Radon measurements as an aid to the interpretation of atmospheric monitoring

Radon has been measured continuously at Cape Grim, Tasmania with a detection limit of about 0.05 Bq m^-3 (1.4 pCi m^-3). The annual average level from a close continental source is 3.8 Bq m^-3, whereas the level in maritime air streams is typically 0.5 Bq m^-3. The contribution of the ocean is about 0.04 Bq m^-3, which indicates that more than 90% of radon in maritime air is from a continent. Thus radon can provide much less equivocal evidence of the degree of continental influence on an air stream than can other atmospheric constituents, whose sources and loss mechanisms are more complex. A knowledge of the past history of an air stream is important in the interpretation of atmospheric measurements.There is a close correlation between low radon and low Aitken particle concentrations, which suggests a continental origin for these particles. On the basis of present data it is difficult to reconcile this with evidence that the particles are generated photochemically over the ocean. An extension of the radon program to other latitudes would help to resolve this discrepancy.     

Satellite and ground observations for large-scale air pollution transport in the Yellow Sea region

Large-scale air pollution transport (LSAPT) in the Yellow Sea region and their inflow onto the Korean Peninsula were observed through satellite images and ground measurements. LSAPT includes regional continental air-masses saturated with pollutants originating from China and subsequently landing on or passing through the Korean Peninsula. It is also possible to identify the distribution and transport patterns of LSAPT over the Yellow Sea. The ground concentrations for PM10, PM2.5 and CO measured at Cheongwon, located in the centre of south Korea, were compared with NOAA satellite images. Notably, the episodes observed of the LSAPT show a PM2.5 to PM10 ratio of 74% of the daily maximum concentrations. However, cases of duststorms were clearly distinguished by much higher PM10 concentrations and a ratio of 30% of PM2.5 to PM10 for daily maximum concentrations. For the episode on January 27, 2006, the inflow of a regionally polluted continental air-mass into the central and southwestern regions of the Korean Peninsula was observed sequentially at various ground observatories as well as by satellite. The north airflow dissipated the clouds over Mt. Halla on Jeju Island and further downwind, reducing air pollution and creating a von Kármán vortex.     

Radon daughter disequilibria in the lower marine boundary layer

Radon daughters are produced as free ions, but they become attached to aerosol particles at a rate depending on the particle concentration. In the lower marine boundary layer, most of those which do not become attached plate out on the ocean surface. In this paper a simple model is used to examine the influence of several parameters on radon/radon daughter disequilibria in maritime air. The model is compared with experimental data from Cape Grim.The radon daughter to radon ratio, f, decreases from 0.86 to 0.1 as the particle concentration falls from 1000 to 10 cm^-3. Estimates of radon concentration at sea level, based on daughter measurements may therefore be in error by as much as a factor of 10 unless allowance is made for particle concentration. At 100 cm^-3, the standard deviation of the distribution of measured f values is about 30%, indicating that the particle concentration is not the only factor influencing the loss of radon daughters. The implication is that radon daughters can be used to measure radon concentrations at sea level with an accuracy of about 30%, provided the particle concentration is known.The measurements show that there is a very low proportion of unattached daughers in the air between about 30 and 165 m above sea level. According to the model, this implies that mixing of air up to about 200 m is usually rapid enough to result in plate-out of radon daughters on the ocean on a time scale of less than 100 s.     

Estimating the Asian radon flux density and its latitudinal gradient in winter using ground-based radon observations at Sado Island

Terrestrial radon-222 flux density for the Asian continent, integrated over distances of 4500 km, is estimated in two 20° latitudinal bands centred on 48.8°N and 63.2°N. The evaluation is based on three years of wintertime radon measurements at Sado Island, Japan, together with meteorological and trajectory information. A selection of 18% of observations are suitable for evaluation of an analytical expression for the continental surface flux. Various meteorological assumptions are discussed; it is found that there is a substantial effect of increased complexity of the formulation on the flux estimates obtained. The distribution of spatially integrated radon flux over the Asian landmass is reported for the first time. Expressed as geometric means and 1σ-ranges, estimated fluxes are 14.1 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹ (1σ-range: 18 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹) and 8.4 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹ (1σ-range: 10 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹) for the lower and higher latitude bands. These results constitute an annual minimum in flux densities for these regions, and are higher than previously reported. The existence of a latitudinal gradient in the continental radon source function is confirmed; the present estimate for Asia (−0.39 mBq m⁻² s⁻¹ per degree of latitude) is in agreement with the northern hemisphere terrestrial radon flux gradient proposed previously.     

