Abstract
Abstract. North China Plain (NCP) is one of the most densely populated regions in China and has experienced enormous economic growth in the past decades. Its regional trace gas pollution has also become one of the top environmental concerns in China. Measurements of surface trace gases, including O3, NOx, SO2 and CO were carried out within the HaChi (Haze in China) project at Wuqing Meteorology Station, located between 2 mega-cities (Beijing and Tianjin) in the NCP, from 9 July 2009 to 21 January 2010. Detailed statistical analyses were made in order to provide information on the levels of the measured air pollutants and their characteristics. Gaseous air pollutant concentrations were also studied together with meteorological data and satellite data to help us better understand the causes of the observed variations in the trace gases during the field campaign. In comparison to measurements from other rural and background stations in the NCP, relatively high concentrations were detected in Wuqing, presumably due to regional mixing and transport of pollutants. Local meteorology had deterministic impacts on air pollution levels, which have to be accounted for when evaluating other effects on pollutant concentrations. Trace gas concentrations showed strong dependence on wind, providing information on regional pollution characteristics. O3 mixing ratio also showed clear dependencies on temperature and relative humidity.
Highlights
Economic reforms since 1978 have brought rapid developments for China
Carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) are all trace gases in the atmosphere and primary pollutants emitted from anthropogenic activities (Kato and Akimoto, 1994; Streets and Waldhoff, 2000)
The hours with 1-h averaged measurements exceeding the defined standard were defined as exceedance hours, when total daily exceedance hours reached over 3 h, the day was determined as a High Pollution Day (HPD) in respect to the exceeding trace gas
Summary
Economic reforms since 1978 have brought rapid developments for China. With them came increased emissions of air pollutants, environmental problems and health concerns, caused by industries, power plants, vehicles and other needs for combustion of fuel (Kan and Chen, 2004; Hao and Wang, 2005; Shao et al, 2006). A maximum 1-h O3 mixing ratio of 286 ppbv was reported in a mountainous area north of Beijing and attributed to a polluted plume from urban Beijing (Wang et al, 2006) Such pollution episodes are commonly caused by both the emissions of primary pollutants and the accompanied weather conditions. Vertical distribution of pollutants can be modified by local circulations (Chen et al, 2009) It becomes highly necessary for setting up air quality management strategies, to know the relationships between meteorological factors and trace gases concentrations. We set up an observation site at a suburban site in between Beijing and Tianjin, designed to acquire more information on regional transport of pollutants between the two mega-cities by analysing the relationship between meteorological parameters (i.e. wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, etc.) and local pollutant concentrations
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