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The impact of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions on European ozone distributions has not yet been evaluated in a comprehensive way. Using the CHIMERE chemistry-transport model the variability of surface ozone levels from April to September for 4 years (1997, 2000, 2001, 2003) resulting from biogenic emissions is investigated. It is shown that BVOC emissions increased on average summer daily ozone maxima over Europe by 2.5ppbv (5%). The impact is most significant in Portugal (up to 15ppbv) and in the Mediterranean region (about 5ppbv), being smaller in the northern part of Europe (1.3ppbv north of 47.5°N). The average impact is rather similar for the three summers (1997, 2000, 2001), but is much larger during the extraordinarily hot summer of 2003. Here, the biogenic contribution to surface ozone doubles compared to other years at some locations. Interaction with anthropogenic NO x emissions is found to be a key process for ozone production of biogenic precursors. Comparing the impact of the state-of-the-art BVOC emission inventory compiled within the NatAir project and an earlier, widely used BVOC inventory derived from Simpson et al. [1999. Inventorying emissions from nature in Europe. Journal of Geophysical Research 104(D7), 8113–8152] on surface ozone shows that ozone produced from biogenic precursors is less in central and northern Europe but in certain southern areas much higher e.g. Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean Sea. The uncertainty in the regionally averaged impact of BVOC on ozone build-up in Europe is estimated to be ±50%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents methods and results of a high-resolution emission model developed at definite hours and areas for the Augsburg area in Southern Germany in order to facilitate comparisons with measured emission rates. Calculation of emissions of volatile organic compounds; Comparisons between the different precision levels and derived model improvements.