Biomass Burning Influence on Tropospheric Ozone from Recent Field Studies (Invited Presentation)

Biomass burning is an important source of ozone precursors, nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to the lower atmosphere. Increasing trends in biomass burning emissions in North America are associated with enhanced ozone in U.S. cities, potentially compromising the ability to meet revised ozone standards. The NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory (CSL) has led several recent airborne and ground-based field studies that have sampled biomass burning plumes in both remote and urban areas. The 2022 California Fire Dynamics Experiment (CalFiDE) conducted airborne in-situ and remote sensing measurements in California and Oregon from the NOAA Twin Otter. The 2023 Atmospheric Emissions and Reactivity Observed from Megacities to Marine Areas (AEROMMA) campaign on the NASA DC-8 and the Coastal Urban Plume Dynamics Study (CUPiDS) on the NOAA Twin Otter observed long range smoke transported to U.S. urban areas and the associated impacts on ozone. The 2024 Utah Summer Ozone Study investigated causes for high ozone in the Salt Lake City region with the CSL Mobile Laboratory and NOAA Twin Otter. Results from these campaigns illustrate the emissions and photochemistry of biomass burning plumes and their interactions with urban emissions.