Characteristics of Haze Days Variation of Beijing in Recent 33 Years and Its Causative Factors

Abstract

In this paper, the climatic statistical characteristics of annual number of haze days in Beijing and relationship between haze days and meteorological factors, underlying surface conditions and atmospheric aerosol are analyzed using the station observation data, land use data and remote sensing retrieval data. The results show that: haze days significantly rose from 1980 to 2012, the number of annual haze days of Beijing increased from 48 days in 1980s to 55days in 1990s, and then 73days in 2000s. From 1980 to 2012, the number of haze days presents a significant positive correlation with annual mean temperature and mean pressure, but presents a significant negative correlation with gale days, which shows that meteorological factors are important factors in haze days changing. From 1996 to 2008, the number of haze days presents a significant negative correlation with ecological land and agricultural land, but presents a significant positive correlation with construction land, residential settlements and industry and mining, traffic land, and build-up areas, which means that ecological land which is mainly covered by vegetation has an inhibitory effect on haze, while the increasing of construction land aggravates haze. From 2000 to 2012, the number of haze days presents a significant positive correlation with MODIS AOD, which shows that the increasing of air pollutant emissions promotes the formation of haze. KEYWORD: Haze days; Meteorological factors; Underlying surface conditions; Atmospheric aerosol; Correlation analysis