Small-particle concentration fluctuations at a coastal site

Aerosol size spectra (d=10 nm–10 μm) were measured with an electrical aerosol spectrometer (EAS) at Mace Head on the west coast of Ireland. Several small aerosol particle (diameter 10–32 nm) concentration bursts were observed during the measurement period. Relationships between the events, air mass trajectories, tide height, and meteorological parameters are examined. Series of bursts were observed when a spectral transformation due to subsequent particle growth from 10 to 56–100 nm can be identified in an Eulerian experiment. Particle growth rates of between 1 and 3 nm/h were determined. These bursts appear in cold and comparatively clean arctic or polar air masses with temperature and relative humidity fluctuations, and do not correlate with low tide in some cases. These episodes, similar to those frequently found in the continental boundary layer, are thought to occur over a wide area and, for clear detection, require stable airflow for a few days. Elevated small-particle concentration events are more common during low tide or shortly after, and are typically associated with low wind speeds. Here, the increased shore exposure during low tide is thought to influence the nucleation and the subsequent growth of these aerosol particles. The occurrences of the bursts are found to depend on local wind direction. The highest d=10–32 nm particle concentrations appeared for wind sectors furthest from the tidal regions when the wind direction was 150–160°(south-easterly). Most of the events occurred during daytime when solar irradiation is most intense.     

A comparison of scavenging and deposition processes in global models: results from the WCRP Cambridge Workshop of 1995

We report on results from a World Climate Research Program workshop on representations of scavenging and deposition processes in global transport models of the atmosphere. 15 models were evaluated by comparing simulations of radon, lead, sulfur dioxide, and sulfate against each other, and against observations of these constituents. This paper provides a survey on the simulation differences between models. It identifies circumstances where models are consistent with observations or with each other, and where they differ from observations or with each other. The comparison shows that most models are able to simulate seasonal species concentrations near the surface over continental sites to within a factor of 2 over many regions of the globe. Models tend to agree more closely over source (continental) regions than for remote (polar and oceanic) regions. Model simulations differ most strongly in the upper troposphere for species undergoing wet scavenging processes. There are not a sufficient number of observations to characterize the climatology (long‐term average) of species undergoing wet scavenging in the upper troposphere. This highlights the need for either a different strategy for model evaluation (e.g., comparisons on an event by event basis) or many more observations of a few carefully chosen constituents.     

Diurnal variations of radon and meteorological variables near the ground

Radon is an excellent tracer for the study of transport processes in the lower atmospheric boundary layer. Analyses of the radon data measured on a 300-m meteorological tower at Philadelphia show that the diurnal variation of atmospheric turbulence is closely related to the meteorological variables. A model of variation of radon concentration with mean wind speed and low-level vertical temperature difference is derived. It indicates that radon concentration is inversely proportional to the mean wind speed and directly proportional to the temperature difference. These predictions are in good agreement with the measurements.     

Estimation of transboundary transport contribution to the air pollution in the far east region using the chemistry transport model

The CHIMERE mesoscale chemistry transport model is used for the quantitative assessment of the contribution of transboundary transport of anthropogenic admixtures from China to the surface concentrations of major suspended pollutants, aerosol PM₁₀, ozone O₃, and nitrogen oxides NO_x in the Far Eastern region. Analyzed in detail are the time series of concentration of mentioned substances computed with the model taking account and not taking account of anthropogenic emissions in China. It is revealed that the transboundary transport of anthropogenic pollutants can cause the recurring episodes of manyfold increase in the concentration of PM₁₀ in the south of Khabarovsk region, as well as more rare variations of O₃ and NO_x concentration. The trajectory and synoptic analysis demonstrated that the episodes of the increase in the concentration of PM₁₀ and O₃ in the south of the region mainly depend on the carryover of air masses from northeastern China in the front part of continental cyclones.     

