the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
| 09 Feb 2023
Measurement Report: MAX-DOAS measurements characterise Central London ozone pollution episodes during 2022 heatwaves
Abstract. Heatwaves are a substantial health threat in the UK, exacerbated by co-occurrence of ozone pollution episodes. Here we report on first use of retrieved vertical profiles of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde (HCHO) over Central London from a newly installed Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) instrument coincident with two of three heatwaves for the hottest summer on record. We evaluate space-based sensor observations routinely used to quantify temporal changes in air pollution and precursor emissions over London. Collocated daily mean tropospheric column densities from the high spatial resolution space-based TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) and MAX-DOAS, after accounting for differences in vertical sensitivities, are temporally consistent for NO2 and HCHO (both R = 0.71). TROPOMI NO2 is 27–31 % less than MAX-DOAS NO2, as expected from horizontal dilution of NO2 by TROPOMI pixels in polluted cities. TROPOMI HCHO is 20 % more than MAX-DOAS HCHO; greater than differences in past validation studies, but within the range of systematic errors in the MAX-DOAS retrieval. The MAX-DOAS lowest layer (~55 m altitude) retrievals have similar day-to-day and hourly variability to the surface sites for comparison of NO2 (R ≥ 0.7) and for MAX-DOAS HCHO versus surface site isoprene (R > 0.6) that oxidizes to HCHO in prompt and high yields. Daytime ozone production, diagnosed with MAX-DOAS HCHO-to-NO2 tropospheric vertical column ratios, is mostly limited by availability of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), except on heatwave days. Temperature dependent biogenic VOC emissions of isoprene increase exponentially, resulting in ozone concentrations that exceed the regulatory standard for ozone and cause non-compliance at urban background sites in Central London. Locations in Central London heavily influenced by traffic remain in compliance, but this is likely to change with stricter controls on vehicle emissions of NOx and higher likelihood of heatwave frequency, severity and persistence due to anthropogenic climate change.
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Notice on discussion status
The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.
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Preprint
(3402 KB)
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.
- Preprint
(3402 KB) - Metadata XML
- BibTeX
- EndNote
- Final revised paper
Journal article(s) based on this preprint
Interactive discussion
Status: closed
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RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-24', Anonymous Referee #1, 10 Mar 2023
Ryan et al. provide an interesting and thorough report of the deployment of a MAX-DOAS instrument in central London and use its measurements to explore impact of the 2022 heatwaves on NO2 and HCHO concentrations, and subsequent effects on O3 production. The measurements are also compared with TROPOMI overpasses when available and highlight the complementary nature of the new measurements. The O3 production section is of wider interest in terms of urban air quality policy, as the authors note, with reference to the UK’s goals of reducing NO2 emissions.
The paper is well written and formatted, and subject to some minor comments, should be accepted for publication in ACP.
Minor comments:- ca. figure 8 / lines 380 – the ratio between in-situ isoprene and HCHO appears to dramatically change during the 18th July. It would be interesting to have some discussion as the why this is, especially as the increase in HCHO happens before the increase in isoprene. I suspect it has something to do with the location of Marylebone Road relative to the MAX-DOAS view.
- The lowest MAX-DOAS layer is described as ~55m, but the instrument is located at 60m above ground, and all elevation angles are listed as positive inclinations. Is this correct? Adding some information to section 2.1 for clarification would be useful.
Technical Comments:
- Figure 1 a – the labels collide with the location pins in some cases – adjust spacing to fix.
- The “DOFs/DOFS” initialism’s “s” character is inconsistently capitalised throughout the manuscript.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-24-RC1 - AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Eloise Marais, 11 May 2023
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RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-24', Anonymous Referee #2, 20 Mar 2023
Ryan et al. presented a valuable report about the ozone pollution episodes during 2022 heatwaves in Central London via the MAX-DOAS measurements. NO2 and HCHO VCDs of TROPOMI were firstly validated by ground-based MAX-DOAS. In addition, lowest layer retrieved NO2 and HCHO from MAX-DOAS were compared with in-situ NO2 and isoprene, respectively. Regarding the daytime ozone production, VOCs-limited regime is identified for non-heatwave days according to the MAX-DOAS HCHO-to-NO2 tropospheric vertical column ratios. Temperature favors the biogenic isoprene emissions and further the increase of ozone concentrations exceeding the regulatory standard. Influenced heavily by traffic emission, the compliance status may be changed under the conditions that stricter controls on NOx vehicle emissions and frequenter and severer heatwave. Overall, the paper is well organized and written, however, there still some comments need to be addressed before it can be considered to be accepted for ACP journal.
Main concerns:
Since the vertical profiles of NO2 and HCHO can be obtained by the RAPSODI algorithm, why only the column density and lowest layer results were used to discuss in the paper? I would like to suggest the authors present the characteristics of the vertical pattern of NO2 and HCHO during heatwave days and non-heatwave days at least.
Moreover, considering the air mass transport described in Line 48-49, the HCHO-to-NO2 ratio may also be analyzed in different heights.
