Characterization of transport and dynamical boundaries during CONTRAST

using chemical tracers

Sue Schauffler, Elliot Atlas Eric Apel, Rebecca Hornbrook

RF06, Jan 25: Shear line just west of GuamRF10, Feb. 8: Plume of CO northeast of Guam

The WRF low-level wind analysis from 00z on 25 January shows the air mass boundary as a wind shift line extending from Yap (PTYA) to northwest of Guam (PGUM) to 20N, 154E. The thermal contrast on either side of the front is small south of 18N, so the boundary is called a shear line rather than a cold front.

The 3km WRF analysis shows that the location of the GV’s spiral descent (17N,138E) was well into the post-frontal air mass.

RF06 Trajectory analysis for the last part of the flight on both sides of the shear line.

Trajectories are color coded by pressure along the flight track.Initial (left) & - Day 1 (right)

RF06 RF06

RF06 Trajectory analysis for the last part of the flight on both sides of the shear line

Days -2 & -3

RF06 RF06

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

100806040200Benzene, pptv

100806040200

O3, ppbv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

O3

VOC

RF06 O3/CO/H2O time series

RF06 vertical profile of ozone and benzene west of the shear line

RF06; –day 1 back trajectories from < 4.5km in the dip west of the shear line. Trajectories are color coded by ozone mr.

RF06: - day 2 back trajectories from < 4.5km in the dip west of the shear line. Trajectories are color coded by ozone mr.

RF06: Four vertical profilesGuam ascent (purple), Guam descent (red),

West of shear line descent (yellow), west of shear line ascent (orange)

Alkanes are indicative of urban influenced air masses

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

6004002000Propane, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

150100500n-Butane, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

100806040200isobutane, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

RF06: Four vertical profilesGuam ascent (purple), Guam descent (red),

West of shear line descent (yellow), west of shear line ascent (orange)

Benzene and isobutane are also indicative of urban influenced air masses

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

100806040200benzene, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

RF06: Four vertical profilesGuam ascent (purple), Guam descent (red),

West of shear line descent (yellow), west of shear line ascent (orange) 12x10

3

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

200150100500Acetonitrile, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

10008006004002000Acetone, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

Biomass burning indicators are not elevated

RF06: Four vertical profilesGuam ascent (purple), Guam descent (red),

West of shear line descent (yellow), west of shear line ascent (orange)

Marine BL indicators are not elevated

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

2.52.01.51.00.50.0Dibromomethane (CH2Br2), pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

12x103

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8

6

4

2

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Alti

tud

e, m

2.52.01.51.00.50.0Bromoform, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

RF06: Four vertical profilesGuam ascent (purple), Guam descent (red),

West of shear line descent (yellow), west of shear line ascent (orange) 12x10

3

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

76543210ethyl nitrate, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

121086420Isopropyl Nitrate, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

TOGA AWAS

12x103

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e, m

150100500n-Butane, pptv

12840n-butyl nitrate, pptv

00:00 03:00 06:00

Time, UTC

n-butane (TOGA) n-butane (AWAS) n-butyl nitrate (AWAS)

RF06: Four vertical profilesGuam ascent (purple), Guam descent (red),

West of shear line descent (yellow), west of shear line ascent (orange)

Initial calculations show a photochemical lifetime of the lowest altitude samples of ~3 days based on the benzene/toluene ratio.

RF10 (Feb. 8) CAM-Chem forecast of CO River at 200mb

RF10 Trajectory analysis CO PlumePlume location on the flight track Day -1

RF10 Trajectory analysis CO PlumeDay -3

RF10 Trajectory analysis CO PlumeDay -7

MODIS Fire counts Feb 4 – Feb 12, 2014

Modis Fire Count Map: Christine Weidinmyer

RF10: CO plume180

160

140

120

100

80

60

CO

, p

pb

v

00:30 00:40 00:50 01:00 01:10 01:20CONTRAST RF10, 2/8/14

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

HC

N,

pp

tv

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

O3 , p

pb

v

16x103

14

12

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8

6

4

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altitu

de

, m

250

200

150

100

50

0

Ace

ton

itrile

, p

ptv

800

600

400

200

0

Ace

ton

e, p

ptv

HCN GV Altitude Acetonitrile CO Acetone O3

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

CO

, p

pb

v

00:30 00:40 00:50 01:00 01:10 01:20CONTRAST RF10, 2/8/14

40

30

20

10

0

Be

nze

ne

, p

ptv

160

140

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100

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60

40

20

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Ace

teta

lde

hyd

e, p

ptv

16x103

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altitu

de

, m

200

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Fo

rma

lde

hyd

e,

pp

tv

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n-B

uta

ne

, pp

tv

Benzene Acetaldehyde formaldehyde n-Butane GV Altitude CO

RF10: Vertical profiles

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tude

, km

1301201101009080

CO, ppbv

5004003002001000HCN, pptv

200150100500Acetonitrile, pptv

CO HCN Acetonitrile

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Alti

tud

e,

km

1301201101009080

CO, ppbv

3.02.52.01.51.00.50.0Bromoform, pptv

403020100Benzene, pptv

CO Bromoform Benzene

Questions?

Thanks again to Becky, Eric, Elliot, Shawn, Jim, and Laura for their assistance with this presentation.