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Atmosphere, Volume 8, Issue 7 (July 2017) – 21 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): For regions with complex mixtures of surface types, estimates of surface albedo—or reflectivity—present a great challenge for conventional ground- and satellite-based approaches. In this study, researchers validated a new ground-based measurement method, which uses a cloud as a “mirror.” The new method can provide areal-averaged spectral surface albedo at climatically important regions with various surface types, and is a valuable complement to conventional approaches. View this paper
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2320 KiB  
Article
Temperature-Dependent Diffusion of H2SO4 in Air at Atmospherically Relevant Conditions: Laboratory Measurements Using Laminar Flow Technique
by David Brus, Lenka Škrabalová, Erik Herrmann, Tinja Olenius, Tereza Trávničková, Ulla Makkonen and Joonas Merikanto
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070132 - 22 Jul 2017
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5953
Abstract
We report flow tube measurements of the effective sulfuric acid diffusion coefficient at ranges of different relative humidities (from ∼4 to 70%), temperatures (278, 288 and 298 K) and initial H2SO4 concentrations (from 1 × 106 to 1 × [...] Read more.
We report flow tube measurements of the effective sulfuric acid diffusion coefficient at ranges of different relative humidities (from ∼4 to 70%), temperatures (278, 288 and 298 K) and initial H2SO4 concentrations (from 1 × 106 to 1 × 108 molecules·cm−3). The measurements were carried out under laminar flow of humidified air containing trace amounts of impurities such as amines (few ppt), thus representing typical conditions met in Earth’s continental boundary layer. The diffusion coefficients were calculated from the sulfuric acid wall loss rate coefficients that were obtained by measuring H2SO4 concentration continuously at seven different positions along the flow tube with a chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS). The wall loss rate coefficients and laminar flow conditions were verified with additional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model FLUENT simulations. The determined effective sulfuric acid diffusion coefficients decreased with increasing relative humidity, as also seen in previous experiments, and had a rather strong power dependence with respect to temperature, around ∝ T5.6, which is in disagreement with the expected temperature dependence of ∼T1.75 for pure vapours. Further clustering kinetics simulations using quantum chemical data showed that the effective diffusion coefficient is lowered by the increased diffusion volume of H2SO4 molecules via a temperature-dependent attachment of base impurities like amines. Thus, the measurements and simulations suggest that in the atmosphere the attachment of sulfuric acid molecules with base molecules can lead to a lower than expected effective sulfuric acid diffusion coefficient with a higher than expected temperature dependence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Morphology and Internal Mixing of Atmospheric Particles)
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11091 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain)
by Jose-Luis Santiago, Esther Rivas, Beatriz Sanchez, Riccardo Buccolieri and Fernando Martin
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070131 - 22 Jul 2017
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 5194
Abstract
In this paper, the role of trees on airborne pollutant dispersion in a real neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) is discussed. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is employed and evaluated against concentrations measured during the last part of winter season at a monitoring [...] Read more.
In this paper, the role of trees on airborne pollutant dispersion in a real neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) is discussed. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is employed and evaluated against concentrations measured during the last part of winter season at a monitoring station located in the study area. Aerodynamic and deposition effects of trees are jointly considered, which has only been done in few recent studies. Specifically, the impact on NOx concentration of: (a) tree-foliage; and (b) introducing new vegetation in a tree-free street is analyzed considering several deposition velocities and Leaf Area Densities (LAD) to model deciduous and evergreen vegetation. Results show that the higher the LAD, the higher the deposition (concentration reduction) and the blocking aerodynamic effect (concentration increase). Regardless of foliage or deposition rates, results suggest the predominance of aerodynamic effects which induce concentration increases up to a maximum of 7.2%, while deposition induces concentration decreases up to a maximum of 6.9%. The inclusion of new trees in one street modifies the distribution of pollutant, not only in that street, but also in nearby locations with concentration increase or decrease. This finding suggests that planting trees in street with traffic as an air pollution reduction strategy seems to be not appropriate in general, highlighting the necessity of ad hoc studies for each particular case to select the suitable location of new vegetation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Urban Ventilation Assessment and Flow Modelling)
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1762 KiB  
Article
Passive Sampling and Analysis of Naphthalene in Internal Combustion Engine Exhaust with Retracted SPME Device and GC-MS
by Nassiba Baimatova, Jacek A. Koziel and Bulat Kenessov
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070130 - 22 Jul 2017
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5027
Abstract
Exhaust gases from internal combustion engines are the main source of urban air pollution. Quantification of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the exhaust gases is needed for emissions monitoring, enforcement, development, and testing of control technologies. The objective was to develop quantification of [...] Read more.
