Influence of Air Mass Transport Directions on the Seasonal Variations of Concentrations of Minor Gas Atmospheric Components in Europe

A. M. Zvyagintsev, G. Kakadzhanova, and O. A. Tarasova

The integrated assessment of the influence of air mass transport directions on the average long-term seasonal variations of concentrations of minor gas components (MGC: ozone, CO, NO2) of the atmosphere is carried out according to the data of a number of European stations. Distributions of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide concentrations according to transport directions are similar to each other and differ considerably from the distribution of ozone concentrations. It is demonstrated that the relationships of levels of spring and summer ozone concentrations maxima differ considerably at all examined stations in different regions of Europe depending on different transport directions: the summer maximum is stronger pronounced according to the data for the southern and eastern directions than according to the data for the northern and western directions. The change of air transport directions may account for from 10% (Moscow region) to 30–40% (the northwest of continental Europe and Ireland) variations of MGC concentration. The obtained results point out the perspective of their use in statistical models of the forecast of MGC concentrations.