Observations of Ozone Formation in Power Plant Plumes and Implications for Ozone Control Strategies

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 292; no. 5517; pp. 719 - 723
• Main Authors: Ryerson, T. B., Trainer, M., Holloway, J. S., Parrish, D. D., Huey, L. G., Sueper, D. T., Frost, G. J., Donnelly, S. G., Schauffler, S., Atlas, E. L., Kuster, W. C., Goldan, P. D., Hübler, G., Meagher, J. F., Fehsenfeld, F. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 27.04.2001; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atmosphere; Atmospheric ozone; Atmospheric pollution; Chemical composition and interactions. Ionic interactions and processes; Coal; Coal fired power plants; Earth, ocean, space; Emission control systems; Emissions; Emissions reduction; Environmental agencies; Environmental aspects; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Fuels; Incentives; Individual Power; isoprene; Land Use; Meteorology; Observations; Organic Chemistry; Ozone; Ozone formation; Ozone layer; Plumes; Pollutant emissions; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; Power plants; Reactivity; Rural areas; Urban Areas; USA; Volatile organic compounds; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Power plant; Nitric oxide; Aircraft observation; Troposphere; Coal power plant; Rural area; Ozone; Volatile organic compound; Oxidant; Nitrogen dioxide; Pollutant emission
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1058113

Data taken in aircraft transects of emissions plumes from rural U.S. coal-fired power plants were used to confirm and quantify the nonlinear dependence of tropospheric ozone formation on plume NOx(NO plus NO2) concentration, which is determined by plant NOxemission rate and atmospheric dispersion. The ambient availability of reactive volatile organic compounds, principally biogenic isoprene, was also found to modulate ozone production rate and yield in these rural plumes. Differences of a factor of 2 or greater in plume ozone formation rates and yields as a function of NOxand volatile organic compound concentrations were consistently observed. These large differences suggest that consideration of power plant NOxemission rates and geographic locations in current and future U.S. ozone control strategies could substantially enhance the efficacy of NOxreductions from these sources.