
Max-Planck-Institut fur Chemie
Author Profile
Joseph Byron
Max-Planck-Institut fur Chemie
Author Profile
Jonathan Williams
MPI Mainz
Author Profile
Philipp Joppe
Max-Planck-Institut fur Chemie
Author Profile
Florian Obersteiner
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Author Profile
Andreas Zahn
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Author Profile
Jos Lelieveld
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Author Profile
Horst Fischer
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Author Profile

Abstract

Lightning is the most important source of nitric oxide (NO) in the tropical upper troposphere and controls the formation of tropospheric ozone (O3). It is associated with deep convective processes and occurs mostly (∼90%) over tropical continents. The Chemistry of the Atmosphere Field Experiment in the Pacific (CAFE Pacific) was conducted in early 2024 from Cairns, Australia, taking airborne measurements across the Australian continent and the surrounding maritime regions. Based on cloud top properties, lightning data and in situ observations of NO, O3 and carbon monoxide (CO), we show that deep convection occurs over both Northern Australia and the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool. While we identify strong lightning activity over Australia, deep convection in the Warm Pool is not electrified. We conclude that low O3 in the Warm Pool is due to O3-poor air from the marine boundary layer, which is not replenished by photochemical production from NO at high altitudes.
08 Oct 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
08 Oct 2024Published in ESS Open Archive