Influence of increased isoprene emissions on regional ozone modeling

The role of biogenic hydrocarbons on ozone modeling has been a controversial issue since the 1970s. In recent years, changes in biogenic emission algorithms have resulted in large increases in estimated isoprene emissions. This paper describes a recent algorithm, the second generation of the Biogenic Emissions Inventory System (BEIS2). A sensitivity analysis is performed with the Regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) to examine how increased isoprene emissions generated with BEIS2 can influence the modeling of elevated ozone concentrations and the response of ozone to changes to volatile organic compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions across much of eastern North America. Increased isoprene emissions are found to produce a predicted shift in elevated ozone concentrations from VOC sensitivity to NOx sensitivity over many areas of eastern North America. Isoprene concentrations measured near Scotia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1988 are compared with RADM estimates of isoprene and provide support for the veracity of the higher isoprene emissions in BEIS2, which are about a factor of 5 higher than BEIS1 during warm, sunny conditions.