Exhaust gases from internal combustion engines are the main source of urban air pollution. Quantification of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the exhaust gases is needed for emissions monitoring, enforcement, development, and testing of control technologies. The objective was to develop quantification of gaseous naphthalene in diesel engine exhaust based on diffusion-controlled extraction onto a retracted solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coating and analysis on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Extraction of naphthalene with retracted fibers followed Fick’s law of diffusion. Extracted mass of naphthalene was proportional to Cg, t, Dg, T and inversely proportional to Z. Method detection limit (p = 0.95) was 11.5 ppb (0.06 mg·m−3) at t = 9 h, Z = 10 mm and T = 40 °C, respectively. It was found that the % mass extracted of naphthalene by SPME needle assembly depended on the type of fiber. Storage time at different temperatures did not affect analyte losses extracted by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) 100 µm fiber. The developed method was tested on exhaust gases from idling pickup truck and tractor, and compared side-by-side with a direct injection of sampled exhaust gas method. Time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of naphthalene in exhaust gases from idling pickup truck and a tractor ranged from 0.08 to 0.3 mg·m−3 (15.3–53.7 ppb). Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Air Quality)
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5570 KiB  
Article
Numerical Investigation on the Effect of Avenue Trees on PM2.5 Dispersion in Urban Street Canyons
by Bo Hong, Borong Lin and Hongqiao Qin
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070129 - 19 Jul 2017
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 5416
Abstract
The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model and revised generalized drift flux model were used to investigate the characteristics of airflow fields and PM2.5 dispersion in street canyons with a variety setting on tree crown morphologies (i.e., conical, spherical, and cylindrical), leaf area densities [...] Read more.
The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model and revised generalized drift flux model were used to investigate the characteristics of airflow fields and PM2.5 dispersion in street canyons with a variety setting on tree crown morphologies (i.e., conical, spherical, and cylindrical), leaf area densities (LADs = 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 m2/m3), and street canyon aspect ratios (H/W = 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0). Results were as follows: (1) airflow fields were reversed in the presence of trees and enhanced with higher LAD; (2) air velocity decreased negligibly when LAD increased from 1.5 to 2.5, but significantly when LAD increased from 0.5 to 1.5; (3) tree crown morphologies, building aspect ratios, and LADs were interrelated. The comparison of PM2.5 showed that the most critical situations in H/W = 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 corresponded to LAD = 0.5 with a conical canopy; (4) the H/W = 1.0 and LAD = 1.5 scenario was identified as the most efficient combination for PM2.5 capture; (5) the maximum PM2.5 reduction ratio was ordered from low to high in the sequence of conical, spherical, and cylindrical canopies. At predestinated LADs and aspect ratio, Populus tomentosa with cylindrical crown morphology exhibited the best efficiency on PM2.5 capture with a reduction ratio of 75% to 85% at pedestrian height. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution)
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6630 KiB  
Article
Impacts of the Lower Stratosphere on the Development of Intense Tropical Cyclones
by Zachary Moon and Chanh Kieu
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070128 - 19 Jul 2017
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4106
Abstract
This study examines potential impacts of the lower stratosphere on the development and the inner-core structure of intense tropical cyclones (TCs). By initializing the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model with different monthly averaged sounding profiles in the Northwestern Pacific and the [...] Read more.
This study examines potential impacts of the lower stratosphere on the development and the inner-core structure of intense tropical cyclones (TCs). By initializing the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model with different monthly averaged sounding profiles in the Northwestern Pacific and the North Atlantic basins, it is shown that the lower stratosphere layer (LSL) can impose a noticeable influence on the TC structure and development via formation of an extra warm core near the tropopause along with a thin layer of inflow in the LSL at the high-intensity limit. Specifically, a lower tropopause level allows for higher TC intensity and a more distinct double warm core structure. Likewise, a weaker LSL stratification also corresponds to a warmer upper-level core and higher intensity. Of further significance is that the double warm core formation is more sensitive to tropopause variations in the Northwestern Pacific basin than those in the North Atlantic basin, given the same sea surface temperature. The results suggest that variations in tropopause level and LSL stratification could be an important factor that is responsible for the long-term variability of TC intensity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tropical Cyclones and Their Impacts)
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5541 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Precipitation Extremes in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China: Spatio-Temporal Characteristics and Topography Effects
by Genbatu Ge, Zhongjie Shi, Xiaohui Yang, Yuguang Hao, Hao Guo, Fandjinou Kossi, Zhiming Xin, Wei Wei, Zhiyong Zhang, Xiao Zhang, Yanshu Liu and Junhui Liu
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070127 - 19 Jul 2017
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4635
Abstract
Although precipitation extremes exert a major influence on populations and the environment, trend analysis for the entire Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP) has not previously been undertaken. In this study, meteorological data from 83 weather stations was used to analyze the temporal trends and spatial [...] Read more.
