Role of air transport processes in the formation of surface ozone concentration fields on the Kola Peninsula

Observational data on the surface ozone concentration (SOC) obtained in 199 9 at the Lovozero station (the Kola Peninsula) are analyzed. It is shown th at the wintertime SOC variations with a characteristic time of several days are attributable to the influence of air-mass transport processes. Thus, s ignificant negative anomalies in the SOC are associated with air transport from the Kara Sea, while maximum SOC values are observed in warm continenta l air masses. In summer, maximum SOCs are due to air transport from western Europe. In spring, the SOC is maximum when air is transported from western Europe and central regions of Russia and is minimum when an air mass arriv es from the regions of the Kara Sea and the Taimyr Peninsula. Up to 31% of the springtime SOC variance can be explained by a change in the direction o f air transport.