Relationships between Vertical Temperature Gradients and PM10 Concentrations during Selected Weather Conditions in Upper Silesia (Southern Poland)

Ewa Bożena Łupikasza,Tadeusz Niedźwiedź

doi:10.3390/atmos13010125

Ewa Bożena Łupikasza, Tadeusz Niedźwiedź

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13010125

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Journal: Atmosphere	Publication Date: Jan 13, 2022
Citations: 4	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Silesia

Abstract

This paper studies surface air temperature inversions and their impact on air pollution under the background of meteorological conditions in southern Poland. The relationship of temperature gradients and air quality classes with weather conditions in the most urbanized and polluted part of Poland as represented by the Upper Silesia region (USR) within the administrative boundaries of the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis (GZM) is presented. Based on probability analysis this study hierarchized the role of the selected weather elements in the development of surface-based temperature inversion (SBI) and air quality (AQ). The thresholds of weather elements for a rapid increase in the probability of oppressive air pollution episodes were distinguished. Although most SBI occurred in summer winter SBIs were of great importance. In that season a bad air quality occurred during >70% of strong inversions and >50% of moderate inversions. Air temperature more strongly triggered AQ than SBI development. Wind speed was critical for SBI and significant for AQ development. A low cloudiness favored SBI occurrence altered air quality in winter and spring during SBI and favored very bad AQ5 (>180 µg/m3) occurrence. The probability of high air pollution enhanced by SBI rapidly increased in winter when the air temperature dropped below −6 °C the wind speed decreased below 1.5 m/s and the sky was cloudless. Changes in the relative humidity did not induce rapid changes in the occurrence of bad AQ events during SBI

Highlights

Vertical air temperature profile is critical for determining the height of the planetary boundary layer [1] and the state of the atmosphere [2,3,4,5]
The probability of winter nocturnal surface-based temperature inversion (SBI) was lower in the Górnoslasko-Zagłebiowska Metropolis (GZM) area than in southern Poland (40–50% by Palarz et al [45]), which may confirm the findings of a previous study by Bokwa [42], which indicated the lower frequency of winter SBI in an urban environment than in its surroundings
It is clear that air temperature determines the intensity of PM10 emissions, thereby affecting its concentration in the air, which is seriously enhanced by SBI, in winter

Summary

Introduction

Vertical air temperature profile is critical for determining the height of the planetary boundary layer [1] and the state of the atmosphere [2,3,4,5]. SBIs largely control the vertical movement of pollution; studying the occurrence of SBIs that can cause oppressive and health-threatening episodes of high air pollution concentrations in urban areas is important [11,12,13,14,15,16]

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Discussion

Conclusion