WNA-FLEXPART-BackTraj-2001: Backward Air Mass Trajectories for Ozone Source Analysis

FLEXPART model simulations provide 15-day backward trajectories from receptor points over Western North America at hourly, 1° x 1° resolution from the surface to 20 km altitude. This 2001 dataset supports source-contribution analysis for tropospheric ozone observations gathered from ozonesondes, lidar, and aircraft campaigns. The high-resolution Lagrangian particle dispersion modeling framework can also be applied to other co-located atmospheric components.

Use Cases

• Identifying source regions contributing to high ozone events in Western North America based on backward trajectory calculations.
• Analyzing seasonal or decadal changes in atmospheric transport patterns affecting ozone observations.
• Studying vertical transport mechanisms by examining source contributions from different atmospheric layers up to 20 km.
• Supporting source contribution analyses for other atmospheric species if co-located with the defined ozone receptor grid.

Strengths

• Provides high-resolution global simulations with hourly temporal and 1° x 1° spatial resolution.
• Covers a vertical range from the surface to 20 km above ground level, enabling layered atmospheric analysis.
• Generated using the established FLEXPART dispersion model driven by ERA5 reanalysis data.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: column names, dataset size, and row counts are unspecified across all sources.
• Conflicting last-updated dates exist between platforms (2001-12-31 vs. 2026-04-09), creating uncertainty about data currency.
• The dataset is specific to the year 2001 and a defined set of ozone observation receptors, limiting temporal and spatial generality.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Generated using the FLEXible PARTicle (FLEXPART) Lagrangian particle dispersion model, driven by ERA5 reanalysis meteorological data.

Time Range

2001

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:36:04.226281

Geography

Western North America (receptor points), with global backward trajectory simulations.