MEETING OF THE OZONE RESEARCH MANAGERS OF PARTIES TO VIENNA CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF OZONE LAYERSTenth MeetingWMO, Geneva, Switzerland 28-30 March 2017

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA

(Submitted by Malaysia)

Abstract:

This document provides a status report on the establishment of ozone monitoring network and research collaboration in Malaysia.

ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

Status Report on the Ozone Monitoring Network and Research Collaboration in Malaysia

Submitted by Malaysia

The ozone monitoring activities in Malaysia has started since October 1992, after

realizing the importance of developing countries in the tropics to play a more

prominent role in the global initiative to achieve a better understanding of the

significant atmospheric changes and their effects on the ecosystem and life on earth

that links to the ozone depletion.

It started with the country’s involvement in the WMO GO3OS with the launching and

establishment of Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) ozone

monitoring programme that includes surface ozone, vertical ozone distribution as

well as total column ozone monitoring. The ozone monitoring and analysis has been

providing important information with regards to the trend of ozone composition in the

atmosphere which is beneficial to the policy makers who are dealing with

environmental issues.

The activities for the establishment of ozone monitoring network and research

collaboration in Malaysia comprise the following components:

Enhancement of Monitoring System

Data Collection and Information Dissemination

Research Activities and Data Analysis

Capacity Building

Local and International Collaboration

Future Direction

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ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

(1) Enhancement of Monitoring System

To strengthen the monitoring capability of ozone in Malaysia, several efforts has

been undertaken in which MetMalaysia has established the ozone monitoring

activities in the western and central part of Peninsular and also in the eastern part of

Sabah. The locations of these sites are as shown below:

Figure 1: The Ozone Monitoring Programme in MetMalaysia

The locality of the monitoring sites represent the stations in the equatorial tropical

region (Figure 1), where in general, the climate is influenced by drier period during

the Southwest Monsoon (summer monsoon) and wetter period during Northeast

Monsoon (winter Monsoon).

The surface ozone monitoring in Cameron Highlands GAW Regional station has

started since 1997 using the Thermo Environmental Instrument Model 49C Ozone

Analyzer, while in Danum Valley GAW Global Station, the monitoring using Thermo

ScientificTM Model 49i Ozone Analyzer has been established since 2007. For this

report, only the surface ozone analysis from Cameron Highlands is discussed.

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ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

The total amount of ozone in a vertical column from the surface to the edge of the

atmosphere (total column) is observed using the Brewer Spectrophotometer MKII in

Petaling Jaya GAW Regional Station since 1992. In addition, daily ultraviolet (UV)

radiation is also measured using the same spectrophotometer as mentioned above.

Finally, the vertical ozone profile is recorded by releasing ECC type ozonesondes

(Vaisala, Modem, Chang Feng and GRAW) twice a month in Petaling Jaya (1992 -

1997) and Sepang Meteorological Station (from 1998 onwards). For this report, only

the vertical ozone profile from Sepang station is discussed.

Besides MetMalaysia, surface ozone monitoring network is also established under

the Department of Environment Malaysia since 1995, focusing mainly in the

residential urban areas. This monitoring is part of its Continuous Air Quality

Monitoring (CAQM) network all over the country.

(2) Data Collection and Information Dissemination

Malaysia has established a linkage through the Southern Hemisphere ADditional

OZonesonde (SHADOZ) network and World Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Data

Centre (WOUDC) for disseminating, receiving and accessing ozone data from the

global network. As part of the international obligation, the surface ozone, total

column ozone (TCO) and vertical ozone profile data are submitted to the respective

data centre on scheduled basis.

The TCO and UV radiation data are submitted once a month, while the surface

ozone and vertical ozone profile are reported annually to WOUDC and SHADOZ

network data centre respectively. Information of the current hourly solar UV index is

posted on the MetMalaysia website and updated daily, whilst vertical ozone profile

data is made available after every launch on SHADOZ website for scientific and

research community.

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ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

By participating in this international network, MetMalaysia and other relevant

research agencies in Malaysia will get access to these data centre for their research

project and collaboration work concerning ozone matters.

(3) Research Activities and Data Analysis

A study was conducted to investigate the surface ozone distribution from 1995-2015

in Cameron Highlands which represents the baseline reading in the central part of

Peninsula Malaysia. In general, the analysis shows that while there are no significant

changes of the surface ozone trend over the 20 year period, it is also observed that

the highest surface ozone concentration occurred during strong El Niño events, while

during weak El Niño, La Niña and neutral phases, the values fluctuate within the

monthly average range (Figure 2). Studies were also conducted by a group of

researchers from The National University of Malaysia which focused on the ozone

distribution in the Klang Valley region (1997-2011). The result shows that many

industrial areas in Klang Valley recorded high level of ozone concentration,

exceeding the Malaysia Ambient Air Quality Standard of 100 ppbv (Latif et al., 2012).

A study on TCO data from 1995-May 2016 for Petaling Jaya was also conducted.

