Nocturnal secondary ozone concentration maxima analysed by sodar observations and surface measurements

The occurrence of nocturnal secondary ozone maxima was investigated by grou nd-level meteorological and air quality measurements in an urban park in Es sen, Germany, during 29 individual summer measurement campaigns between May 1995 and September 1997. In addition, during an intensive measurement camp aign in May 1997, SODAR measurements of wind and turbulence were made. The spatial and temporal distribution of nocturnal ozone maxima within the meas urement network of the Environmental Protection Office of North Rhine-Westp halia was also analysed. Two case studies of nocturnal secondary ozone maxi ma are discussed in more detail. They represent two different types of this phenomenon, associated with a nocturnal low-level jet (LLJ) and the passag e of a front, respectively. In both cases, the nocturnal increase in ozone concentration was accompanied by a significant increase in the standard dev iation of the vertical wind speed sigma(w) across the lower stable boundary layer, indicating enhanced vertical mixing. During the LLJ case, ozone max ima were observed at 33% of the stations of the Environmental Protection Of fice network at approximately the same time. In the case of the front, the time of the ozone concentration rise could be allocated to the time of the: passage of the front, moving from northwest to southeast across the study area. For the first time, the measurements presented here document turbulen t mixing induced by shear forces in the whole layer between the core of the LLJ and the ground surface during secondary nocturnal ozone maxima. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.