AGS-FIRP Track 3: Salt Lake City Summer Ozone Study (SLC-SOS)

这次实地活动的重点是更好地了解犹他州盐湖城附近的整个瓦萨奇前线的大气臭氧形成机制。2024年夏天，将在盐湖城周围的大气中对臭氧和导致其形成的前体进行基于飞机的测量。这项研究的重点是改进预测高臭氧浓度形成的光化学模型。预计研究结果将有助于制定缓解策略，帮助减少犹他州瓦萨奇前线周围的臭氧污染。该项目将：(1)评估暴露在盐滩上的反照率增加可能如何增强污染空气团中的光化学，然后这些空气团可以被湖风输送回盐湖谷；(2)确定影响臭氧产生的甲醛和其他含氧挥发性有机化合物的假设主要来源；(3)调查人为排放清单（如EPA的国家排放清单）是否遗漏了大量的活性碳或氮氧化物通量；(4)诊断野火烟雾的加入如何改变城市环境中臭氧产生的敏感性。本项目资助博士后1人，研究生和本科生若干人。在实地活动期间，还将举行公众活动，介绍臭氧污染及其形成，并讨论在该区域减少臭氧污染的具体挑战。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This field campaign is focused on gaining a better understanding of the mechanisms for atmospheric ozone formation throughout the Wasatch Front near Salt Lake City Utah. During the summer of 2024, aircraft-based measurements of ozone and the precursors leading to its formation will be made in the atmosphere around Salt Lake City. This research is focused on improving the photochemical modeling that predicts the formation of high ozone concentrations. The results are expected to contribute to the development of mitigation strategies that can help reduce ozone pollution around Utah’s Wasatch Front.This project will: (1) assess how increased albedo from exposed salt flats may be enhancing photochemistry in polluted air masses that can then be transported back into the Salt Lake Valley by the lake breeze; (2) identify hypothesized large primary sources of formaldehyde and other oxygenated volatile organic compounds that influence ozone production; (3) investigate whether anthropogenic emission inventories, such as the EPA’s National Emission Inventory, miss a significant amount of reactive carbon or nitrogen oxide fluxes; and (4) diagnose how the addition of wildfire smoke changes the sensitivity of ozone production in the urban environment.This project supports a postdoctoral scholar and several graduate and undergraduate students. There will also be public events during the field campaign to describe ozone pollution and its formation and discuss the specific challenges associated reducing it in the region.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.