The vertical transport of air pollutants by convective clouds. Part III: Transport features of different cloud systems

The vertical transport features of gaseous pollutants, with a negative exponent profile of concentration, by dif-ferent types of convective cloud systems are numerically investigated by using a two-dimensional, reactionless convective cloud transport model. The results show that an isolated, weak storm is able to pump pollutant gas out PBL and transport it to the mid-troposphere, whereas a deep, intense thunderstorm can very efficiently transport air pollutants up to the mid and upper troposphere and laterally spread with anvil, forming an extensive concentration surge layer at altitude of ten-odd kilometers altitude. Each type of convective transport results in concentration re-duction in PBL. In a wind shear environment the transport efficiency of deep thunderstorm significantly increases and the pollutants enter into clouds on the downshear side at low-level and spread downwind in anvil layer. On the other hand, for a cumulus cloud with plenty of liquid water, the gas dissolution effect is increased, and the irreversible aqueous reactions, in extreme, may significantly weaken the vertical transports of pollutant gases even with solubility coefficients no more than 103 M atm-1.