Effects of biomass burning, lightning, and convection on O₃, CO, and NO_y over the tropical Pacific and Australia in August–October 1998 and 1999

In situ aircraft measurements of O 3 , CO, total reactive nitrogen (NO y ), NO, and non‐methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) were made over the western Pacific Ocean and Australia during the Biomass Burning and Lightning Experiment (BIBLE) A and B conducted in August–October 1998 and 1999. Generally, similar features were seen in the BIBLE A and B data in the latitudinal variations of these species in the troposphere from 35°N to 28°S at longitudes of 120°–150°E. The focus of this paper is to describe the characteristics of air masses sampled at 15°N–10°S (tropical Pacific) and 10°S–28°S (over Australia). With the exception of occasional enhancements in reactive nitrogen seen over New Guinea associated with lightning activities, the tropical Pacific region is distinguished from the rest of the region by smaller concentrations of these trace species. This can be explained in terms of the absence of surface sources over the ocean, lack of stratospheric intrusion, and the preclusion of midlatitude air and air from the west due to active convection throughout the troposphere. The median O 3 , CO, NO y , and NO mixing ratios in tropical air above 4 km were about 15–20 parts per billion by volume (ppbv), 60–75 ppbv, 20–100 parts per trillion by volume (pptv), and 5–40 pptv, respectively. Data obtained from PEM‐West A and B conducted in 1991 and 1994 showed similar latitudinal features, although the PEM‐West A values were somewhat elevated due to dominating westerly winds in the lower troposphere associated with El Niño. Over Australia, the levels of O 3 , CO, NO y , NO, and NMHCs were elevated throughout the troposphere over those observed in the tropical Pacific both in 1998 and 1999. The effect from biomass burning that occurred in northern Australia was limited to within the boundary layer because of strong subsidence in the period. Analyses based on 14‐day back trajectories identified free tropospheric air over Australia that originated from Indonesia, the Indian Ocean, Africa, and southern midlatitudes. The levels of O 3 , CO, NO y , and NMHCs in these air masses were much higher than those from the tropical Pacific due to their stronger sources from biomass burning and lightning. These values are compared with those obtained in the South Pacific during PEM‐Tropics A. Effects of biomass burning and lightning are discussed as possible sources of O 3 and its precursors in these air masses.