Spatiotemporal inhomogeneity in atmospheric trace-gas over Fukuoka, an urban area in Japan, observed by ground-based MAX-DOAS

Abstract:

Continuous trace-gas observations have been made using ground-based Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) at Fukuoka (33.55N, 130.36E), an urban area in Japan. The maximum of the NOx emissions at Fukuoka is estimated to be at the city center, and the monitoring site is located ~5 km southwest of the city center, outside of the central area.

To clarify the inhomogeneity as well as the transport/mixing processes of the polluted air in the urban area, continuous profile measurements have been conducted in two azimuth directions: towards and away from the city center. From NO2 observations, we sometimes observed spatial inhomogeneity associated with vertical/horizontal transport of high concentrations of NO2 from the city center, and horizontal transport of low concentrations from the ocean via a land-sea breeze. On the other hand, we observed spatial inhomogeneity in HONO and HCHO during summer, which was probably due to photochemical production over the city center.