Influence of Lightning NOx on Upper Tropospheric Ozone Concentration

Lightning is a particularly significant NOx source (LNOx) in the middle and upper troposphere where NOx is long-lived, typically at more dilute concentrations, and consequently more efficient at producing ozone than in the boundary layer where the majority of NOx is emitted.

Currently, the CMAQ model does not count for NOx emission from lightning. However, it's important to quantify the effect of LNOx on tropospheric ozone concentration in order to make our model simulation more realistic, particularly in regions/periods with frequent lightning events. In this study, we will apply the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) lightning data as an extra NOx emission sources to the CMAQ model, and then to quantify the contributions of LNOx to tropospheric ozone. These quantitative values will be useful for parameterization in future modeling studies.