Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Particulate Matter Concentrations in Iraq

Abstract

Particulate Matter (PM) is microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The term aerosol commonly refers to the particulate/air mixture, as opposed to the particulate matter alone. Sources of particulate matter can be natural or anthropogenic. They have impacts on climate and precipitation that adversely affect human health, in ways additional to direct inhalation. The statistical methods used in this study depend on the daily, monthly, and seasonal means of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 with data taken from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for the year 2021 at the times of 00.00 am, and 12.00 pm over Rutba, Mosul, Basrah, and Baghdad Stations. It has been shown that particulate matter 10 μm is more abundant in the atmosphere, especially at Rutba station. It has a large vertical movement over a wide area and thus leads to an increase in temperature and thus the formation of convection currents. This type of storm occurs within a certain layer of the atmosphere, starting from the surface of the earth to about 1.52 km. These storms are severe during the day and decrease in intensity during the night. They are long-lasting and can last for two weeks.