Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change
Open Access

Abstract

Tropospheric ozone concentrations have been rising over southern Africa and Adjacent Indian Ocean since the last three decades. A study undertaken at Irene (25°54S, 28°130E) by Diab et al., confirmed seasonal features tropospheric ozone maximum modulated by both tropical and mid latitude influences due to meteorological parameters. Measurements undertaken at this station under Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ) since 1998 have provided data useful to investigate change in meteorological conditions such as temperature, humidity as well as atmospheric pressure in order to determine long term trends on tropospheric ozone concentrations due to global warming. As tropospheric ozone is poorly documented over southern Africa, a few studies have been undertaken to understand the correlation between change in meteorological parameters and tropospheric ozone profiles variation. The objective of this paper is to first provide a comprehensive relationship between meteorological parameters and tropospheric ozone concentrations over Irene (South Africa) from 1998 to 2013 in order to predict possible change in the concentration of this greenhouse gas. Annual and seasonal analysis has shown changes in both temperature and humidity profiles. This is luckily to have an impact on radiative forcing over the region. Model simulation through temperature increase due to global warming predicts increase in humidity and lower tropospheric ozone concentration at high altitude and higher concentration in lower altitude.

Biography

Jean-Pierre Mulumba is completing his PhD degree at the School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu Natal, in South Africa, Durban. He has a Master degree in Environmental Science and has eight yearsâ?? experience in Air Quality Management and is actually a Consultant at Umoya-NILU Consulting, a South African based air quality consulting and Management Company in Durban. He has published 2 papers in hydropower energy when he was in the reputed University of Rwanda and University of Teheran. He is an author of more than 25 reports in various Air Quality Monitoring projects in South Africa and Africa (Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo) in Petrochemical and Mining industries.