Impact of Lightning‐Induced Nitrogen Oxides Over and Around the Tibetan Plateau on the Tibetan Plateau Ozone Valley

Abstract Lightning‐induced nitrogen oxides (LNO x ) can affect ozone (O 3 ) through photochemical processes. However, the impact of LNO x on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) O 3 valley, an area with a lower O 3 column compared to surrounding areas, remains controversial. Prior to this study, the impact of monsoonal transport on LNO x and related effects on the TP O 3 valley has been overlooked. The objectives of this study are to differentiate between locally generated LNO x and monsoon‐transported LNO x over the TP and to evaluate their impacts on tropospheric NO x vertical column density, tropospheric column O 3 , and O 3 at different altitudes. The Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry model was used to replicate LNO x , NO x , and O 3 over the TP during July 2010, for which nesting techniques and sensitivity experiments were implemented. The findings emphasize the importance of LNO x as a source of NO x in this region, with nonlocal lightning activity being the primary source. Conversely, the influence of locally generated LNO x on NO x levels over the TP is comparatively minor. Overall, LNO x contributes to an increase in O 3 over the TP, but one order lower than the O 3 depletion. The impact of LNO x on O 3 varies across different altitude ranges; it is broadly “C” shaped, reflecting increase in O 3 at near‐surface and in upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS) regions and decrease in the middle troposphere. The increase in surface‐level O 3 over the TP is mainly caused by monsoon‐transported LNO x , while locally generated LNO x also plays a crucial role in O 3 formation in the UTLS region.