Although precipitation extremes exert a major influence on populations and the environment, trend analysis for the entire Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP) has not previously been undertaken. In this study, meteorological data from 83 weather stations was used to analyze the temporal trends and spatial distribution of 10 extreme precipitation indices over the QTP during 1975–2014. The Mann Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator were used to determine significances and magnitudes of station trends. Spatially, stations recording increasing trends were mainly distributed in the southwestern, central and northern regions. Stations with decreasing trends were centered on the eastern and southeastern areas. Temporally, all indices had an increasing trend except for consecutive dry days (CDD) and consecutive wet days (CWD) during the study period. The contribution of extreme precipitation to total precipitation showed a significant increasing trend. These findings may be due to the complex interaction between the large-scale circulation and topography. In general, the changes of extreme precipitation indicated an enhanced tendency, with the frequency, intensity and amount of heavy precipitation increasing over time. Furthermore, altitude dependency of extreme precipitation does not exist in QTP, with topography effects on changes in precipitation extremes being more obvious in the higher elevation, flat, and hill stations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Meteorology)
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1311 KiB  
Article
Observed and Model-Derived Ozone Production Efficiency over Urban and Rural New York State
by Matthew Ninneman, Sarah Lu, Pius Lee, Jeffery McQueen, Jianping Huang, Kenneth Demerjian and James Schwab
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070126 - 18 Jul 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5162
Abstract
This study examined the model-derived and observed ozone production efficiency (OPE = ∆Ox/∆NOz) in one rural location, Pinnacle State Park (PSP) in Addison, New York (NY), and one urban location, Queens College (QC) in Flushing, NY, in New York [...] Read more.
This study examined the model-derived and observed ozone production efficiency (OPE = ∆Ox/∆NOz) in one rural location, Pinnacle State Park (PSP) in Addison, New York (NY), and one urban location, Queens College (QC) in Flushing, NY, in New York State (NYS) during photo-chemically productive hours (11 a.m.–4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)) in summer 2016. Measurement data and model predictions from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NOAA NAQFC)—Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model versions 4.6 (v4.6) and 5.0.2 (v5.0.2) were used to assess the OPE at both sites. CMAQ-predicted and observed OPEs were often in poor agreement at PSP and in reasonable agreement at QC, with model-predicted and observed OPEs, ranging from approximately 5–11 and 10–13, respectively, at PSP; and 4–7 and 6–8, respectively, at QC. The observed relationship between OPE and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) was studied at PSP to examine where the OPE downturn may have occurred. Summer 2016 observations at PSP did not reveal a distinct OPE downturn, but they did indicate that the OPE at PSP remained high (10 or greater) regardless of the [NOx] level. The observed OPEs at QC were found by using species-specific reactive odd nitrogen (NOy) instruments and an estimated value for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), since observed OPEs determined using non-specific NOx and NOy instruments yielded observed OPE results that (1) varied from approximately 11–25, (2) sometimes had negative [NOz] concentrations, and (3) were inconsistent with CMAQ-predicted OPE. This difference in observed OPEs at QC depending on the suite of instruments used suggests that species-specific NOx and NOy instruments may be needed to obtain reliable urban OPEs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tropospheric Ozone and Its Precursors)
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541 KiB  
Article
A Matrix-Free Posterior Ensemble Kalman Filter Implementation Based on a Modified Cholesky Decomposition
by Elias D. Nino-Ruiz
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070125 - 18 Jul 2017
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4016
Abstract
In this paper, a matrix-free posterior ensemble Kalman filter implementation based on a modified Cholesky decomposition is proposed. The method works as follows: the precision matrix of the background error distribution is estimated based on a modified Cholesky decomposition. The resulting estimator can [...] Read more.
