Quantifying Temperature‐Driven Surface Ozone Formation: Insights From Field Observations

Abstract

Tropospheric ozone (O 3 ) pollution has emerged as an increasingly prominent environmental challenge, especially in the context of global warming. This study quantitatively assessed key factors influencing O 3 formation using field observations in cities spanning from northern to southern China and eastern China (Beijing, Haikou, and Suzhou) combined with an interpretable XGBoost‐SHAP model. Model performance was validated across space and time. Temperature explained 33.6% of the total model‐attributed importance for O 3 in Beijing, with effects varying by pollution scenario: highest under co‐pollution (83.3 ± 39.9 μg m −3 , 56%), followed by O 3 pollution (51.9 ± 30.6 μg m −3 , 49%), and PM 2.5 pollution (21.3 ± 11.3 μg m −3 , 25%). A 1°C rise increased O 3 by 6.1 ± 3.0 μg m −3 in Beijing, with lower sensitivities observed in Suzhou and Haikou, consistent with their distinct precursor availability and chemical regimes. During heatwaves (≥35°C), O 3 concentrations were 2.3 times higher than at normal temperatures (≤30°C). These results provide scenario‐specific, quantitative insights into temperature‐driven O 3 formation across contrasting pollution regimes and climatic zones, with implications for climate‐informed air quality management strategies.