The Relationship between Anthropogenic Nitrogen Oxides and Ozone Trends in the Arctic Troposphere

Low solar insolation and low precipitation rates dramatically slow down the oxidation and removal of many anthropogenic pollutants in the Arctic, including hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. These processes give rise to a seasonal pollutant accumulation in the Arctic often referred to as “Arctic Haze”, with a maximum in the winter-spring period. There is some evidence that the wintertime accumulation of these constituents occurs not only in the Arctic but also in other remote Northern Hemispheric locations as well. Penkett and Brice [1986] suggest that a hemispheric buildup of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons contributes to the observed springtime maximum in ozone which is usually attributed to stratospheric exchange. Based on modeling studies, Isaksen et al. [1985] have found that the arctic reservoir of nitrogen oxides can play a significant role in ozone production in the spring.