Transpacific Transport of Ozone Pollution and the Effect of Recent Asian Emission Increases on Air Quality in North America: An Integrated Analysis Using Satellite, Aircraft, Ozonesonde, and Surface Observations

We use an ensemble of aircraft, satellite, sonde, and surface observations for April–May 2006 (NASA/INTEX-B aircraft campaign) to better understand the mechanisms for transpacific ozone pollution and its implications for North American air quality. The observations are interpreted with a global 3-D chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem). OMI NO2 satellite observations constrain Asian anthropogenic NOx emissions and indicate a factor of 2 increase from 2000 to 2006 in China. Satellite observations of CO from AIRS and TES indicate two major events of Asian transpacific pollution during INTEX-B. Correlation between TES CO and ozone observations shows evidence for transpacific ozone pollution. The semi-permanent Pacific High and Aleutian Low cause splitting of transpacific pollution plumes over the Northeast Pacific. The northern branch circulates around the Aleutian Low and has little impact on North America. The southern branch circulates around the Pacific High and some of that air impacts western North America. Both aircraft measurements and model results show sustained ozone production driven by peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN) decomposition in the southern branch, roughly doubling the transpacific influence from ozone produced in the Asian boundary layer. Model simulation of ozone observations at Mt. Bachelor Observatory in Oregon (2.7 km altitude) indicates a mean Asian ozone pollution contribution of 9±3 ppbv to the mean observed concentration of 54 ppbv, reflecting mostly an enhancement in background ozone rather than episodic Asian plumes. Asian pollution enhanced surface ozone concentrations by 5–7 ppbv over western North America in spring 2006. The 2000–2006 rise in Asian anthropogenic emissions increased this influence by 1–2 ppbv.Earth and Planetary SciencesEngineering and Applied Science

Predictors of Enrollees\u27 Satisfaction with a County-Sponsored Indigent Health Care Plan

This article summarizes the findings from a study examining the predictors of satisfaction among individuals enrolled in a county-sponsored indigent health care plan. Mail survey procedures were used to obtain information from enrollees regarding their satisfaction with the health care plan, as well as enrollees\u27 demo-graphics, health care status, and trust in their providers. Results of a stepwise regression model developed using a random half of the respondents revealed enrollees\u27 trust in health care providers was the strongest predictor of general satisfaction, followed by perception of change in health status, and age. The model explained 49% of the variance and demonstrated little shrinkage when cross-validated on the remaining half of the respondents. Trust in health care providers, followed by perception of change in health status also emerged as the strongest predictors of enrollees\u27 satisfaction with freedom of choice

BrO and inferred Bry profiles over the western Pacific: Relevance of inorganic bromine sources and a Bry minimum in the aged tropical tropopause layer

We report measurements of bromine monoxide (BrO) and use an observationally constrained chemical box model to infer total gas-phase inorganic bromine (Br) over the tropical western Pacific Ocean (tWPO) during the CONTRAST field campaign (January-February 2014). The observed BrO and inferred Br profiles peak in the marine boundary layer (MBL), suggesting the need for a bromine source from sea-salt aerosol (SSA), in addition to organic bromine (CBr). Both profiles are found to be C-shaped with local maxima in the upper free troposphere (FT). The median tropospheric BrO vertical column density (VCD) was measured as 1.6×1013 molec cm-2, compared to model predictions of 0.9×1013 molec cm-2 in GEOS-Chem (CBr but no SSA source), 0.4×1013 molec cm-2 in CAM-Chem (CBr and SSA), and 2.1×1013 molec cm-2 in GEOS-Chem (CBr and SSA). Neither global model fully captures the C-shape of the Br profile. A local Br maximum of 3.6 ppt (2.9-4.4 ppt; 95 % confidence interval, CI) is inferred between 9.5 and 13.5 km in air masses influenced by recent convective outflow. Unlike BrO, which increases from the convective tropical tropopause layer (TTL) to the aged TTL, gas-phase Br decreases from the convective TTL to the aged TTL. Analysis of gas-phase Br against multiple tracers (CFC-11, H2O-O3 ratio, and potential temperature) reveals a Br minimum of 2.7 ppt (2.3-3.1 ppt; 95 % CI) in the aged TTL, which agrees closely with a stratospheric injection of 2.6 ± 0.6 ppt of inorganic Br (estimated from CFC-11 correlations), and is remarkably insensitive to assumptions about heterogeneous chemistry. Br increases to 6.3 ppt (5.6-7.0 ppt; 95 % CI) in the stratospheric >middleworld> and 6.9 ppt (6.5-7.3 ppt; 95 % CI) in the stratospheric >overworld>. The local Br minimum in the aged TTL is qualitatively (but not quantitatively) captured by CAM-Chem, and suggests a more complex partitioning of gas-phase and aerosol Br species than previously recognized. Our data provide corroborating evidence that inorganic bromine sources (e.g., SSA-derived gas-phase Br) are needed to explain the gas-phase Br budget in the upper free troposphere and TTL. They are also consistent with observations of significant bromide in Upper Troposphere-Lower Stratosphere aerosols. The total Br budget in the TTL is currently not closed, because of the lack of concurrent quantitative measurements of gas-phase Br species (i.e., BrO, HOBr, HBr, etc.) and aerosol bromide. Such simultaneous measurements are needed to (1) quantify SSA-derived Br in the upper FT, (2) test Br partitioning, and possibly explain the gas-phase Br minimum in the aged TTL, (3) constrain heterogeneous reaction rates of bromine, and (4) account for all of the sources of Br to the lower stratosphere.Peer Reviewe