Minors:
1. Line 45-47, It’s better to also provide background information about the VOCs emission in Central London, when discuss the ozone production there.2. Line 115-120, in addition to the DLs of individual DSCDs, the authors should provide a more detailed table for the spectral analysis configurations. Besides, the performance of the spectral analysis should be evaluated, such as the range of RMS? DSCDs errors? An example plot of spectral fitting? And any filtering of the DSCDs before be introduced into the profile retrieval?
3. Fig. 4, why datasets of elevation 20° not be presented?
4. Fig. 6, MAX-DOAS HCHO:NO2 is VCD to VCD or lowest layer to lower layer? Same comments on Fig. 8.
5. Fig. 8 and related discussion, the dependency of isoprene-to-HCHO ratio to NO2 need to be investigated, also isoprene-to-NO2 ratio.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-24-RC2 - AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Eloise Marais, 11 May 2023
- AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-24', Eloise Marais, 10 May 2023
Interactive discussion
Status: closed
-
RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-24', Anonymous Referee #1, 10 Mar 2023
Ryan et al. provide an interesting and thorough report of the deployment of a MAX-DOAS instrument in central London and use its measurements to explore impact of the 2022 heatwaves on NO2 and HCHO concentrations, and subsequent effects on O3 production. The measurements are also compared with TROPOMI overpasses when available and highlight the complementary nature of the new measurements. The O3 production section is of wider interest in terms of urban air quality policy, as the authors note, with reference to the UK’s goals of reducing NO2 emissions.
The paper is well written and formatted, and subject to some minor comments, should be accepted for publication in ACP.
Minor comments:- ca. figure 8 / lines 380 – the ratio between in-situ isoprene and HCHO appears to dramatically change during the 18th July. It would be interesting to have some discussion as the why this is, especially as the increase in HCHO happens before the increase in isoprene. I suspect it has something to do with the location of Marylebone Road relative to the MAX-DOAS view.
- The lowest MAX-DOAS layer is described as ~55m, but the instrument is located at 60m above ground, and all elevation angles are listed as positive inclinations. Is this correct? Adding some information to section 2.1 for clarification would be useful.
Technical Comments:
- Figure 1 a – the labels collide with the location pins in some cases – adjust spacing to fix.
- The “DOFs/DOFS” initialism’s “s” character is inconsistently capitalised throughout the manuscript.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-24-RC1 - AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Eloise Marais, 11 May 2023
-
RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-24', Anonymous Referee #2, 20 Mar 2023
Ryan et al. presented a valuable report about the ozone pollution episodes during 2022 heatwaves in Central London via the MAX-DOAS measurements. NO2 and HCHO VCDs of TROPOMI were firstly validated by ground-based MAX-DOAS. In addition, lowest layer retrieved NO2 and HCHO from MAX-DOAS were compared with in-situ NO2 and isoprene, respectively. Regarding the daytime ozone production, VOCs-limited regime is identified for non-heatwave days according to the MAX-DOAS HCHO-to-NO2 tropospheric vertical column ratios. Temperature favors the biogenic isoprene emissions and further the increase of ozone concentrations exceeding the regulatory standard. Influenced heavily by traffic emission, the compliance status may be changed under the conditions that stricter controls on NOx vehicle emissions and frequenter and severer heatwave. Overall, the paper is well organized and written, however, there still some comments need to be addressed before it can be considered to be accepted for ACP journal.
Main concerns:
Since the vertical profiles of NO2 and HCHO can be obtained by the RAPSODI algorithm, why only the column density and lowest layer results were used to discuss in the paper? I would like to suggest the authors present the characteristics of the vertical pattern of NO2 and HCHO during heatwave days and non-heatwave days at least.
Moreover, considering the air mass transport described in Line 48-49, the HCHO-to-NO2 ratio may also be analyzed in different heights.
Minors:
1. Line 45-47, It’s better to also provide background information about the VOCs emission in Central London, when discuss the ozone production there.2. Line 115-120, in addition to the DLs of individual DSCDs, the authors should provide a more detailed table for the spectral analysis configurations. Besides, the performance of the spectral analysis should be evaluated, such as the range of RMS? DSCDs errors? An example plot of spectral fitting? And any filtering of the DSCDs before be introduced into the profile retrieval?
3. Fig. 4, why datasets of elevation 20° not be presented?
4. Fig. 6, MAX-DOAS HCHO:NO2 is VCD to VCD or lowest layer to lower layer? Same comments on Fig. 8.
5. Fig. 8 and related discussion, the dependency of isoprene-to-HCHO ratio to NO2 need to be investigated, also isoprene-to-NO2 ratio.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-24-RC2 - AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Eloise Marais, 11 May 2023
- AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-24', Eloise Marais, 10 May 2023
Peer review completion
Journal article(s) based on this preprint
Data sets
MAX-DOAS retrievals of formaldehyde (HCHO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) vertical profiles over Central London Eloise Marais, Robert Ryan, Jan-Lukas Tirpitz, Udo Frieß, and Eleanor Smith https://doi.org/10.5522/04/21610533
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Robert G. Ryan
Eleanor Gershenson-Smith
Robbie Ramsay
Jan-Peter Muller
Jan-Lukas Tirpitz
Udo Frieß
The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.
- Preprint
(3402 KB) - Metadata XML