An investigation of the meteorological and photochemical factors influencing the background rural and marine surface ozone levels in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean

A study on the spatial distribution as well as an investigation of the possible factors influencing the observed variations of summer (JJA) rural and marine surface ozone background in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean is performed, following observations showing that the 60 ppb EU Air Quality Standard for Human Health Protection is frequently exceeded in the area. For this purpose the measurements of the following four Eastern Mediterranean stations are analyzed: Giordan Lighthouse-Gozo, Malta; Aliartos-Central Greece; Finokalia-Crete, Greece and Ag. Marina, Cyprus. The measured summer afternoon rural and marine ozone levels in Central Greece and on Crete Island are quite comparable, but are found to be significantly higher (by about 15–20%) than the corresponding levels in Malta and Cyprus. After investigating the characteristic meteorological conditions associated with high and low rural and marine surface ozone concentrations, it appears that an important factor leading to high tropospheric ozone values in the Eastern Mediterranean area is the anticyclonic influence of the high-pressure domination over the Central Mediterranean and the Balkans. The rural and marine surface ozone stations located across the Aegean Channel are also influenced by the long-range transport of polluted air masses from the European continent in the boundary layer during summer and the subsequent photochemical ozone production. This characteristic northern flow during summer is created by the combination of the Central Mediterranean anticyclone with the Middle-East low-pressure system. On the other hand, the lowest ozone levels, particularly in the Crete and Cyprus stations, are associated with an extension to the west of the Middle-East low and weak pressure gradients over the Eastern Mediterranean and an upper air trough in the North Eastern Europe.