Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Impact of urban-industrial air pollution on chemically reactive greenhouse gases is highly sensitive to organic nitrate formation
Calum Patrick Wilsonand Michael John Prather
Abstract. We compute net tropospheric ozone production (P-O3) and methane oxidation (L-CH4) caused by 45 days of South Korean emissions using a chemistry-transport model (CTM) and a hybrid modelling system (HMS). The CTM has global 1° x 1° resolution; the HMS has detailed chemical mechanisms and a refined regional grid (0.1° x 0.1°), but simplified, staged transport. The emissions cause +22.1 Gmol P-O3 and +2.0 Gmol L-CH4 in the CTM vs. +31.2 Gmol P-O3 and +4.3 Gmol L-CH4 in the HMS. Differences are attributed to lower volatile organic compound (VOC) reactivity in the CTM, thus decreased organic nitrate export to the free troposphere. Time-integrated O3 mass perturbations (𝛿O3) are similar in both models and constitute a globally-averaged +0.03 DU summertime O3 enhancement. Due to contrasting L-CH4, the net steady-state effective radiative forcing sustained by the emissions is +0.49 mW m-2 in the CTM and -0.25 mW m-2 in the HMS.
Received: 30 Jul 2026 – Discussion started: 21 Aug 2026
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Methane loss (L-CH4) and tropospheric ozone (O3) burden in response to a 10% KORUS-AQ emission perturbation in the UCI chemistry-transport modelCalum Patrick Wilson https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.djh9w0wgm
Model code and software
Modelling system for computing the tropospheric O3 and CH4 perturbations from South Korean Emissions (KORUS-AQ period)Calum Patrick Wilson https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.f4qrfj78x
Calum Patrick Wilsonand Michael John Prather
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We model the change in greenhouse gas (ozone and methane) levels in the atmosphere caused by South Korean air pollution. We compare results obtained using a global chemistry-transport model with simplified chemistry, and a specialised hybrid model with detailed chemistry but simplified transport. Air pollution in the chemistry-transport model produces less ozone, and destroys much less methane, than the hybrid model. This leads to net global warming in the former model and cooling in the latter.
We model the change in greenhouse gas (ozone and methane) levels in the atmosphere caused by...
