Ille de France region ozone and nitrogen dioxide spatial patterns 14 July 2003 to 31 August 2003, Paris urban heat island in top centre.

These maps demonstrate very poor correlation between ozone and the presumed precurssor species nitrogen dioxide.  Also demonstrates the existence of the "Paris Ozone Hole", which is apparent on many of the maps from cooler days when ozone readings tend to be more moderate.  The hole is first obvious on the 16th of July following the warm day on the 15th and persists through 17th and 18th.  It is not apparent on the 19th which was a warmer high ozone day but reforms again on the 20th and is present througfh to the 31st of July. The Paris heat wave started on the 1st of August producing elevated ozone levels over broad areas of western Europe which tended to obliterate the ozone hole which is apparent on the map for the 14th, a cooler spell in the heat wave, then again on 18th, 20th and 21st. On the 25th the hole forms again and is present each day to the end of the map series on 31st August. It must be remembered that these maps are thumbnails of higher quality maps produced on the Airparif web site and have not been designed in any way to highlight the Paris Ozone Hole.  If  the data was interrogated more closely it may be possible to define the Paris Ozone Hole on more days.

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