Observation of the transport of polluted air masses from the northeastern United States to Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, during the 1993 NARE summer intensive

Vertical profiles of ozone, temperature, pressure, and water vapor mass mixing ratio obtained using a parafoil kite platform during the North Atlantic Regional Experiment (NARE) 1993 summer intensive at Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, demonstrate the of use of kite platforms for the collection of vertically and temporally resolved data over a fixed location. During the period August 8-28, 1993, 39 profiles of the lower atmosphere were collected. Data collected as part of this field campaign illustrate the complex vertical stratification and temporal variability of pollutants transported into the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Transport phenomena resulted in pollution events in which ozone at the ground level remained in the 20-40 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) range, while mixing ratios of 90-130 ppbv were observed above similar to 300 m. Back trajectories indicate that these highly elevated levels of ozone are attributable to source regions in the heavily industrialized northeastern United States. Vertical stratification of the lower atmosphere was also present during transport of Canadian air to the sampling site, with layers of both elevated and diminished ozone observed, while marine air did not exhibit layering characteristic of air masses originating from continental source regions.