宁波一次罕见持续重度污染事件的成因分析

2013年12月1—10日宁波市出现历史罕见持续性重度污染事件。基于常规天气观测、浙江省自动气象站、宁波慈溪边界层风廓线雷达和凉帽山岛370 m高塔、宁波市和舟山市污染物监测等资料,应用美国NOAA HYSPLIT4模式进行粒子后向轨迹分析,并将CALMET诊断模式应用到WRF中尺度数值模式输出,对本次污染发展和消散过程宁波市3 km以下气象要素进行精细化诊断分析,计算通风系数。结果表明：（1）合适的环流背景是污染发展和持续的主要原因。气溶胶粒子浓度升高过程中有3次弱冷空气影响,主要表现在800 m以上层次,为粒子的输送提供了好的动力条件,却又不影响边界层风速和稳定性。弱冷空气间歇期风力弱,风向快速变化,利于粒子的循环滞留。（2）污染发展和持续阶段宁波市区3000 m以下持续弱下沉气流,夜间边界层高度低,200 m以下存在明显逆温层,导致气溶胶粒子在低层的堆积和能见度的降低。（3）污染发展和持续阶段夜间通风系数均小于1 m²/s,扩散条件很差,而污染消散阶段通风系数明显增大。没有外源性粒子输入时,通风系数与气溶胶粒子浓度成负相关。     

Connection between ozone concentration and atmosphere circulation at peak Moussala

Connection between ozone concentration and atmosphere circulation is investigated based on measurements at BEO station, peak Moussala (2,925 m a.s.l.), for the period 09 August 2006 to 29 January 2008. Ozone concentration data are collected with UV-analyzer “Environnement O₃ 42” and meteo data with weather station “Vaisala”. There are measurements of ⁷Be. Data from NOAA HYSPLIT model for particle trajectories are also used. Eight wind directions and three ranges of wind velocities are employed in the analysis. A comparison of ozone concentrations in upward and downward air transport according to HYSPLIT model is made. The number of cases with ozone concentration above 63 ppb has been counted. Mann–Whitney nonparametric test is employed as a basic statistical method. Correlation between atmosphere pressure and tropospheric ozone content is made. The same is done for ⁷Be and ozone. The main conclusion is that there is not any local or regional pollution effect detectable at peak Moussala, but most of the ozone measured is due to emissions of hydrocarbons and NO _x over a larger region. There could be some regional sources of ozone building substances in southwest direction from peak Moussala. Air transported from the north quarter has higher ozone concentrations compared to the south quarter. In vertical direction, upward transport of air masses shows higher values of ozone concentration. Higher wind velocity is associated with low ozone concentrations at peak Moussala. The annual course of ozone concentration has summer maximum and winter minimum. There is right connection between air pressure and ozone concentration. The same is valid for the correlation between ⁷Be and ozone. Diurnal ozone course shows daytime maximum in winter and nighttime maximum in summer.     

THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MOISTURE BUDGETS OVER ASIAN AND AUSTRALIAN MONSOON REGIONS

Apparent moisture sink and water vapor transport flux are calculated by using NCAR/NCEP reanalyzed daily data for water vapor and wind fields at various levels from 1980 to 1989. With the aid of EOF analysis method, temporal and spatial characteristics of moisture budgets over Asian and Australian monsoon regions are studied. The results show that there is apparent seasonal transition of moisture sink and water vapor transport between Asian monsoon region and Australian monsoon region. In winter, the Asian monsoon region is a moisture source, in which three cross-equatorial water vapor transport channels in the "continent bridge". at 80°E and 40°E ～ 50°E transport water vapor to the Australian monsoon region and southern Indian Ocean which are moisture sinks. In summer, Australian monsoon region and southern Indian Ocean are moisture sources and by the three cross-equatorial transport channels water vapor is transport to the Asian monsoon region which is a moisture sink. In spring and autumn, ITCZ is the main moisture sink and there is no apparent water vapor transport between Asian monsoon region and Australian monsoon region.     

On the variability and correlation of surface ozone and carbon monoxide observed in Hong Kong using trajectory and regression analyses

This paper investigates, the variability and correlation of surface ozone (Os) and carbon monoxide (CO) observed at Cape D'Aguilar in Hong Kong from 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1995. Statistical analysis shows that the average O3 and CO mixing ratios during the two years are 32±17ppbv and 305±191 ppbv, respectively. The O3/CO ratio ranges from 0.05 to 0.6 ppbv/ppbv with its frequency peaking at 0.15. The raw dataset is divided into six groups using backward trajectory and cluster analyses. For data assigned to the same trajectory type, three groups are further sorted out based on CO and NOX mixing ratios. The correlation coefficients and slopes of O3/CO for the 18 groups are calculated using linear regression analysis. Finally, five kinds of air masses with different chemical features are identified: continental background (CB), marine background (MB), regional polluted continental (RPC), perturbed marine (P*M), and local polluted (LP) air masses. Further studies indicate that O3 and CO in the conti     

