Diurnal Variation of PM2.5 Mass Concentration in Beijing and Influence of Meteorological Factors Based on Long Term Date

Abstract

Diurnal variation of PM2.5 mass concentration is analyzed based on data of BAOLIAN (representing urban area) and SAHNDIANZI BAP-Station (representing rural area) from 2005 to 2014. Furthermore, the influence of meteorological factors was also discussed. The results showed that 10-year-average diurnal variation of PM2.5 mass concentration in urban area had a two-peak pattern being coincident with rush-hour. However, it became clear only after 2007. The monthly (including seasonal) variation presented the change from one-peak pattern to two-peak pattern with the max mass concentration appearing in the morning or late afternoon during rush hour. The mass concentration in the morning rush hour reached its maximum between May and August which was to some degree related with weak wind and high relative humidity as well as great water vapor pressure (indicating the absolute water content in the air). But the smaller variety of mass concentration in the late afternoon attributed to the thicker mixing layer, higher wind speed and more showers. By contraries, it went up greatly after 4 pm in Nov., Dec., Jan. and Feb.. One of the reasons was that the height of mixing layer top decreased sharply. Besides, in some severely and seriously polluted days, the PM2.5 mass concentration increased after morning rush hour till afternoon which was different from the mean pattern and that in moderately polluted day. The main mechanism attributed to the aerosol from aerial source around brought by south wind to Beijing. The more severe the pollution was, the greater the daily concentration fluctuated. The range of PM2.5 diurnal variation was determined by the max wind speed and daily change of relative humidity in a day. Besides, it also extended the diurnal variation of concentration when the south wind speed reached 4-6 m·s-1 in the afternoon. In rural area, the mean diurnal variation of PM2.5 mass concentration showed a one-peak pattern. And the time of concentration reaching its maximum was ahead of that of urban area. Moreover, the values in the day time during May and July were higher than that in winter. These results would be helpful to make policy for finer emission control when the atmosphere is in lower diffusivity situation.