In this paper, a matrix-free posterior ensemble Kalman filter implementation based on a modified Cholesky decomposition is proposed. The method works as follows: the precision matrix of the background error distribution is estimated based on a modified Cholesky decomposition. The resulting estimator can be expressed in terms of Cholesky factors which can be updated based on a series of rank-one matrices in order to approximate the precision matrix of the analysis distribution. By using this matrix, the posterior ensemble can be built by either sampling from the posterior distribution or using synthetic observations. Furthermore, the computational effort of the proposed method is linear with regard to the model dimension and the number of observed components from the model domain. Experimental tests are performed making use of the Lorenz-96 model. The results reveal that, the accuracy of the proposed implementation in terms of root-mean-square-error is similar, and in some cases better, to that of a well-known ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) implementation: the local ensemble transform Kalman filter. In addition, the results are comparable to those obtained by the EnKF with large ensemble sizes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficient Formulation and Implementation of Data Assimilation Methods)
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2563 KiB  
Article
Street-Level Ventilation in Hypothetical Urban Areas
by Yat-Kiu Ho and Chun-Ho Liu
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070124 - 16 Jul 2017
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4568
Abstract
Street-level ventilation is often weakened by the surrounding high-rise buildings. A thorough understanding of the flows and turbulence over urban areas assists in improving urban air quality as well as effectuating environmental management. In this paper, reduced-scale physical modeling in a wind tunnel [...] Read more.
Street-level ventilation is often weakened by the surrounding high-rise buildings. A thorough understanding of the flows and turbulence over urban areas assists in improving urban air quality as well as effectuating environmental management. In this paper, reduced-scale physical modeling in a wind tunnel is employed to examine the dynamics in hypothetical urban areas in the form of identical surface-mounted ribs in crossflows (two-dimensional scenarios) to enrich our fundamental understanding of the street-level ventilation mechanism. We critically compare the flow behaviors over rough surfaces with different aerodynamic resistance. It is found that the friction velocity u τ is appropriate for scaling the dynamics in the near-wall region but not the outer layer. The different freestream wind speeds ( U ) over rough surfaces suggest that the drag coefficient C d (= 2 u τ 2 / U 2 ) is able to characterize the turbulent transport processes over hypothetical urban areas. Linear regression shows that street-level ventilation, which is dominated by the turbulent component of the air change rate (ACH), is proportional to the square root of drag coefficient ACH C d 1 / 2 . This conceptual framework is then extended to formulate a new indicator, the vertical fluctuating velocity scale in the roughness sublayer (RSL) w ^ RSL , for breathability assessment over urban areas with diversified building height. Quadrant analyses and frequency spectra demonstrate that the turbulence is more inhomogeneous and the scales of vertical turbulence intensity w w ¯ 1 / 2 are larger over rougher surfaces, resulting in more efficient street-level ventilation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Urban Ventilation Assessment and Flow Modelling)
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2018 KiB  
Article
Areal-Averaged Spectral Surface Albedo in an Atlantic Coastal Area: Estimation from Ground-Based Transmission
by Evgueni Kassianov, James Barnard, Connor Flynn, Laura Riihimaki, Larry K. Berg and David A. Rutan
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070123 - 12 Jul 2017
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4047
Abstract
Tower-based data combined with high-resolution satellite products have been used to produce surface albedo at various spatial scales over land. Because tower-based albedo data are available at only a few sites, surface albedos using these combined data are spatially limited. Moreover, tower-based albedo [...] Read more.
Tower-based data combined with high-resolution satellite products have been used to produce surface albedo at various spatial scales over land. Because tower-based albedo data are available at only a few sites, surface albedos using these combined data are spatially limited. Moreover, tower-based albedo data are not representative of highly heterogeneous regions. To produce areal-averaged and spectrally-resolved surface albedo for regions with various degrees of surface heterogeneity, we have developed a transmission-based retrieval and demonstrated its feasibility for relatively homogeneous land surfaces. Here, we demonstrate its feasibility for a highly heterogeneous coastal region. We use the atmospheric transmission measured during a 19-month period (June 2009–December 2010) by a ground-based Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) at five wavelengths (0.415, 0.5, 0.615, 0.673 and 0.87 µm) at the Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility (AMF) site located on Graciosa Island. We compare the MFRSR-retrieved areal-averaged surface albedo with albedo derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations, and also a composite-based albedo. We demonstrate that these three methods produce similar spectral signatures of surface albedo; however, the MFRSR-retrieved albedo, is higher on average (≤0.04) than the MODIS-based areal-averaged surface albedo and the largest difference occurs in winter. Full article
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2259 KiB  
Article
Estimation of the Elemental to Organic Carbon Ratio in Biomass Burning Aerosol Using AERONET Retrievals
by Igor B. Konovalov, Daria A. Lvova and Matthias Beekmann
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070122 - 09 Jul 2017
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4822
Abstract
The balance between the cooling and warming effects of aerosol originating from open biomass burning (BB) critically depends on the ratio of its major absorbing and scattering components, such as elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC), but available direct measurements of this [...] Read more.
