Wind Convolution and Ozone Distribution over Nigeria

摘要

The effect of zonal and meridional wind on surface ozone variability in Nigeria in the four quarter of the year wasudexplored using data from Atmospheric Infrared sounder (AIRS) of NASA. Namely, December, January, Februaryud(DJF); March, April, May (MAM); June, July, August (JJA) and September, October, November (SON). The studyudrevealed that both the day and night time surface ozone distribution in DJF season recorded a significantudcorrelation of 0.7 with the zonal wind flow pattern, and a less significant correlation of 0.36 with the meridionaludwind flow pattern. Average maximum ozone concentration of 281.4DU southward and 260.3DU northward wereudobserved in DJF. In JJA, the meridional wind pattern recorded strong west to east flow which was non-parallel toudthe latitudinal lines. It had a significant negative-correlation of – 0.56 with the ozone distribution for that season.Also the JJA zonal wind flow unlike that of DJF, recorded significant west to east flow resulting in partialudatmospheric blocking which constrained the maximum ozone concentration westward with an average of 307DUudretained within longitudes 2oE - 6oE in western Nigeria, for all the seven years studied. This was contrary to theuddirection of the prevailing meridional flow for the season which was predominantly eastward.