High ozone concentrations on hot days: The role of electric power demand and NOx emissions. Issue 19 (4th October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: He, Hao; Hembeck, Linda; Hosley, Kyle M.; Canty, Timothy P.; Salawitch, Ross J.; Dickerson, Russell R.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 40:Issue 19(2013:Oct.)
• Page Start: 5291
• Page End: 5294
• Publication Date: 2013-10-04
• Subjects: Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/grl.50967
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>[1] High ambient temperatures intensify photochemical production of tropospheric ozone, leading to concerns that global warming may exacerbate smog episodes. This widely observed phenomenon has been termed the climate penalty factor (CPF). A variety of meteorological and photochemical processes have been suggested to explain why surface ozone increases on hot days. Here, we quantify an anthropogenic factor previously overlooked: the rise of ozone precursor emissions on hot summer days due to high electricity demand. Between 1997 and 2011, power plant emissions of NO_x in the eastern U.S. increased by ~2.5–4.0%/°C, raising surface NO_x concentrations by 0.10–0.25 ppb/°C. Given an ozone production efficiency (OPE) of ~8 mol/mol based on the 2011 NASA DISCOVER‐AQ campaign, at least one third of the CPF observed in the eastern U.S. can be attributed to the temperature dependence of NO_x emissions. This finding suggests that controlling emissions associated with electricity generation on hot summer days can mitigate the CPF.</p> </abstract>