Geophysical Research Letters · 2013 · 57 citations · 14 references
Natural SciencesEarth SciencesEnvironmental SciencesAtmospheric ChemistryAtmospheric ScienceClimatologyAir Pollutant EmissionsAir PollutantsAir QualityClimate ChangeRadiative ForcingSmog FormationMeteorological Influences On OzoneOzonePhotochemical ProcessesPhotochemical ProductionPhotochemical ReactionsPower Plant EmissionsTemperature DependenceTemperature Effects On Ozone
Abstract High ambient temperatures intensify photochemical production of tropospheric ozone, leading to concerns that global warming may exacerbate smog episodes. This widely observed phenomenon has been termed the climate penalty factor (CPF). A variety of meteorological and photochemical processes have been suggested to explain why surface ozone increases on hot days. Here, we quantify an anthropogenic factor previously overlooked: the rise of ozone precursor emissions on hot summer days due to high electricity demand. Between 1997 and 2011, power plant emissions of NO x in the eastern U.S. increased by ~2.5–4.0%/°C, raising surface NO x concentrations by 0.10–0.25 ppb/°C. Given an ozone production efficiency (OPE) of ~8 mol/mol based on the 2011 NASA DISCOVER‐AQ campaign, at least one third of the CPF observed in the eastern U.S. can be attributed to the temperature dependence of NO x emissions. This finding suggests that controlling emissions associated with electricity generation on hot summer days can mitigate the CPF.
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