A simple linear model for estimating ozone AOT40 at forest sites from raw passive sampling data

A rapid, empirical method is described for estimating weekly AOT40 from ozone concentrations measured with passive samplers at forest sites. The method is based on linear regression and was developed after three years of measurements in Trentino (northern Italy). It was tested against an independent set of data from passive sampler sites across Italy. It provides good weekly estimates compared with those measured by conventional monitors (0.85 <= R-2 <= 0.970; 97 <= RMSE <= 302). Estimates obtained using passive sampling at forest sites are comparable to those obtained by another estimation method based on modelling hourly concentrations (R-2 = 0.94; 131 <= RMSE <= 351). Regression coefficients of passive sampling are similar to those obtained with conventional monitors at forest sites. Testing against an independent dataset generated by passive sampling provided similar results (0.86 <= R-2 <= 0.99; 65 <= RMSE <= 478). Errors tend to accumulate when weekly AOT40 estimates are summed to obtain the total AOT40 over the May-July period, and the median deviation between the two estimation methods based on passive sampling is 11%. The method proposed does not require any assumptions, complex calculation or modelling technique, and can be useful when other estimation methods are not feasible, either in principle or in practice. However, the method is not useful when estimates of hourly concentrations are of interest.