Journal of Remote Sensing & GIS

Abstract

Modeling Tropospheric Ozone Climatology over Irene (South Africa)Using Retrieved Remote Sensing and Ground-Based Measurement Data

Jean-Pierre Mulumba*, Sivakumar Venkataraman and Thomas Joachim Odhiambo Afullo

The climatology of tropospheric ozone at Irene has been investigated using SHADOZ network data to assess the correlation between the observed seasonal ozone enhancement and meteorological factors. Previous studies identified photochemical sources (biomass burning, biogenic and lightning emissions) as well as dynamic factors (synoptic weather system, stratospheric intrusion) as contributing factors to ozone enhancement observed during Austral spring (October) and Austral summer (February). Recent global increase in temperature due to climate change has raised concern on the impact of such increase on seasonal ozone enhancement over this region. As tropospheric ozone is poorly documented over southern Africa, a few studies have been undertaken to understand the correlation between change in meteorological parameters and tropospheric ozone variation. The objective of this paper is to providing a comprehensive correlation between meteorological parameters and tropospheric ozone concentrations over Irene (South Africa) for the period 1998 to 2013 in order to predict possible change in the concentration of ozone and water vapor as greenhouse gases. To this end correlation analysis has been used to assess annual and seasonal TTO (Total Tropospheric Ozone) variation over different layers up to the tropical tropopause height. Seasonal TTO trends have shown identical seasonal ozone patterns with two maxima occurring in summer and spring respectively. However an increase on ozone concentrations from 55 to 65.6 DU in spring and from 32 to 55 DU in summer have noted in comparison with previous short term study at the same location. This was evidenced by seasonal ozone profiles which showed a sharp seasonal increase of 23 and 14 ppbv in the layer 10-12 km in spring and summer respectively. While autumn profile displays an increase of 12 ppbv, winter profile presents a 6 ppbv decrease at this very layer. The role played by temperature and relative humidity is depicted by the strong correlation existing between both temperature and ozone concentrations from surface: 2 km and 2-4 km and weak correlation in upper layers. In contrast relative humidity shows a weak correlation from surface to 3 km and a strong correlation from 3 km to upper layers. A multiple linear regression model was used to provide seasonal correlation between ozone and temperature and relative humidity. All seasons display strong regression coefficients (0.96