Climate Models Show Bermuda High can Impact Surface Ozone Levels
Grantee Research Project Results
STAR grantees in Maryland are studying climate models to see how global climate affects US air quality. They have found that changes in the “Bermuda High” can vary ozone levels across some regions in the US.
The Bermuda High is an area of high pressure found over the Atlantic Ocean. It can affect regional climate and air quality in the eastern US. It can shift its position over time and has caused regional changes in rainfall, surface air temperature and ozone levels.
A paper in the February 2012 issue of the Journal of Climate shows that the Bermuda High can affect the Great Plains low-level jet (LLJ) which causes less rainfall in the Midwest and Gulf States. It also causes higher ozone levels over most of the east coast. Researchers found that regional climate models can show the Bermuda high impacts.
For more information on this project, visit: Impacts of Global Climate and Emissions Changes on U.S. Air Quality (Ozone, Particulate Matter, Mercury) and Projection Uncertainty
For more information on this publication, visit: Impacts of the Bermuda High on Regional Climate and Ozone over the United States
For more information about EPA STAR grants, visit: Extramural Research: STAR Grants, P3, Fellowships, & SBIR Programs