Extreme heat and ozone pollution: A call for targeted control strategies in China

Elevated surface ozone concentrations in China are posing a significant threat to both human health and crop yields. Extreme heat can greatly exacerbate ozone pollution through both complex chemical and physical processes. Extreme heat is often accompanied by stagnant weather conditions, which can lead to the accumulation and subsequent elevation of ozone. Considering that extreme heat events have been becoming increasingly frequent in recent decades and are also expected to do so in the future, effective control strategies to reduce ozone pollution risks are urgently needed. A research group led by Prof. Ke Li from Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology examined the driving factors of urban ozone pollution in China during the extremely hot summer of 2022 and the impact of emission control strategies using surface measurements and the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem. "Despite the governmental report showing a reduction in NOx and VOC emissions between 2021 and 2022, our model simulations revealed that the significant increase in chemical production was the primary driver of this widespread ozone surge," says Prof. Li. In addition, a series of scenario simulations were conducted to assess the impact of reducing NOx and VOC emissions individually and collectively on ozone levels. Citation: Extreme heat and ozone pollution: A call for targeted control strategies in China retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://phys. org/news/2024-03-extreme-ozone-pollution-strategies-china.