A regional model for surface ozone in Southeast Asia

As part of the model intercomparison study MICS Asia II, the Swedish MATCH model was set up for Southeast and East Asia. In that study, the comprehensive photochemistry scheme of MATCH was used for the first time in Asia. The current work focuses on results of surface ozone from the MATCH model simulations falling outside the model intercomparison study. Model results of surface ozone concentrations for the entire year of 2001 were investigated and compared with measurements in Southeast Asia. The model produced higher surface ozone concentrations than the observations at all of the non-remote stations investigated but underestimated during the dry season at remote locations. Modelled seasonal variation was similar to, but less pronounced than, the variation in the measurements. This study indicates that NOx is the limiting precursor for ozone production in the model, while the fractionation in different species and total amount of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) emissions are less important. Naturally emitted NMVOC, isoprene, is an important precursor of surface ozone at certain conditions, and a better inventory of these emissions is needed. Deposition velocities of ozone also have impact on surface concentrations. To improve the model performance, it is important to add a land use inventory with corresponding deposition velocities.