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Impact of the 2008 Global Recession on Air Quality over the United States: Implications for Surface Ozone Levels from Changes in NOx EmissionsSatellite and ground observations detected large variability in nitrogen oxides (NOx) during the 2008 economic recession, but the impact of the recession on air quality has not been quantified. This study combines observed NOx trends and a regional chemical transport model to quantify the impact of the recession on surface ozone (O3) levels over the continental United States. The impact is quantified by simulating O3 concentrations under two emission scenarios: business-as-usual (BAU) and recession. In the BAU case, the emission projection from the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule is used to estimate the would-be NOx emission level in 2011. In the recession case, the actual NO2 trends observed from Air Quality System ground monitors and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on the Aura satellite are used to obtain realistic changes in NOx emissions. The model prediction with the recession effect agrees better with ground O3 observations over time and space than the prediction with the BAU emission. The results show that the recession caused a 12ppbv decrease in surface O3 concentration over the eastern United States, a slight increase (0.51ppbv) over the Rocky Mountain region, and mixed changes in the Pacific West. The gain in air quality benefits during the recession, however, could be quickly offset by the much slower emission reduction rate during the post-recession period.
Document ID
20160013896
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Tong, Daniel
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration College Park, MD, United States)
Pan, Li
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration College Park, MD, United States)
Chen, Weiwei
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration College Park, MD, United States)
Lamsal, Lok
(Universities Space Research Association Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Lee, Pius
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration College Park, MD, United States)
Tang, Youhua
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration College Park, MD, United States)
Kim, Hyuncheol
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration College Park, MD, United States)
Kondragunta, Shobha
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration College Park, MD, United States)
Stajner, Ivanka
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Silver Spring, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
November 30, 2016
Publication Date
September 16, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 43
Issue: 17
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN37591
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG11HP16A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NOx emissions
Nitrogen dioxide
remote sensing
Ozone

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