Wildfires increase ozone content in South Africa

Statistical analysis indicates that ozone content correlates most with carbon monoxide content, temperature, and relative humidity in South Africa.

Photo: Scott Webb / Pexels.

The observations of the linkage between ozone and carbon monoxide reinforce the image of wildfires and other incomplete combustion as a major source of ozone in the area.

Further information:

Senior scientist Ville Vakkari, Finnish Meteorological Institute, tel. 050 4076133, ville.vakkari@fmi.fi Laban, T. L., Van Zyl, P. G., Beukes, J. P., Mikkonen, S., Santana, L., Josipovic, M., Vakkari, V., Thompson, A. M., Kulmala, M. and Laakso, L.: Statistical analysis of factors driving surface ozone variability over continental South Africa, J. Integr. Environ. Sci., 1–28, doi:10.1080/1943815X.2020.1768550, 2020. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1943815X.2020.1768550

Science newsOzoneSouth AfricaAir quality