Observational Evidence of Aerosol Radiation Modifying Photochemical Ozone Profiles in the Lower Troposphere

Abstract

Abstract Aerosol optical effects can trigger complex changes in solar shortwave radiation (SW) in the atmosphere, resulting in significant impacts on the photochemistry and vertical structure of ozone. This paper provides observational evidence of aerosol absorbing and scattering effects on modifying the SW and ozone profiles in the low troposphere. Using field vertical measurements and observation‐based model simulations, we demonstrated that absorbing aerosols decreased SW, resulting in substantial inhibition of ozone production throughout the boundary layer (BL). A similar inhibition effect occurred within the lower BL under sufficient scattering aerosols. However, the scattering augmentation effect played an additional role in enhancing the photolysis rate and promoting ozone generation in the upper BL. Hence, the observational evidence as well as our model simulations disentangled the radiative effects of different types of aerosols on the vertical structures of ozone.