The balance between the cooling and warming effects of aerosol originating from open biomass burning (BB) critically depends on the ratio of its major absorbing and scattering components, such as elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC), but available direct measurements of this ratio in remote regions are limited and rather uncertain. Here, we propose a method to estimate the EC/OC mass ratio in BB aerosol using continuous observations of aerosol optical properties by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and apply it to the data from two AERONET sites situated in Siberia. Our method exploits a robust experimental finding (that was reported recently based on laboratory analysis of aerosol from the combustion of wildland fuels) that the single scattering albedo of BB aerosol particles depends linearly on the EC/(EC + OC) mass ratio. We estimated that the mean value of the EC/OC ratio in BB aerosol observed in summer 2012 was 0.036 (±0.009), which is less than the corresponding value (0.061) predicted in our simulations with a chemistry transport model using the emission factors from the Global Fire Emissions Database 4 (GFED4) fire emission inventory. Based on results of our analysis, we propose a parameterization that allows constraining the EC/OC ratio in BB aerosol with available satellite observations of the absorption and extinction aerosol optical depths. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Burning)
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8159 KiB  
Article
Objective Identification of Trough Lines Using Gridded Wind Field Data
by Yan Huang, Qian Li, Yin Fan and Xi Dai
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070121 - 07 Jul 2017
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4193
Abstract
An objective method was developed to analyze longwave and shortwave trough lines in wind field data using different methods, given that these trough lines were researched in different ways. Longwave trough lines were analyzed by locating the cyclonic center and filtering candidate trough [...] Read more.
An objective method was developed to analyze longwave and shortwave trough lines in wind field data using different methods, given that these trough lines were researched in different ways. Longwave trough lines were analyzed by locating the cyclonic center and filtering candidate trough points simultaneously; the candidate longwave trough points were then traced based on distance and angle conditions. Next, candidate shortwave trough points were determined based on angular deflection and vorticity data, which were clustered and fitted to a curve for extraction. This method was applied to wind field data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) to analyze trough lines in East Asia and South Asia. The experimental results show that our method can effectively identify trough lines by comparing them with manual analysis results. The statistical results indicate that the method more precisely identifies longwave trough lines than shortwave trough lines, and that trough lines during the fall and winter are more accurately and effectively identified than those during the spring and summer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Meteorology)
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2698 KiB  
Article
Estimation of Optical Properties for HULIS Aerosols at Anmyeon Island, Korea
by Ji Yi Lee, Chang Hoon Jung and Yong Pyo Kim
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 120; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070120 - 07 Jul 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4419
Abstract
In this study, the sensitivity of the optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols, especially humic-like substances (HULIS), are investigated based on a one-year measurement of ambient fine atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) at a Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) station in South Korea. The [...] Read more.
In this study, the sensitivity of the optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols, especially humic-like substances (HULIS), are investigated based on a one-year measurement of ambient fine atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) at a Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) station in South Korea. The extinction, absorption coefficient, and radiative forcing (RF) are calculated from the analysis data of water soluble (WSOC) and insoluble (WISOC) organic aerosols, elemental carbon (EC), and HULIS. The sensitivity of the optical properties on the variations of refractive index, hygroscopicity, and light absorption properties of HULIS as well as the polydispersity of organic aerosols are studied. The results showed that the seasonal absorption coefficient of HULIS varied from 0.09 to 11.64 Mm−1 and EC varied from 0.11 to 3.04 Mm−1 if the geometric mean diameter varied from 0.1 to 1.0 µm and the geometric standard deviation varied from 1.1 to 2.0, with the imaginary refractive index (IRI) of HULIS varying from 0.006 to 0.3. Subsequently, this study shows that the RF of HULIS was larger than other constituents, which suggested that HULIS contributed significantly to radiative forcing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbonaceous Aerosols in Atmosphere)
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3083 KiB  
Article
Air Pollution Monitoring in the south-east baltic using the epiphytic lichen hypogymnia physodes
by Yulia Koroleva and Vladimir Revunkov
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070119 - 03 Jul 2017
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4092
Abstract
Abstract: Epiphytic lichens are well-known indicators of air contamination. The chemical composition of lichens is affected by the concentration of pollutants in the environment. Usually, researchers assess long-term variations in trace elements or other pollutants in the study area, or identify spatial [...] Read more.
