Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China
Abstract Severe haze episodes are important environmental issues, and the rapid formation and evolution mechanisms of such episodes over complex terrain remain poorly understood. The Sichuan Basin (SCB) periodically experienced heavy haze pollution during the winter of 2016, with the maximum regiona...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.04.0173 |
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| _version_ | 1825197510792052736 |
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| author | Xianyu Yang Yaqiong Lu Xinsheng Zhu Jianjun He Qi Jiang Kai Wu Haolin Wang Xiaoling Zhang Shigong Wang |
| author_facet | Xianyu Yang Yaqiong Lu Xinsheng Zhu Jianjun He Qi Jiang Kai Wu Haolin Wang Xiaoling Zhang Shigong Wang |
| author_sort | Xianyu Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Severe haze episodes are important environmental issues, and the rapid formation and evolution mechanisms of such episodes over complex terrain remain poorly understood. The Sichuan Basin (SCB) periodically experienced heavy haze pollution during the winter of 2016, with the maximum regional average PM2.5 concentration reaching almost 120 µg m −3. In this study, we characterize a severe haze episode in the SCB from 20 to 30 January 2017 using comprehensive measurements and model analyses. The evolution of this severe episode shows clear stages, with gradual PM25 increases under stagnant weather conditions in Stage I (aerosol accumulation stage) and with explosive PM25 increases mainly associated with cross-border transport from the southern SCB in Stage III (rapid formation stage). The process analysis results indicated that primary emissions and aerosol processes were the major sources of PM2.5 in these urban regions, whereas vertical transport and dry deposition generally acted as sinks of PM2.5. In the presence of southwesterly synoptic winds, the aerosols emitted from the southern SCB were transported to Chengdu and the surrounding areas through horizontal transport and accounted for 66% of the PM2.5 concentration in Chengdu during Stage III. Our results reveal the detailed formation mechanism of a severe haze episode in the SCB under the effects of regional transport and synoptic forcing patterns to improve the understanding of haze formation in areas with complex terrain. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-73232b9459ba4315bdde622e01a641ac |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-73232b9459ba4315bdde622e01a641ac2025-02-09T12:19:06ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092020-10-0120112557256710.4209/aaqr.2020.04.0173Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest ChinaXianyu Yang0Yaqiong Lu1Xinsheng Zhu2Jianjun He3Qi Jiang4Kai Wu5Haolin Wang6Xiaoling Zhang7Shigong Wang8Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information TechnologyChinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Mountain Hazards and EnvironmentNanjing Institute of Environmental ScienceChinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather and Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry of CMAHuangpi Meteorological Bureau of WuhanPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information TechnologySchool of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen UniversityPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information TechnologyPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information TechnologyAbstract Severe haze episodes are important environmental issues, and the rapid formation and evolution mechanisms of such episodes over complex terrain remain poorly understood. The Sichuan Basin (SCB) periodically experienced heavy haze pollution during the winter of 2016, with the maximum regional average PM2.5 concentration reaching almost 120 µg m −3. In this study, we characterize a severe haze episode in the SCB from 20 to 30 January 2017 using comprehensive measurements and model analyses. The evolution of this severe episode shows clear stages, with gradual PM25 increases under stagnant weather conditions in Stage I (aerosol accumulation stage) and with explosive PM25 increases mainly associated with cross-border transport from the southern SCB in Stage III (rapid formation stage). The process analysis results indicated that primary emissions and aerosol processes were the major sources of PM2.5 in these urban regions, whereas vertical transport and dry deposition generally acted as sinks of PM2.5. In the presence of southwesterly synoptic winds, the aerosols emitted from the southern SCB were transported to Chengdu and the surrounding areas through horizontal transport and accounted for 66% of the PM2.5 concentration in Chengdu during Stage III. Our results reveal the detailed formation mechanism of a severe haze episode in the SCB under the effects of regional transport and synoptic forcing patterns to improve the understanding of haze formation in areas with complex terrain.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.04.0173Air qualityHaze pollutionProcess analysisSichuan Basin |
| spellingShingle | Xianyu Yang Yaqiong Lu Xinsheng Zhu Jianjun He Qi Jiang Kai Wu Haolin Wang Xiaoling Zhang Shigong Wang Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China Aerosol and Air Quality Research Air quality Haze pollution Process analysis Sichuan Basin |
| title | Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China |
| title_full | Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China |
| title_fullStr | Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China |
| title_short | Formation and Evolution Mechanisms of Severe Haze Pollution in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China |
| title_sort | formation and evolution mechanisms of severe haze pollution in the sichuan basin southwest china |
| topic | Air quality Haze pollution Process analysis Sichuan Basin |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2020.04.0173 |
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