Abstract:
Due to intense emissions, complex terrain, and unique meteorological conditions, the Sichuan Basin has experienced severe ozone (O
3) pollution in recent years. In this study, the Thiel-Sen estimator, random forest modeling, and meteorological normalization technique were used to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns and underlying mechanisms of regional surface O
3 concentrations using monitoring data and corresponding meteorological observations from May to September during 2019-2024. Spatially, the hourly and daily minimum O
3 concentrations were highest in southern Sichuan, followed by the Chengdu Plain and northeastern Sichuan. In contrast, maximum daily 8-hour average (MDA8) and daytime O
3 concentrations peaked in the Chengdu Plain, indicating stronger local photochemical production in this region. O
3 concentrations levels showed significant increasing trends from May to September during 2019-2024, with southern Sichuan experiencing the fastest annual growth (hourly O
3 concentrations was 3.3 μg/m
3, MDA8 O
3 concentrations was 3.6 μg/m
3). Diurnal variations consistently followed a unimodal peak-trough pattern across all subregions, with peak concentration growth rates significantly surpassing nighttime rates, highlighting enhanced photochemical efficiency as the dominant driver. Meteorological contributions (71.4%-80.0%) outweighed emission contributions (20.0%-28.6%) in influencing O
3 concentrations trends, with relative humidity, temperature, mixing layer height, and downward surface solar radiation identified as the key meteorological factors. After meteorological normalization, the annual growth rate of hourly O
3 concentrations (0.9-1.5 μg/m
3) was substantially lower than the observed rate (2.8-3.3 μg/m
3), underscoring the amplifying influence of meteorological conditions, particularly under post-2022 high-temperature and low-humidity conditions. These findings suggest that O
3 control strategies should prioritize mitigating pollution episodes that arise under such synergistic meteorological conditions.