The Seasonal Recurrence of Air Quality Index for the Period 2008–2019 Over the Territory of Sofia City

Abstract

The impact of Air Quality (AQ) on human health and quality of life is an issue of great social significance. Evaluating this impact will provide a scientifically robust basis for elaborating efficient short term measures and long term strategies for mitigation of the harmful effects of air pollution on human health and quality of life. The AQ impact on human health and quality of life is evaluated in the terms of Air Quality Indices (AQI), which give an integrated assessment of the impact of pollutants and directly measuring the effects of AQ on human health. The objectives of the present work are evaluations in different years and for the different seasons in selected years, based on extensive computer simulations of the AQ for Sofia city carried out with good resolution using up-to-date modelling tools and detailed and reliable input data. Some extensive numerical simulations of the atmospheric composition fields have been performed recently. The US EPA Model-3 system was used as modelling tool. A fairly extensive data base was developed from simulations which were used for studies of the atmospheric composition and including the AQ climate. The simulations are for 12 years from 2008 to 2019 and calculated on five domains: Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria, Sofia Municipality and Sofia City with increasing space resolution to 1 km for the territory of Sofia City.