1. New insights into the Houston air quality problem
I. Introduction
II. History of Houston air quality
III. Ozone pollution impacts
IV. Basics of ozone chemistry
V. Results and lessons learned from TexAQS 2006
VI. Future Plans
Outline

2. “Good” ozone and “Bad” ozone
I. Introduction

3. II. History of Houston air quality
Historical Improvements (1 hr Ozone > 120 ppbv)
II. History of Houston air quality
Source: TCEQ, CARB

4. II. History of Houston air quality
Houston Ozone Trend
II. History of Houston air quality 1

5. III. Air pollution impacts
Air Pollution Facts
More than 31 percent of the U.S. population—92.5 million people—live in areas with unhealthful levels of ozone. Which places them at risk for decreased lung function, respiratory infection, lung inflammation and aggravation of respiratory illness.
III. Air pollution impacts

6. III. Ozone pollution impacts
Where is ozone a problem?
III. Ozone pollution impacts

7. III. Ozone pollution impacts
Where is ozone a problem?
III. Ozone pollution impacts

8. Some basic reactions Organic-C + O2 → CO2 + H2O + heat
H2O + CO2 → C6H12O6+ O2
Organic-C + O2 → CO2 + H2O + heat + NO + SO2
NO → HNO3
SO2 → H2SO4 → sulfate aerosol
NO + Organic-C + sunlight → O3
IV. Chemistry

9. New Site Added for 2006 TexAQS II
TexAQS-II Atmospheric Radical Measurement Project
(TRAMP)
UH Moody Tower
70 m a.g.l.
5 km SSE of downtown Houston
V. Results from TexAQS 2006 1

10. What was the 2006 photochemical environment?
V. Results from TexAQS 2006

11. What were the meteorological conditions?
V. Results from TexAQS 2006

12. What were the “background” conditions?
V. Results from TexAQS 2006

13. HCHO commonly 1-10 ppbv at Moody Tower
V. Results from TexAQS 2006

14. HONO commonly > 500 pptv at Moody Tower
V. Results from TexAQS 2006

16. Atmospheric Chemistry and Composition

17. Air Quality Modeling

18. Satellites and Air Quality Data

19. Satellites and Air Quality Data

20. Satellites and Air Quality Data

21. Satellites and Air Quality Data
Alaskan and Canadian forest fires exacerbate ozone pollution over Houston, Texas, on 19 and 20 July 2004” Morris, G., S. Hersey, A.M. Thompson, O.R. Cooper, A. Stohl, P.R. Colarco, W.W. McMillan, J. Warner, B.J. Johnson, J.C. Witte, T.L. Kucsera, D.E. Larko, and S.J. Oltmans, J. Geophys. Res., 111(D24S03), doi:101029/2006JD (2006).