合肥市PM10 输送轨迹分类研究

应用聚类分析的方法,对2001—2005年合肥市逐日72 h后向轨迹按季节分类,结合PM10日均浓度观测资料,分析了不同输送轨迹与该地区PM10浓度之间的关系。结果表明:不同方向后向轨迹所对应的PM10平均浓度有明显不同;最高PM10平均浓度对应的后向轨迹在春、秋和冬季都是来自西北方向,它们与季节平均的相对距平分别为44%,20%和31%;夏季为东北方向,与季节平均的相对距平为20%;其次为本地轨迹,各季的相对距平分别为5%,16%,18%和17%。根据分析得出合肥地区6组易于出现高浓度PM10的后向轨迹及对应的天气形势,并简要分析了其特征。气溶胶的远程输送主要发生在自由大气层,区域输送主要发生在边界层内。合肥地区大气污染事件超过50%与远程输送有关。移动快的气团不一定对应低浓度的PM10。     

Derived lagrangian statistics on the Vancouver island continental shelf and implications for Salmon migration

Abstract

Lagrangian trajectories derived from time series data from a small array of current meters are simulated using objective analysis to estimate the velocity field and a fourth‐order Runge‐Kutta scheme to integrate the velocity field to form the particle tracks. This procedure is verified by a direct comparison of actual drifter tracks with simulated tracks; the comparison is excellent. Lagrangian statistics are then computed and used to examine the effects that eddies might have in retaining freely drifting particles. Finally, the implications for the retention of juvenile salmon are discussed. The results suggest that the energy advantage conveyed to juvenile salmon is considerable and significant.

Dense aggregations of juvenile Chinook salmon form over certain fishing banks each year off the west coast of Vancouver Island. It is hypothesized that the retention capability of eddies over these banks confers an energy advantage to the juvenile salmon while they wait for the fall transition in the current field and hence a low energy trip on their northward migration.     

Concentrations of metallic elements in long-range-transported aerosols measured simultaneously at three coastal sites in China and Japan

To determine the effects of long-range transport of aerosols from an upwind area in East Asia to a downwind area in Japan, we chemically analyzed aerosols collected simultaneously on Tuoji Island (Shandong Province, China), Fukue Island (Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan), and Cape Hedo (Okinawa Prefecture, Japan). We focused on changes in the metallic composition of PM_2.5 aerosols during long-range transport. The average mass concentrations of PM_2.5 at the three sites decreased in the order Tuoji Island > Fukue Island ≈ Cape Hedo (48.3 ± 4.5, 13.9 ± 1.5, and 13.2 ± 0.9 μg/m³, respectively). The fraction of coarse particles in total suspended particles estimated by (1–PM_2.5/TSP) was highest on Cape Hedo, indicating that the contribution of sea salts was increased by long-range transport of the aerosols over the ocean. Enrichment factor analysis revealed that at all three sites, Al, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Sr, and Ba originated from soil; whereas Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Tl, and P appeared to be of anthropogenic origin. Na was the most abundant element on Cape Hedo, indicating the addition of sea salts during aerosol transport. The V concentration was highest at Fukue Island, which was ascribed to V emission from ships. Sixty-one percent of the V on Fukue Island and 62% of the V on Cape Hedo were determined to have originated from ships, implicating of data obtained on dates during which backward trajectory analysis indicated that the same air mass passed over Tuoji Island, Fukue Island, and Cape Hedo in that order.     

Tropospheric transport of continental tracers towards Antarctica under varying climatic conditions

We present a method to analyse tracer transit time climatologies based on the concept of tracer age. The method consists of introducing idealized, short-lived radioactively decaying tracers in a general circulation model of the atmosphere. Tracer age since emission is calculated at any given place in the atmosphere from the ratio of the concentrations of tracers with different lifetimes emitted over the same source area. An obvious use of this method is the analysis of transport of real tracers with similar lifetimes (such as dust particles) during different climatic periods. Here, this method is applied to transport from southern hemisphere continental source areas towards Antarctica at the present, the last glacial maximum (21 kyr BP) and the last glacial inception (115 kyr BP). It is found that the variation over time of atmospheric transport efficiency towards Antarctica depends on the tracer source region: changes for Patagonian tracers differ from those for tracers originating over Australia and southern Africa. Transport towards Antarctica during the last glacial maximum (LGM) is faster for Patagonian, but not for Australian and Southern African tracers. It is shown that for the time of the last glacial inception, tracer transit time towards Antarctica is not significantly different from the present, although signs of a more vigorous atmospheric circulation can be seen in the simulation.     

