Meteorological conditions influencing ground-level ozone concentrations

The purpose of this research was to investigate meteorological parameters which are systematically associated with ground-level ozone concentrations; and to identify specific meteorological parameters that can be used to predict expected ozone concentrations. The meteorological parameters evaluated include wind speed, solar radiation, temperature and relative humidity. The investigation employed data from a monitoring station in Oak Ridge, Tennessee for the years 1988 and 1990, which were high and moderate ozone concentration years, respectively. The data used in the analysis included average hourly meteorological data and hourly 1-hour maximum ozone concentrations. Using this data various regression analyses were performed on a one-to-one basis for each meteorological parameter with respect to the hourly 1-hour maximum ozone concentrations. The results indicate that a linear regression model provided the best-fit relationship between meteorological conditions and ozone concentrations. The meteorological parameters showing the best correlation to the ozone concentrations were relative humidity and temperature, respectively. In all cases, the relative humidity provided the best prediction of the ozone concentration. The findings of this research indicate as relative humidity increases ozone concentrations decrease; as relative humidity decreases, ozone concentrations increase. As temperature increases ozone concentrations increase. The predictive models developed uses linear regression techniques as its basis. Two predictive equations were developed using the meteorological parameters of temperature and relative humidity. By using this method, it will be possible to determine ozone fluctuations as expected due to meteorological influences. This will be an effective tool to determine if ozone control strategies are effectively controlling ozone concentrations, or if the reductions/increases in ozone concentrations are the result of meteorological conditions.