The analysis shows that in general, the TCO fluctuated in irregular cycle except

during strong El Niño (1997 and 2015) where the changing patterns corresponded to

the strength of El Niño (Figure 3). The study also shows that over the 20 years

period, the TCO trend is slightly decreasing over the area. The study also concludes

that TCO values increased during dry period (Southwest Monsoon) and decreased

during wet period (Northeast Monsoon), significantly. During both periods of inter-

monsoon, the TCO values were consistent.

The analysis for the vertical ozone profile was conducted using 18 years of

observation data (1998-2015). In total there were 396 profiles collected with the

average of 22 launches per year and the analysis focused on the significant effect of

El Niño and La Niña to the profile recorded. The results show that the maximum

stratospheric ozone in Sepang is ranged between 8.5-9.0 ppmv at the altitude of

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ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

between 29-31 km (Figure 4). It is also important to note that the ozone

concentration at the stratospheric layer is not so much influenced by the El Niño/La

Niña events.

Results from Observation and Analysis

Surface Ozone

Figure 2 The monthly average of surface ozone and Ocean Niño Index (ONI) in Cameron Highlands and Mauna Loa (1995-2015).

Total Column Ozone

Figure 3 The monthly average of TCO and ONI in Petaling Jaya (1995-2016).

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ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

Ozone Vertical Profile Measurement

Figure 4 Vertical ozone profiles during strong El Niño (Feb. 2015-June 2016), moderate La Niña (June 1998-Apr. 2001) and two neutral periods (Apr. 2001-May 2002 & Apr. 2012-Dec. 2014).

There were several studies done by the Malaysian group of researchers, among

those are;

i. Seasonal and Long Term Variation of Surface Ozone Concentration in

Malaysia Borneo (Latif et al., 2012);

ii. Variation of Surface Ozone Concentration Across the Klang Valley,

Malaysia (Latif et al., 2016);

iii. The ozone Monitoring activities and its trend analysis in Malaysia during El

Nino and La Nina phenomena (Maznorizan et al., 2016);

iv. The Influence of Meteorological Factors and Biomass Burning on Surface

Ozone Concentrations at Tanah Rata, Malaysia (Toh et al., 2013).

(4) Capacity Building

The enhancement of the ozone monitoring network and research activities in

Malaysia also emphasize on the human resource development and capacity

building. Three MetMalaysia officers are currently pursuing their doctoral degree in

studies related to air quality modeling and climate research. Training activities in

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ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

atmospheric chemistry including ozone is ongoing. Experts and scientists from

international environmental agencies are invited to MetMalaysia to conduct training

courses to MetMalaysia personnel. Besides that, some of MetMalaysia officers went

for oversea technical training and workshop such as GAWTECH in Germany, WMO

GAW Brewer Operator Course and Asia-Pacific GAW Workshop on Greenhouse

Gases in Republic of Korea as well as participated in ozone related training courses

and workshops within the country.

(5) Local and International Collaborations

MetMalaysia has embarked in several collaboration and cooperation with national

and international research institutes and universities such as the following:-

i. Collaboration with National Institute of Environmental Studies, Japan to

measure greenhouse gases and reactive gases using the flask sampling

method;

ii. Contribution of monitoring data to international data centres such as WDCGG

for the GHGs, WOUDC for UV and ozone;

iii. Participation in SHADOZ network since 1998 and contributing vertical ozone

profiles data annually to the network. SHADOZ is submitting the data to

WOUDC on behalf of MetMalaysia;

iv. Collaboration with The National University of Malaysia in research activities

for greenhouse gases, ozone and reactive gases;

v. Collaboration with the University of Malaya to establish a Regional GAW

station in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia as part of the ongoing and

future atmospheric research activities.

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ESTABLISHMENT OF OZONE MONITORING NETWORK AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN MALAYSIA 10th Meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

28 – 30 March 2017

(6) Future Direction

With the establishment of the GAW Global station in Danum Valley, MetMalaysia will

able to provide good infrastructure for research activities focusing on the

environment, climate, atmospheric composition as well as ozone research. As such,

MetMalaysia welcomes any institution to participate and collaborate together in

extensive research works and subsequently produce research findings that will be

beneficial to the country and the region.

MetMalaysia is also looking forward for future cooperation with other international

research agencies especially in establishing partnership in areas such as data

sharing, technical visit and subsequently establish a good partner in research project

to investigate and understand the critical tropical processes and environmental

issues that affect both countries as well as global atmosphere.

Since the government of Malaysia has acknowledged the importance of ozone

monitoring activities, MetMalaysia is given enough allocation to acquire six units of

total column ozone monitoring instrument this year. With the installation of Brewer

Spectrophotometer MKIII by early next year (Figure 5), Malaysia will be able to

monitor near real time total column ozone as well as other parameters such as total

column SO2, UV radiation and AOD.

8Figure 5 The new Brewer Spectrophotometer MKIII network in

Malaysia.