Quantifying stability influences on air pollution in Lanzhou, China, using a radon-based “stability monitor”: Seasonality and extreme events

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dc.contributor.authorWang, Fen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChambers, SDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZhang, Zen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, AGen_AU
dc.contributor.authorDeng, Xen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZhang, Hen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLonati, Gen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCrawford, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGriffiths, ADen_AU
dc.contributor.authorIanniello, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorAllegrini, Ien_AU
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-11T05:19:03Zen_AU
dc.date.available2025-03-11T05:19:03Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2016-11en_AU
dc.date.statistics2025-01-29en_AU
dc.description.abstractA recently-developed radon-based technique is modified to quantify the seasonal influences of atmospheric stability on urban emissions in Lanzhou, China, based on 11 months of observations at three sites with contrasting pollution characteristics. Near-surface concentrations of primary (CO, SO2, NOx) and secondary (O3) gas phase pollutants responded to changing atmospheric stability in markedly different ways in winter and summer, primarily because monsoonal fetch changes strongly influenced the distance between measurement sites and their nearest upwind pollutant sources, but also due to mean diurnal changes in mixing depth. Typically, morning peak primary pollution concentrations increased by a factor of 2–5 from the most well-mixed to stable conditions, whereas nocturnal ozone concentrations reduced with increasing stability due to surface loss processes and the progressively reduced coupling between the nocturnal boundary layer and overlying free atmosphere. The majority of pollution exceedance events (cf. China National Air Quality Standard guideline values) occurred in winter, when all measurement stations were downwind of the city's main pollution sources, and were directly attributed to morning periods and stable atmospheric conditions. In the sheltered valley region of Lanzhou, extremes of winter nocturnal stability states represented a change in mean nocturnal wind speed of only 0.25 m s−1 (from 0.6 to 0.85 m s−1). Daily-integrated PM10 concentrations increased by a factor of 2 in winter from the most well-mixed to stable conditions, and were usually above guideline values at the industrial and residential sites for all atmospheric stability conditions. In summer, however, daily mean PM10 exceedances usually only occurred at the industrial site, under stable conditions. Finally, a simple model – based on mean radon concentrations between 1900 and 0400 h – is proposed to predict haze conditions in the city prior to commencement of the peak morning commuting time. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationWang, F., Chambers, S. D., Zhang, Z., Williams, A. G., Deng, X., Zhang, H., Lonati, G., Crawford, J., Griffiths, A. D., Ianniello, A., & Allegrini, I. (2016). Quantifying stability influences on air pollution in Lanzhou, China, using a radon-based “stability monitor”: Seasonality and extreme events. Atmospheric Environment, 145, 376-391. doi:org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.09.014en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1352-2310en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1873-2442en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleAtmospheric Environmenten_AU
dc.identifier.pagination376-391en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.09.014en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/16040en_AU
dc.identifier.volume145en_AU
dc.languageEnglishen_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectAir pollutionen_AU
dc.subjectChinaen_AU
dc.subjectRadonen_AU
dc.subjectOzoneen_AU
dc.subjectCobalten_AU
dc.subjectNobeliumen_AU
dc.titleQuantifying stability influences on air pollution in Lanzhou, China, using a radon-based “stability monitor”: Seasonality and extreme eventsen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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