1. Cross influences of ozone and sulfate precursor emissions changes on air quality and climate
- Author
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Unger, Nadine, Shindell, Drew T., Koch, Dorothy M., and Streets, David G.
- Subjects
Aerosols -- Chemical properties ,Air quality -- Research ,Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects ,Ozone -- Environmental aspects ,Science and technology - Abstract
Tropospheric [O.sub.3] and sulfate both contribute to air pollution and climate forcing. There is a growing realization that air quality and climate change issues are strongly connected. To date, the importance of the coupling between [O.sub.3] and sulfate has not been fully appreciated, and thus regulations treat each pollutant separately. We show that emissions of [O.sub.3] precursors can dramatically affect regional sulfate air quality and climate forcing. At 2030 in an A1B future, increased [O.sub.3] precursor emissions enhance surface sulfate over India and China by up to 20% because of increased levels of OH and gas-phase S[O.sub.2] oxidation rates and add up to 20% to the direct sulfate forcing for that region relative to the present day. Hence, [O.sub.3] precursors impose an indirect forcing via sulfate, which is more than twice the direct [O.sub.3] forcing itself (compare -0.61 vs. +0.35 W/[m.sub.2]). Regulatory policy should consider both air quality and climate and should address [O.sub.3] and sulfate simultaneously because of the strong interaction between these species. air pollution | climate change | aerosols | greenhouse gases
- Published
- 2006