The ratio between nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide total emissions as precursors of tropospheric hydroxyl content evolution

The Main Geophysical Observatory 2D channel photochemical model is used to study the behavior of tropospheric OH within the 30–60°N zonal belt in relation to changing NOX and CO emissions. The changes of tropospheric OH as a function of the contributions by NOX and CO emissions during the period 1850–2050 are calculated. Our estimations show that the largest annual increment of total tropospheric OH within the belt considered occurs in the 1985–1995 period, about 0.27% yr−1. Based on scenarios of tropospheric pollution emissions in the first half of 21st century, the total tropospheric OH content will increase more slowly, by 0.12–0.15% yr−1. The maximum growth of OH concentration occurs close to air pollution locations—in the lower troposphere during 1850–1995 but in the upper troposphere in the 21st century when the NOX source from subsonic aircraft increases faster than the surface source.