Abstract: Epiphytic lichens are well-known indicators of air contamination. The chemical composition of lichens is affected by the concentration of pollutants in the environment. Usually, researchers assess long-term variations in trace elements or other pollutants in the study area, or identify spatial features of air contamination. The aim of this study is to create a database of trace element concentrations in the samples of the epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes growing in the Kaliningrad region. The database can be used as a “reference point” for monitoring studies. Another objective is to identify the spatial patterns of iron, manganese, nickel, cadmium, silver, lead, strontium, rubidium, and calcium in the Kaliningrad region. With the help of a regular grid, samples of wild lichens were collected from pine and birch trees, 1.2–1.8 m from their bases, in August 2010. One- to two-year-old thalli were used in the chemical analysis. The metals Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Fe, Mn, and Zn were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry AAS (Mn and Fe by flame atomic absorption FA AAS and the others by electro thermal atomisation ETA AAS); the elements Sr, Rb, and Ca were determined by X-ray fluorescence. The concentration of metals in the western coastal area (the Sambian or Kaliningrad Peninsula) is higher than it is in the central and eastern parts of the region. Principal component factor analysis was carried out to detect and characterise different pollution sources. The authors examined the features of spatial distribution of trace elements. The prevailing wind direction is between south and west; therefore, the highest concentrations of trace elements were found on the Sambian peninsula and on the coasts of the Vistula and Curonian Lagoons. The chemical composition of lichens on the Sambian peninsula may have developed under the impact of both local pollution sources—vehicles, thermal energy facilities, and ports—and such factors as trans-boundary traffic and sea spray. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biosphere/Hydrosphere/Land–Atmosphere Interactions)
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8855 KiB  
Article
A Diagnosis of Some Dynamical Processes Underlying a Higher-Latitude Typhoon Using the Multiscale Window Transform
by Lan Wang and X. San Liang
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070118 - 03 Jul 2017
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3268
Abstract
The typhoon Damrey that hit Jiangsu the populous coastal province of China on 2 August 2012 is a rarely seen tropical cyclone in that it has a higher latitude origin, and it is part of a twin typhoon. In this study, a recently [...] Read more.
The typhoon Damrey that hit Jiangsu the populous coastal province of China on 2 August 2012 is a rarely seen tropical cyclone in that it has a higher latitude origin, and it is part of a twin typhoon. In this study, a recently developed analysis tool—multiscale window transform (MWT) and the MWT-based localized multiscale energy and vorticity analysis (MS-EVA)—is applied to investigate its genesis and maintenance. The fields are reconstructed onto three scale windows: large-scale, tropical cyclone–scale, and cumulus convection–scale windows. It is found that the track of Damrey is well along the edge of the subtropical high. Its birth is mainly caused by a strong barotropic instability in the lower troposphere around 24°–25° N. Its later amplification, however, is quite different, related to a baroclinic instability in the upper troposphere. Also discovered in this study is that a strong center of upscale canonical transfer exists over the East China Sea at the mouth of Yangtze River, which accounts for the rapid decay of Damrey before landing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Meteorology)
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3018 KiB  
Article
Merging MODIS and Ground-Based Fine Mode Fraction of Aerosols Based on the Geostatistical Data Fusion Method
by Aimei Zhao, Zhengqiang Li, Ying Zhang, Yang Zhang and Donghui Li
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070117 - 03 Jul 2017
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4156
Abstract
With the rapid development of the economy and society, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has not only caused severe environmental problems, but also posed a threat to public health. In order to improve the estimated accuracy of PM2.5, the input [...] Read more.
With the rapid development of the economy and society, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has not only caused severe environmental problems, but also posed a threat to public health. In order to improve the estimated accuracy of PM2.5, the input data fine mode fraction (FMF), a key parameter to the PM2.5 remote sensing method (PMRS), should be improved due to its significant errors. In this study, we merge the observations of the fine mode fraction (FMF) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and the Sun-sky radiometer Observation Network (SONET) using the universal kriging (UK) method to obtain accurate FMF distribution over eastern China. PM2.5 mass concentration is estimated by the fusion and MODIS FMF distributions using the PMRS model. The results show that the parameters in the variogram are relatively stable except for significant differences in correlation lengths in summer. The FMF in the Winter of 2015 shows that the mean error decreases from 0.38 to 0.13 compared with that from MODIS using leave-one-out cross-validation, with the maximum error decreasing from 0.75 to 0.34, indicating that the UK method can provide better estimates of FMF. We also find that PM2.5 estimated from FMF fusion results is closer to the in situ PM2.5 from the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) (87.2 vs. 88.9 μg/m3). Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Aerosols)
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8599 KiB  
Article
The Impacts of Atmospheric Moisture Transportation on Warm Sector Torrential Rains over South China
by Shuixin Zhong and Zitong Chen
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070116 - 30 Jun 2017
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4326
Abstract
Warm Sector Torrential Rains (WSTRs) occurring during the outbreak of the monsoon in May of 2015 in South China were studied using surface automatic weather observational data, sounding, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis interim Data (ERA-interim), satellite and radar data, and [...] Read more.