海南岛冬季暴雨的时空分布及大尺度环流场特征分析

利用海南岛气象观测站逐日降水整编资料和欧洲中期天气预报中心（European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts，ECMWF） ERA5再分析资料，分析了1991—2020年海南岛冬季暴雨的时空分布及环流特征。结果表明：海南岛冬季暴雨在月际分布（12月—次年2月）上存在较大差异性，降雨量级越大，差异越明显；在空间分布上也存在显著的地域性，东部地区发生频次最高，总体上呈现东多西少的分布特征。海南岛冬季暴雨的水汽输送主要以偏东方向为主，气流来自副高南侧的偏东气流和大陆冷高压东南侧的东北气流。海南岛冬季暴雨发生期间，相对气候平均态而言，偏东低空急流较为强劲，中南半岛南支槽形态明显，副高偏北偏西偏强，南亚高压西北向的出流偏强，且南海海域存在显著的海温正距平。     

东北亚地区污染物输送的等熵轨迹分析——周边国家对中国的影响

利用等熵轨迹模式研究了中国北方和邻国几个大城市排放的污染物的输送趋势。计算了１９９２－１９９４年期间１，４，７和１０月的每天两次轨迹，并以这些城市为目标，对其前向或后向轨迹线上每３０ｍｉｎ的轨迹点作统计，画出等熵轨迹概率分布图。这些图形表明，等熵轨迹的概率分布能很好地反映污染物的中、远程输送且有明显的季节变化。就前向轨迹区而言，在除夏季外的其它季节里，蒙古乌兰巴托的轨迹区能覆盖到中国华北，俄罗斯的赤塔也能影响到中国东北的大兴安岭地区。而平壤和汉城的前向轨迹区在夏季可向北伸展到中国     

Chemical characterization of fine particulate matter during peak PM10 episodes in Apulia (South Italy)

Some peak PM10 episodes, occurred during PM monitoring campaigns performed on October 2005 and February and June 2006 in Bari town, have been characterized. Moreover back trajectories of air masses and Principal Component Analyses were applied. Three of the peak PM10 episodes investigated were related to local emissions of primary pollutants during poor atmospheric dispersion conditions. The other two peak PM10 episodes considered are related with long range transport air masses toward Apulia region: in one case the chemical characterization and the back trajectories analysis indicate that high PM10 value detected is due to the Saharan dust advection in the Apulia region; in the other case air masses with different origin give rise to high PM10 value.Moreover PM10 daily mean concentrations, presented in this paper collected from January 2005 to August 2007 and obtained by automatic device in six stations of air quality monitoring networks in Bari territory, do not show a seasonal trend for PM10 concentrations, contrary to the PM10 trend shown in the towns of North Italy. This can be explained mostly considering that our region presents generally meteo-climatic conditions that favour pollutants dispersion.     

Chemical characterization of fine particulate matter during peak PM10 episodes in Apulia (South Italy)

Some peak PM10 episodes, occurred during PM monitoring campaigns performed on October 2005 and February and June 2006 in Bari town, have been characterized. Moreover back trajectories of air masses and Principal Component Analyses were applied. Three of the peak PM10 episodes investigated were related to local emissions of primary pollutants during poor atmospheric dispersion conditions. The other two peak PM10 episodes considered are related with long range transport air masses toward Apulia region: in one case the chemical characterization and the back trajectories analysis indicate that high PM10 value detected is due to the Saharan dust advection in the Apulia region; in the other case air masses with different origin give rise to high PM10 value.Moreover PM10 daily mean concentrations, presented in this paper collected from January 2005 to August 2007 and obtained by automatic device in six stations of air quality monitoring networks in Bari territory, do not show a seasonal trend for PM10 concentrations, contrary to the PM10 trend shown in the towns of North Italy. This can be explained mostly considering that our region presents generally meteo-climatic conditions that favour pollutants dispersion.