Project by Nicole Ngo:
In the planetary boundary layer (PBL) (loosely defined as the layer < 1 km above the surface), pollutants travel smaller distances and have shorter residence times relative to those in the upper troposphere. As a result, understanding the processes by which pollutants can be transported to the upper troposphere is critical. One way this can occur is by deep convective cloud systems. In this study, we observe how deep convection influences the distribution of an insoluble or less soluble chemical species, like carbon monoxide (CO), O3, and NOx, within the troposphere. This is done by using a Lagrangian approach that traces particles along a simulated time-evolving, three-dimensional wind field associated with a deep convection system.