Warm Sector Torrential Rains (WSTRs) occurring during the outbreak of the monsoon in May of 2015 in South China were studied using surface automatic weather observational data, sounding, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis interim Data (ERA-interim), satellite and radar data, and a four-level nested grid simulation with the finest grid spacing of 1 km using the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF). The results show that the extreme precipitation event, which had maximum rainfall amounts of 406.3 mm in 10 h and 542.2 mm in 24 h on 20 May 2015, and was characterized by its rapid development and its highly concentrated and long duration of heavy rainfall, occurred over the trumpet-shaped topography of Haifeng. The simulation results indicated that the South China Sea (SCS) atmospheric moisture transportation (AMT) was crucial in triggering the precipitation of the WSTR over South China. The simulation of the WSTR was conducted by using the total energy-mass flux scheme (TEMF), which provided a reasonable simulation of the circulation and the vertical profile in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) as well as the estimation of the precipitation. The AMT, which extends from the Beibu Gulf and the South China Sea to the coastal areas and provides Shanwei with a considerable amount of moisture in the boundary layer, and the effects within the PBL, which include orographic effects, an extra low-level jet, and a high-energy tongue characterized by a high-potential pseudo-equivalent temperature tongue with a warm and moist southwesterly wind, were the important large-scale factors causing the WSTR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Precipitation with Climate Change)
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1679 KiB  
Article
Increasing Heatwave Hazards in the Southeastern European Union Capitals
by Marco Morabito, Alfonso Crisci, Alessandro Messeri, Gianni Messeri, Giulio Betti, Simone Orlandini, Antonio Raschi and Giampiero Maracchi
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070115 - 30 Jun 2017
Cited by 51 | Viewed by 9939
Abstract
Heatwaves (HWs) are one of the “natural” hazards with the greatest impact worldwide in terms of mortality and economic losses, and their effects may be exacerbated in large urban areas. For these reasons, more detailed analyses of urban HW trends represent a priority [...] Read more.
Heatwaves (HWs) are one of the “natural” hazards with the greatest impact worldwide in terms of mortality and economic losses, and their effects may be exacerbated in large urban areas. For these reasons, more detailed analyses of urban HW trends represent a priority that cannot be neglected. In this study, HW trends were investigated during the warmest period of the year (May–September) by using a slightly improved version of the EuroHEAT HW definition applied on long meteorological time-series (36-year period, 1980–2015) collected by weather stations located in the capitals of the 28 European Union member countries. Comparisons between two 18-year sub-periods (1980–1997 vs. 1998–2015) were carried out and a city-specific HW hazard index (HWHI), accounting for the main HW characteristics, was proposed. Most of the capitals revealed significant positive trends of the majority of HW hazard characteristics and substantial HWHI increases were observed during the sub-period 1998–2015, especially in the central-eastern and southeastern cities. Conversely, minor HWHI increases were observed in most of the northern capitals and opposite situations were even observed in several northern and especially southwestern cities. The results of this study represent a support for planning urban HW-related mitigation and adaptation strategies with the priority given to the southeastern cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Temperature Extremes and Heat/Cold Waves)
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2495 KiB  
Article
Monthly and Diurnal Variation of the Concentrations of Aerosol Surface Area in Fukuoka, Japan, Measured by Diffusion Charging Method
by Miho Kiriya, Tomoaki Okuda, Hana Yamazaki, Kazuki Hatoya, Naoki Kaneyasu, Itsushi Uno, Chiharu Nishita, Keiichiro Hara, Masahiko Hayashi, Koji Funato, Kozo Inoue, Shigekazu Yamamoto, Ayako Yoshino and Akinori Takami
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070114 - 28 Jun 2017
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5585
Abstract
Observation of the ambient aerosol surface area concentrations is important to understand the aerosol toxicity because an increased surface area may be able to act as an enhanced reaction interface for certain reactions between aerosol particles and biological cells, as well as an [...] Read more.
