Effect of petrochemical industrial emissions of reactive alkenes and NO_x on tropospheric ozone formation in Houston, Texas

Authors

T. B. Ryerson, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
M. Trainer, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
W. M. Angevine, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
C. A. Brock, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
R. W. Dissly, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
F. C. Fehsenfeld, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
G. J. Frost, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
P. D. Goldan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
J. S. Holloway, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
G. Hübler, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
R. O. Jakoubek, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
W. C. Kuster, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
J. A. Neuman, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
D. K. Nicks, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
D. D. Parrish, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
J. M. Roberts, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationFollow
D. T. Sueper, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
E. L. Atlas, The Earth and Sun Systems LaboratoryFollow
Stephen G. Donnelly Ph.D., The Earth and Sun Systems LaboratoryFollow
F. Flocke, The Earth and Sun Systems LaboratoryFollow
A. Fried, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
W. T. Potter, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
S. Schauffler, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
V. Stroud, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
A. J. Weinheimer, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
B. P. Wert, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
C. Wiedinmyer, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
R. J. Alvarez, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
R. M. Banta, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
L. S. Darby, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory
C. J. Senff, The Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory

Abstract

Petrochemical industrial facilities can emit large amounts of highly reactive hydrocarbons and NOx to the atmosphere; in the summertime, such colocated emissions are shown to consistently result in rapid and efficient ozone (O3) formation downwind. Airborne measurements show initial hydrocarbon reactivity in petrochemical source plumes in the Houston, TX, metropolitan area is primarily due to routine emissions of the alkenes propene and ethene. Reported emissions of these highly reactive compounds are substantially lower than emissions inferred from measurements in the plumes from these sources. Net O3 formation rates and yields per NOx molecule oxidized in these petrochemical industrial source plumes are substantially higher than rates and yields observed in urban or rural power plant plumes. These observations suggest that reductions in reactive alkene emissions from petrochemical industrial sources are required to effectively address the most extreme O3 exceedences in the Houston metropolitan area.

Document Type

Article

Source Publication

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres

Version

Published version

DOI

10.1029/2002jd003070

Publication Date

4-27-2003

Volume

108

Issue

8

Rights

© American Geophysical Union

Comments

For questions contact ScholarsRepository@fhsu.edu

Recommended Citation

Ryerson, T. B., et al. (2003), Effect of petrochemical industrial emissions of reactive alkenes and NOx on tropospheric ozone formation in Houston, Texas, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 4249, doi:10.1029/2002JD003070, D8.