A temperature indicator for heavy air pollution risks (TIP)

Abstract

This study presents a temperature indicator for heavy air pollution risks (TIP). This TIP indicator is a temperature threshold, at which the concentrations of air pollutants and air pollution indices easily reach their maxima. A connotation discussion ascertains that TIP is intrinsically associated with the atmospheric structure and static stability in the planetary boundary layer, especially during stagnant weather and moderately cold temperatures. Thus, TIP offers a simple measure of meteorological conditions that reflect the boundary layer static characteristics. It therefore provides a simple measure of air pollution potential, and can be used to quantify the potential air pollution severity for a given pollution emission level. From the data collected in China, TIP increases gradually from north to south and decreases slightly from east to west, which essentially indicates a function of latitude and altitude. A simple regressive function is built for TIP, and the resulting TIP index further confirms that it is indicative of the potential heavy air pollution events across the country. Being an easy-to-obtain and simple-to-use meteorological parameter, TIP can be used for air pollution potential assessment and prediction, as well as pollution prevention and control applications.