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Comprehensive temporal analysis of temperature inversions across urban atmospheric boundary layer of Tehran within 2014–2018

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Abstract

The present study attempted to assess the surface-based inversion characteristics in Tehran city, capital of Iran, using upper air sounding data, in different temporal scales during 2014–2018. Some characteristics such as the height and temperature of the inversion layers in addition to the environmental lapse rate and inversion intensity index were investigated in this study. From a total set of 1343 diurnal inversions within 2014–2018, the highest frequency of inversions was registered in 2017 by 317 days, and the lowest frequency was recorded in 2014 by 227 days. Averagely, radiation inversions with a frequency of 1030 (73% from total inversions) were estimated more than subsidence inversions with a frequency of 313 (23%). The higher values of temperature gradient of the inversion layer (DTINV) coincided with the radiation inversions, depending on the most intensive inversions (0.1693) and the highest lapse rate (0.061). During the radiation inversion days, including intensive inversions in autumn and winter periods, the climatic variables of upward long-wave radiation, land surface temperature, surface sensible-heat flux, and vertical motion of air mass were in minimum levels across the atmospheric boundary layer, while the concentration of nitrogen dioxide was significantly in the highest value. All aforementioned climatic variables are reverted during the subsidence inversion days in the summer period with ticker but wicker inversion layers. Ultimately, the statistical analysis revealed the significant and positive correlation between nitrogen dioxide concentration and three characteristics of radiation inversion event, inversion intensity, and environmental lapse rate (R from 0.735 to 0.859) at 75–85% of the confidence level based on monthly data.

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Abbreviations

AGL:

Above ground level

ASL:

Above sea level

APDRC:

Asia Pacific Data Research Center

ABL:

Atmospheric boundary layer

CAPE:

Convective available potential energy

CO:

Carbon monoxide

EI:

Elevated inversions

ELR:

Environmental lapse rate

Giovanni:

Geospatial interactive online visualization and analysis infrastructure

LST:

Land surface temperature

LTI:

Lower tropospheric inversion

NASA:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NCEP:

National Centers for Environmental Prediction

NOAA:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NO2 :

Nitrogen dioxide

RH:

Relative humidity

SBI:

Surface-based inversion

SSHF:

Surface sensible-heat flux

SWEAT:

Severe weather threat

ULR:

Upward long-wave radiation flux

UHI:

Urban heat island

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Acknowledgements

We thank anonymous reviewers for technical suggestions on data interpretations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urban Planning and Design, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran

    Bahareh Khalesi

  2. Department of Geography and Natural Hazards, Research Institute of Shakhes Pajouh, Isfahan, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Mansouri Daneshvar

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  1. Bahareh Khalesi
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  2. Mohammad Reza Mansouri Daneshvar
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Correspondence to Mohammad Reza Mansouri Daneshvar.

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Khalesi, B., Mansouri Daneshvar, M. Comprehensive temporal analysis of temperature inversions across urban atmospheric boundary layer of Tehran within 2014–2018. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 6, 967–982 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-020-00732-x

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