Tropospheric Ozone and Aerosols over the Eastern Tropical Atlantic and West Africa during Summer 2006/Winter 2007: In situ Measurements and Modeling Efforts

该项目涉及热带大西洋上空对流层臭氧的时空分布这一尚未解决的重要问题。目标是通过现场测量观察对流层臭氧混合率，描述和量化气溶胶负荷及其表面辐射强迫，并检查尘埃事件期间臭氧垂直分布的变化。这些数据将来自2006年和2007年期间的短场强度，特别是来自大西洋巡航期间的船载测量，以及来自大陆环境中的冬季测量。塞内加尔北半球冬季的实地活动将审查冬季尘埃暴发与对流层臭氧垂直分布和变化之间的直接联系。这些测量将包括从塞内加尔达喀尔机场发射臭氧探空仪。这项研究收集的现场数据将与热带臭氧探空仪网络中其他站的卫星臭氧产品和臭氧垂直廓线进行比较。此外，将在实时和分析后阶段使用全球和区域气象/化学模式，以验证观测结果，并更好地了解发生的化学和气象过程。来自热带纬度的测量为研究生物质燃烧排放的跨赤道输送提供了独特的机会，这种输送增强了对流层臭氧。将获得关于臭氧的自然来源(闪电)在西非上空和热带大西洋上空流出区增强对流层上层臭氧方面的相对贡献的信息。这项工作将与NASA戈达德的科学家以及非洲大学的合作者合作进行。该项目将为霍华德大学的一名非裔美国研究生和一名博士后研究员提供机会。它还将提供一个独特的机会，与西非科学家就现场测量和建模工作进行密切合作。这将为非洲裔美国人和西非的科学家和学生提供在同行评议的期刊上发表文章的机会。此外，这些努力也可能用于西非的其他应用，如气候和健康问题。该奖项是与美国国家科学基金会国际科学与工程办公室共同资助的。

This project addresses an important unresolved topic regarding the spatial and temporal distribution of tropospheric ozone over the tropical Atlantic. The goals are to observe tropospheric ozone mixing ratios through in situ measurements, to characterize and quantify aerosol loading and its surface radiative forcing, and to examine the changes in the vertical distribution of ozone during dust events. The data will be obtained from short field intensives during 2006 and 2007, specifically from shipborne measurements during an Atlantic cruise, and from wintertime measurements in a continental environment. The field campaign during the Northern Hemisphere winter in Senegal will examine the direct linkage between winter season dust outbreaks and the vertical distribution and changes in tropospheric ozone. The measurements will include ozonesonde launches from the airport in Dakar, Senegal. The in situ data collected in this study will be compared to satellite derived ozone products and ozone vertical profiles from other stations in the tropical ozonesonde network.In addition, global and regional meteorological/chemical models will be used in real-time and post-analysis stages for validation against observations and to better understand the chemical and meteorological processes occurring. Measurements from tropical latitudes provide the unique opportunity to examine cross-equatorial transport of biomass burning emissions which enhance tropospheric ozone. Information on the relative contribution of natural sources of ozone (lightning) in the enhancement of upper tropospheric ozone over West Africa and in the outflow region over the tropical Atlantic will be obtained. This work will be carried out in collaboration with scientists at NASA Goddard, as well as collaborators from African Universities.This project will provide opportunities for an African-American graduate student at Howard University, and a post-doctoral fellow. It will also provide a unique opportunity for close collaboration with West African scientists on the in situ measurements and modeling efforts. This will provide opportunities for both African-American and West African scientists and students to publish in peer-reviewed journals. In addition, these efforts are likely to be of use for other applications in West Africa, such as climate and health matters.This award is jointly funded with NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering.