NEAQS General Information

Ozone and Fine Particles

Ozone and particles are formed in the atmosphere when pollutants mix and react in the presence of sunlight. These precursor compounds are emitted by a variety of sources, both natural (e.g. forests) and man-made (e.g. automobiles and power plants). Particles are also emitted directly by a number of sources (e.g. power plants and diesel trucks and buses).

Nitrogen Oxides (NO_x), Volatile Organic Carbons (VOCs) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂) from different sources mix and react in the atmosphere to form ozone (O₃) and fine particles.

The New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS)

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that the most persistent air pollutants (e.g., ground-level ozone and fine particles) are inherently a regional problem requiring a regional approach. Finding effective solutions is particularly difficult in the case of ozone and fine particles since both of these pollutants are formed by a complex series of chemical reactions that occur in the atmosphere and involve pollutants emitted from a variety of sources, often far away and hence involving transport from long distances.

Nowhere is the regional nature of this problem more evident than in New England. There are currently several counties in southern New England where ozone and/or particulate matter (PM) levels exceed the standard established by EPA to protect public health and welfare. The number of counties in the region that are expected to violate EPA's proposed new standards is considerably greater (see the adjacent figure). The bad air quality responsible for these violations can adversely impact the health of the region's citizens and the environment with serious consequences for the local economy.

Areas in New England that exceed current and proposed national air quality standards for ozone and/or fine particles (PM)
¹ A.S.L. & Associates, Helena, Montana, USA

The transport of polluted air within the Gulf of Maine plays an important role in shaping the air quality in coastal New England. The source of the polluted air is less clear. Re-circulation of pollution from urban areas within New England and long-range transport (e.g., from the Washington and New York corridor) both have to be considered. The conditions in the Gulf are also expected to play a role as the marine boundary layer is expected to act as a huge chemical reactor converting primary pollutants like nitrogen oxides and organics into more-toxic secondary pollutants like ozone and fine particles.

Polluted air from cities along the heavily-populated North East coast can be transported out over the Atlantic and into coastal New England.

NEAQS has been designed to provide a better understanding of:

1. The role of long-range transport in shaping the air quality of New England
   • What are the relative contributions of local and distant sources?
   • What source regions are most important?
   • What is the role of nighttime chemistry and transport?
   • How does transport and chemistry in the marine boundary layer alter the pollutant mix?
2. The role of biogenic emissions in local and regional New England air quality.
   • What are the relative contributions of man-made and natural (i.e., from forests) VOCs to ozone and fine particle formation and growth?
   • What role do natural VOCs play in nighttime chemistry?
3. The role of the sea-breeze/land-breeze (SBLB) circuit in influencing New England air quality.
   • When and where is the SBLB important?
   • What chemical processing of polluted air occurs in the coastal zone?
4. Capabilities of current air quality forecasting systems.
   • How well do current air quality forecast models predict ozone fields (operational evaluation)?
   • How well do these models reproduce the observed chemistry and meteorology (diagnostic evaluation)?
   • What improvements in model design or operation are needed to significantly improve forecast skill?
5. Linkages between air quality and climate.
   • Which synoptic patterns are associated with high pollution events in New England?
   • How much of the air pollution in the region is transported to the North Atlantic and the free troposphere?

NOAA's Atmospheric Research Campaign
Combining Climate Change and Air Quality Research

NOAA Research Earth System Research Laboratory Chemical Sciences Division
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