Chinese Regulations Are Working—Why Is Surface Ozone Over Industrialized Areas Still High? Applying Lessons From Northeast US Air Quality Evolution

Xiaokang Chen; Zhe Jiang; Yanan Shen; Rui Li; Yunfei Fu; Jane Liu; Han Han; Hong Liao; Xugeng Cheng; Dylan B.A. Jones; Helen Worden; Gonzalo González Abad

doi:10.1029/2021GL092816

Chinese Regulations Are Working—Why Is Surface Ozone Over Industrialized Areas Still High? Applying Lessons From Northeast US Air Quality Evolution

Xiaokang Chen, Zhe Jiang, Yanan Shen, Rui Li, Yunfei Fu, Jane Liu, Han Han, Hong Liao, Xugeng Cheng, Dylan B.A. Jones, Helen Worden, Gonzalo González Abad

Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Administrative Office

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73 Scopus citations

Abstract

Observational data indicate increasing trends of surface ozone (O₃) in China, despite emission controls that have resulted in reductions of precursor emissions. Here, we explore the cause of this contradiction, through analysis of surface observations (2014–2019) in China and historical observation record in the United States (US, 1990–2019). Our observation-based analysis indicates that the reductions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emissions led to increase of surface O₃ in North China Plain (NCP) and Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of around 8 ppb. However, NO_x controls resulted in shift of O₃ chemical regimes over NCP and YRD, with turning points between NO_x- and volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited regimes around 2019, while model simulations suggest transitional or NO_x-limited regimes over the rest of China. The impacts of high fine particles (PM_2.5) on O₃ formation has declined because of the reduction of PM_2.5 concentrations. Stricter NO_x controls can mitigate O₃ pollutions over industrialized areas in China.

Original language	English
Article number	e2021GL092816
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	48
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL092816
State	Published - Jul 16 2021

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Chen, X., Jiang, Z., Shen, Y., Li, R., Fu, Y., Liu, J., Han, H., Liao, H., Cheng, X., Jones, D. B. A., Worden, H., & Abad, G. G. (2021). Chinese Regulations Are Working—Why Is Surface Ozone Over Industrialized Areas Still High? Applying Lessons From Northeast US Air Quality Evolution. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(14), Article e2021GL092816. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL092816

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title = "Chinese Regulations Are Working—Why Is Surface Ozone Over Industrialized Areas Still High? Applying Lessons From Northeast US Air Quality Evolution",

abstract = "Observational data indicate increasing trends of surface ozone (O3) in China, despite emission controls that have resulted in reductions of precursor emissions. Here, we explore the cause of this contradiction, through analysis of surface observations (2014–2019) in China and historical observation record in the United States (US, 1990–2019). Our observation-based analysis indicates that the reductions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions led to increase of surface O3 in North China Plain (NCP) and Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of around 8 ppb. However, NOx controls resulted in shift of O3 chemical regimes over NCP and YRD, with turning points between NOx- and volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited regimes around 2019, while model simulations suggest transitional or NOx-limited regimes over the rest of China. The impacts of high fine particles (PM2.5) on O3 formation has declined because of the reduction of PM2.5 concentrations. Stricter NOx controls can mitigate O3 pollutions over industrialized areas in China.",

author = "Xiaokang Chen and Zhe Jiang and Yanan Shen and Rui Li and Yunfei Fu and Jane Liu and Han Han and Hong Liao and Xugeng Cheng and Jones, \{Dylan B.A.\} and Helen Worden and Abad, \{Gonzalo Gonz{\'a}lez\}",

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T1 - Chinese Regulations Are Working—Why Is Surface Ozone Over Industrialized Areas Still High? Applying Lessons From Northeast US Air Quality Evolution

AU - Chen, Xiaokang

AU - Jiang, Zhe

AU - Shen, Yanan

AU - Li, Rui

AU - Fu, Yunfei

AU - Liu, Jane

AU - Han, Han

AU - Liao, Hong

AU - Cheng, Xugeng

AU - Jones, Dylan B.A.

AU - Worden, Helen

AU - Abad, Gonzalo González

PY - 2021/7/16

Y1 - 2021/7/16

N2 - Observational data indicate increasing trends of surface ozone (O3) in China, despite emission controls that have resulted in reductions of precursor emissions. Here, we explore the cause of this contradiction, through analysis of surface observations (2014–2019) in China and historical observation record in the United States (US, 1990–2019). Our observation-based analysis indicates that the reductions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions led to increase of surface O3 in North China Plain (NCP) and Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of around 8 ppb. However, NOx controls resulted in shift of O3 chemical regimes over NCP and YRD, with turning points between NOx- and volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited regimes around 2019, while model simulations suggest transitional or NOx-limited regimes over the rest of China. The impacts of high fine particles (PM2.5) on O3 formation has declined because of the reduction of PM2.5 concentrations. Stricter NOx controls can mitigate O3 pollutions over industrialized areas in China.

AB - Observational data indicate increasing trends of surface ozone (O3) in China, despite emission controls that have resulted in reductions of precursor emissions. Here, we explore the cause of this contradiction, through analysis of surface observations (2014–2019) in China and historical observation record in the United States (US, 1990–2019). Our observation-based analysis indicates that the reductions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions led to increase of surface O3 in North China Plain (NCP) and Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of around 8 ppb. However, NOx controls resulted in shift of O3 chemical regimes over NCP and YRD, with turning points between NOx- and volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited regimes around 2019, while model simulations suggest transitional or NOx-limited regimes over the rest of China. The impacts of high fine particles (PM2.5) on O3 formation has declined because of the reduction of PM2.5 concentrations. Stricter NOx controls can mitigate O3 pollutions over industrialized areas in China.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85111490173

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DO - 10.1029/2021GL092816

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SN - 0094-8276

VL - 48

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 14

M1 - e2021GL092816

ER -

Chinese Regulations Are Working—Why Is Surface Ozone Over Industrialized Areas Still High? Applying Lessons From Northeast US Air Quality Evolution

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