Transport of tropospheric ozone and precursors to the Arctic: lessons from a multi-model evaluation using aircraft, satellite and surface data

Abstract : Changes in abundances of short-lived climate pollutants such as tropospheric ozone and aerosol may have contributed significantly to observed rapid Arctic warming in recent decades. Ozone in the Arctic troposphere is influenced by long-range transport of polluted air from Europe, Asia and N. America, and in summer from boreal wildfires. Our understanding of how different sources contribute to Arctic tropospheric ozone is limited, and is reliant on sparse observations and models of atmospheric transport and chemistry. In particular, our confidence in future high latitude tropospheric ozone response to projected changes in mid-latitude emissions, and subsequent climate impacts, is informed by the ability of models to accurately simulate poleward export from source regions, long-range transport to high latitudes, and photochemical transformation of ozone and its precursors during such events.