Tropospheric ozone production regions and the intercontinental origins of surface ozone over Europe

Ozone tagged labelling schemes have been implemented in a global Lagrangian chemistry-transport model to identify the intercontinental origins of surface ozone in Europe. Stratosphere-troposphere exchange gave rise to between 3 and 5 ppb across Europe, whereas the mid-latitudes of the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Ocean region contributed 6-8 ppb. Surface ozone levels of 10-16 ppb were associated with the mid-latitudes of North America and the North Atlantic Ocean regions. Appreciable intercontinental ozone production occurred downwind of continental regions and above the surface layer. Intercontinental ozone formation and transport from tropical regions contributed about 4 ppb and was much less efficient compared with that from mid-latitudes. There were approaching 60 chemical processes driving intercontinental ozone formation, of which the HO2 + NO, CH3O2 + NO and CH3COO2 + NO reactions were the most important. Ozone production appeared to be driven by OH oxidation of secondary reaction products rather than the oxidation of primary emitted VOCs. The largest intercontinental ozone contributions amounted to about 20 ppb from North America to European baseline stations, 14 ppb from Asia to North American baseline stations and 10 ppb from Asia to European baseline stations. It is possible that changing intercontinental ozone production and transport could have led to seasonal ozone trends and shifts in seasonal cycles at northern hemisphere mid-latitude baseline ozone monitoring stations.