Dominant Patterns of Summer Ozone Pollution in Eastern China and Associated Atmospheric Circulations

Surface ozone, a man-made air pollutant, has been severe during summers in the eastern parts of China, damaging human’s health and flora and fauna. During 2015–2018, ground-level ozone pollution increased year by year and intensified from south to north. In North China and Huanghuai region, the O3 concentrations were highest. Two dominant patterns of summer ozone pollution were determined, i.e., a south-north covariant pattern and a south-north differential pattern. The anomalous atmospheric circulations composited for the first pattern manifested as a zonally enhanced East Asia deep trough and as a west Pacific subtropical high whose western ridge point shifted northward. The local hot, dry air and intense solar radiation enhanced the photochemical reactions to elevate the O3 pollution levels in North China and Huanghuai region. For the second pattern, the broad positive geopotential height anomalies at high latitudes significantly weakened cold air activity, and those extending to North China resulted in locally high temperature near the surface. In a different manner, the west Pacific subtropical high transported sufficient water vapor to the Yangtze River Delta and resulted in locally adverse environment for the formation of surface ozone. Furthermore, the implications for the interannual differences in summer O3 pollution have also proven to be meaningful.