Impacts of mesoscale phenomena on local air chemistry during the DISCOVER-AQ campaign

Millersville University's role in the DISCOVER-AQ research project provided the opportunity to observe local air chemistry trends in the Edgewood Maryland area, as well as in Smith Point Texas. Throughout projects, many interactions between pollutants and mesoscale weather systems were observed and recorded in fine detail, thanks to many high-resolution instruments in operation at the site. These included, but were not limited to: A tethered balloon system producing boundary layer atmospheric profiles of standard meteorological parameters as well as Ozone, Nitrogen Oxides, and Particulate Matter, surface trace gas analyzers measuring Ozone, Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide, and Carbon Monoxide, an Acoustic SODAR measuring boundary layer atmospheric parameters, and a 10Hz high resolution surface flux tower measuring fluxes of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other meteorological parameters. Used in tandem with local radar and surface data, this presentation will examine and attempt to draw a few conclusions about how and why certain events occurred. Sea and bay breeze circulations will be examined, with specific emphasis on a bay-breeze event in Edgewood on 14 July 2011 which passed over the lowest 200 meters of our site. Convective outflow events will also be examined, including Ozone re-distribution and concentration ramp up caused by an afternoon thunderstorm on 22 July 2011. Mesoscale circulations investigated at Smith Point Texas in September 2013 will be used to compare and contrast with the Edgewood events.