Simulations of a High Ozone Episode and Heatwave Day Using a Coupled Multi‐Layer Urban Canopy and Chemistry Model
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Coastal cities face critical challenges in managing ozone pollution because of high population density and complex interactions between urbanization and coastal meteorology. Using New York City (NYC) as a case study, this work examines how urban surfaces influence heatwaves, sea‐breeze circulations, and boundary‐layer dynamics, and how these processes shape nitrogen dioxide () distributions and ozone formation. Observations from the 2018 Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS), collected with an airborne high‐resolution ultraviolet–visible spectrometer, provide tropospheric column densities for evaluating the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF‐Chem) in multiple urban canopy configurations. Results show that the early‐morning urban heat island effect accelerated sea‐breeze initiation, concentrating over the city. Building‐induced drag reduced wind speeds, altered advection patterns, and prolonged precursor residence times, enhancing photochemistry. These processes elevated ozone both within NYC and downwind. The findings demonstrate how the interplay of urban heat islands, building drag, and coastal circulations governs ozone pollution in coastal cities, providing a framework for improving air‐quality modeling and mitigation strategies.
DOI: 10.1029/2025jd045552
Institutions: City College of New York, University of California, Berkeley, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory, San Jose State University, Langley Research Center, University at Albany, State University of New York
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,070
Awards: G3827801342, G7818452392
OpenAlex ID: W7151511325