Simultaneous presence of O3and CO bands in the troposphere

Abstract

Vertical profiles of CO and O₃ in the troposphere and lower stratosphere have been constructed during a series of flights conducted in July and August 1974 over the American continents between 53° S and 67° N. The mixing ratios of both gases show large fluctuations with altitude in the Northern Hemisphere. Most of the observed bands of O₃ in the free troposphere are coexistent with elevated CO concentrations indicating that this O₃ is probably not of stratospheric origin, but most likely produced in the troposphere. From the observations, it is not clear whether these high concentrations of ozone were produced in situ in the remote troposphere or had been transported out of a polluted boundary layer. Isentropic trajectory calculations likewise indicate that the air containing these elevated ozone and carbon monoxide concentrations had been situated in the troposphere for at least 72 h prior to being sampled. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1980.tb00972.x