Summertime Ozone Production at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico: Influence of Oil and Natural Gas Development

A significant rise in summertime ozone (O₃) levels at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, exceeding 70 ppbv, is linked to the rapid expansion of oil and natural gas (O&G) development in southeastern New Mexico. The study reveals that O₃ production is highly responsive to reductions in both nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and O&G-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with NOₓ reductions proving most effective. Using a constrained F0AM box model, researchers analyzed VOC reactivity and radical budgets, demonstrating that morning O₃ levels are primarily controlled by local photochemistry, while afternoon levels become sensitive to NOₓ loss. A high-O₃ episode was found to be influenced by aged O&G emissions, as indicated by back-trajectory analysis and low i-/n-pentane ratios, suggesting significant nonlocal O₃ formation.

Marsavin, A., Pan, D., Pollack, I. B., Zhou, Y., Sullivan, A. P., Naimie, L. E., Benedict, K. B., Juncosa Calahoranno, J. F., Fischer, E. V., Prenni, A. J., Schichtel, B. A., Sive, B. C., & Collett, J. L. (2024). Summertime Ozone Production at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico: Influence of Oil and Natural Gas Development. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 129(14). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024jd040877