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Evolution of aerosol vertical distribution during particulate pollution events in Shanghai

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Abstract

A set of micro pulse lidar (MPL) systems operating at 532 nm was used for ground-based observation of aerosols in Shanghai in 2011. Three typical particulate pollution events (e.g., haze) were examined to determine the evolution of aerosol vertical distribution and the planetary boundary layer (PBL) during these pollution episodes. The aerosol vertical extinction coefficient (VEC) at any given measured altitude was prominently larger during haze periods than that before or after the associated event. Aerosols originating from various source regions exerted forcing to some extent on aerosol loading and vertical layering, leading to different aerosol vertical distribution structures. Aerosol VECs were always maximized near the surface owing to the potential influence of local pollutant emissions. Several peaks in aerosol VECs were found at altitudes above 1 km during the dust- and bioburning-influenced haze events. Aerosol VECs decreased with increasing altitude during the local-polluted haze event, with a single maximum in the surface atmosphere. PM2.5 increased slowly while PBL and visibility decreased gradually in the early stages of haze events; subsequently, PM2.5 accumulated and was exacerbated until serious pollution bursts occurred in the middle and later stages. The results reveal that aerosols from different sources impact aerosol vertical distributions in the atmosphere and that the relationship between PBL and pollutant loadings may play an important role in the formation of pollution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Yunwei Zhang  (张云伟), Qun Zhang  (张 群), Chunpeng Leng  (冷春鹏), Deqin Zhang  (张德芹) & Tiantao Cheng  (成天涛)

  2. Fudan-Tyndall Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Tiantao Cheng  (成天涛)

  3. South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China

    Jun Tao  (陶 俊)

  4. Key Laboratory of Regional Climate-Environment Research for Temperate East Asia, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Renjian Zhang  (张仁健)

  5. Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Qianshan He  (贺千山)

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  1. Yunwei Zhang  (张云伟)
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  2. Qun Zhang  (张 群)
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  6. Jun Tao  (陶 俊)
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  7. Renjian Zhang  (张仁健)
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  8. Qianshan He  (贺千山)
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Correspondence to Tiantao Cheng  (成天涛).

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Supported by the National Science and Technology Support Programe of China (2014BAC16B01), National Natural Science Foundation of China (41475109, 21190053, and 21177025), Shanghai Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (12DJ1400100 and 12DZ2260200), Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Climate Change, Priority Fields for Ph.D. Programs of Foundation of Ministry of Education of China (0110071130003), FP7 Project (AMIS, PIRSES-GA-2011), and Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET).

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Zhang, Y., Zhang, Q., Leng, C. et al. Evolution of aerosol vertical distribution during particulate pollution events in Shanghai. J Meteorol Res 29, 385–399 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-014-4089-0

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