Formation and Transport of Aerosols in Tokyo in Relation to Their Physical and Chemical Properties: A Review

Abstract

Large amounts of reactive gases and aerosols are emitted from urban areas. Megacities, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Area (TMA), are very large, concentrated sources of these species affecting local, regional, and global ozone (O₃) and aerosol levels. Emissions strongly influence air quality and climate on these scales. In 2003-2004, we made intensive measurements of O₃ and chemical composition of aerosol particles with diameters less than 1 µm (PM₁ aerosol) together with their precursors for the first time in Tokyo, Japan, as a part of the series of Integrated Measurement Program for Aerosol and Oxidant Chemistry in Tokyo (IMPACT) campaigns. Using these data, we investigated the formation and transport processes of O₃ and PM₁ aerosols through the analysis of their temporal variations near the urban center of Tokyo and regions downwind. Key findings obtained in these studies are reviewed in this paper.