The Perturbation of Ozone and Nitrogen Oxides Impacted by Blue Jet Considering the Molecular Diffusion

This study investigated the diffusion impact on the chemical perturbation of NO_x and O₃ caused by the streamer and leader parts of a blue jet in the low stratosphere (18–30 km), using the coupling of a detailed stratospheric chemistry model and a typical diffusion model. The study found that diffusion significantly impacted the evolution of chemical perturbations at both short-term and long-term time scales after the blue jet discharge, with changes in NO_x and O₃ concentrations observed at different altitudes (18–28 km). At 18 km, the concentrations of NO_x and N₂O that account for diffusion start to decrease after 1 s, whereas those without diffusion remain at their peak concentrations. Meanwhile, O₃ is slowly destroyed with less NO_x, rather than dropping to an unrealistic low value immediately after the discharge without diffusion. The perturbation caused by the blue jet discharge disappears within a few tens of seconds at 18 km when molecular diffusion is considered. At 30 km, the chemical perturbation from four point sources was observed through changes in NO₂ concentrations. However, the total concentration of NO₂ perturbed by the streamer part discharge at the given surface was negligible when considering diffusion. Overall, this study provided a useful model tool for a more accurate assessment of the chemical effects of individual blue jets.