Observation of the ambient aerosol surface area concentrations is important to understand the aerosol toxicity because an increased surface area may be able to act as an enhanced reaction interface for certain reactions between aerosol particles and biological cells, as well as an extended surface for adsorbing and carrying co-pollutants that are originally in gas phase. In this study, the concentration of aerosol surface area was measured from April 2015 to March 2016 in Fukuoka, Japan. We investigated the monthly and diurnal variations in the correlations between the aerosol surface area and black carbon (BC) and sulfate concentrations. Throughout the year, aerosol surface area concentration was strongly correlated with the concentrations of BC, which has a relatively large surface area since BC particles are usually submicron agglomerates consisting of much smaller (tens of nanometers) sized primary soot particles. The slopes of the regression between the aerosol surface area and BC concentrations was highest in August and September 2015. We presented evidence that this was caused by an increase in the proportion of airmasses that originated on the main islands of Japan. This may enhance the introduction of the BC to Fukuoka from the main islands of Japan which we hypothesize to be relatively fresh or “uncoated”, thereby maintaining its larger surface area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Morphology and Internal Mixing of Atmospheric Particles)
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4189 KiB  
Article
Research on the Fine-Scale Spatial Uniformity of Natural Rainfall and Rainfall from a Rainfall Simulator with a Rotary Platform (RSRP)
by Bo Liu, Xiaolei Wang, Lihua Shi, Xichuan Liu, Zhaojing Kang and Zhentao Chen
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070113 - 22 Jun 2017
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3532
Abstract
Abstract: The accurate production of a rainfall environment similar to natural rainfall by a rainfall simulator (RS) is a crucial and challenging task in rainfall instrument testing or calibration. Although the spatial uniformity of rainfall accumulation is a key parameter of an [...] Read more.
Abstract: The accurate production of a rainfall environment similar to natural rainfall by a rainfall simulator (RS) is a crucial and challenging task in rainfall instrument testing or calibration. Although the spatial uniformity of rainfall accumulation is a key parameter of an RS, the spatial uniformity comparison between simulated rainfall and natural rainfall, and the spatial uniformity improvements for an RS are scant in the literature. In this study, a fine-scale natural rainfall experiment was studied using the same testing methods of an RS and the rainfall uniformity was evaluated using the Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CU). Simultaneously, factors influencing the spatial uniformity of natural rainfall, including the average rainfall accumulation (RA), the deviation of RA, and the area of the test zone, were analyzed. The results successfully reproduced some of the behaviors observed in natural rainfall experiments, showing that CU is dependent on these parameters. Based on these studies, we developed a rainfall simulator with a rotary platform (RSRP) and found that although spatial uniformity of the RSRP was greatly improved using an appropriate rotary speed, it was not consistent with the spatial uniformity of natural rainfall. Furthermore, we tested four tipping-bucket rain gauges using this imperfect RSRP, and found that the RSRP might acquire the instrumental errors associated with RA for a tested rainfall instrument. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Meteorology)
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2619 KiB  
Article
Are the Fenno-Scandinavian Arctic Wetlands a Significant Regional Source of Formic Acid?
by Benjamin T. Jones, Jennifer Muller, Sebastian O’Shea, Asan Bacak, Grant Allen, Martin Gallagher, Keith Bower, Michael Le Breton, Thomas J. Bannan, Stephane Bauguitte, John Pyle, Dave Lowry, Rebecca Fisher, James France, Euan Nisbet, Dudley Shallcross and Carl Percival
Atmosphere 2017, 8(7), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8070112 - 22 Jun 2017
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4546
Abstract
This study presents the first gaseous formic acid (HC(O)OH) concentration measurements collected over the Fenno-Scandinavian wetlands (67.9–68.0° N, 22.1–27.8° E) as part of the MAMM (Methane and other greenhouse gases in the Arctic-Measurements, process studies and Modelling) aircraft campaigns conducted in August and [...] Read more.
This study presents the first gaseous formic acid (HC(O)OH) concentration measurements collected over the Fenno-Scandinavian wetlands (67.9–68.0° N, 22.1–27.8° E) as part of the MAMM (Methane and other greenhouse gases in the Arctic-Measurements, process studies and Modelling) aircraft campaigns conducted in August and September 2013. A boundary layer box model approach has been used to calculate a regionally representative (~240 km2) surface flux for HC(O)OH of 0.0098 (±0.0057) mg[HCOOH]·m−2·h−1. A surface-type classification map was used to estimate proportional source contributions to the observed HC(O)OH flux over the measurement region. The removal of expected source contributions (using available literature parameterisations) from the calculated surface flux identified that 75% remained unaccounted for. This may suggest that HC(O)OH emission from wetland within the Fenno-Scandinavian region could contribute up to 29 times higher per unit area than previous theoretical HC(O)OH globally-averaged wetland estimates, highlighting a need for further constrained wetland studies of HC(O)OH emission to better understand its potentially significant impact on the Arctic HC(O)OH budget and consequent impacts on oxidative capacity. Full article
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