Abstract
Tropical cyclones (TCs) constitute one of the major atmospheric activities affecting the air quality of the Pearl River Delta region. In this study, the impact of TCs on air quality in Hong Kong during the TCactive season (July–October) from 2000 to 2015 is investigated. It is found that 57.5% of days with concentration of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 µm (PM10) above the 90th percentile are related to TCactivity. TCs in three regions, located to the east, southeast, and southwest of Hong Kong, have obvious impacts on pollutant concentration. When TCs are located east of Hong Kong near Taiwan, 65.5%/38.7% of the days have high or extremely high PM10/ozone (O3) levels, which are associated with northerly wind, sinking motion, and relatively low precipitation. When TCs are located southeast of Hong Kong, 48.1%/58.2% of the days have high pollution levels, associated mainly with continental air mass transport. When TCs are south or west of Hong Kong, only 20.8%/16.9% of the days have high PM10/O3 levels, and the air quality in Hong Kong is generally good or normal due to TC-associated precipitation, oceanic air mass transport, and an enhanced rising motion. The higher chance of high O3 days when TCs are present between Hong Kong and Taiwan, possibly due to lower-than-normal precipitation along the east coast of China under TCcirculation. The results in this study highlight the important influence of TCposition and associated atmospheric circulations on the air quality in Hong Kong.
摘要
研究发现, 台风移动路径会加强或减轻香港及其附近区域的空气污染浓度. 我们选取2000-2015年的台风数据和香港空气污染浓度的数据, 发现两者之间有很好的对应关系. 特别是台风季节(7-10月), 台风移动路径直接影响到香港区域的空气质量: 当台风向北移动位于台湾附近, 由于香港受下沉气流或大陆气流控制, 区域的边界层稳定度极高, 城市里的污染物不容易扩散, 65.5% /38.7% 以上的事件属于颗粒污染物(PM10)/臭氧(O3)高或严重污染, 导致香港空气质量差, 污染严重;当台风西北移动位于台湾与香港之间, 大约48.1% /58.2% 以上的事件属于颗粒污染物(PM10)/臭氧(O3)高或严重污染, 此时香港主要受到由沿海城市传送的污染物影响, 导致空气质量中等偏差, 但严重性开始下降;而当台风偏西移动位于香港的西南方向时, 台风降水以及西南边输送的充沛水汽及强劲的上升环流,会导致区域大气不稳定, 台风降水及其上升气流会降低区域内的污染物浓度, 只有20.8 % (16.9%)的事件属于颗粒污染物(PM10)/臭氧(O3)高或严重污染, 香港空气质量改善.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chan, C. Y., and L. Y. Chan, 2000: Effect of meteorology and air pollutant transport on ozone episodes at a subtropical coastal Asian city, Hong Kong. J. Geophys. Res., 105, 20707–20724, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JD900140
Chan, L. Y., H. Y. Liu, K. S. Lam, T. Wang, S. J. Oltmans, and J. M. Harris, 1998: Analysis of the seasonal behavior of tropospheric ozone at Hong Kong. Atmos. Environ., 32, 159–168, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(97)00320-8
Cheng, Z. L., K. S. Lam, L. Y. Chan, T. Wang, and K. K. Cheng, 2000: Chemical characteristics of aerosols at coastal station in Hong Kong. I. Seasonal variation of major ions, halogens and mineral dusts between 1995 and 1996. Atmos. Environ., 34, 2771–2783, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(99)00343-X
Colbeck, I., and A. R. MacKenzie, 1994: Air Pollution by Photochemical Oxidants. Elsevier, 388 pp.
Davidson, C. I., R. F. Phalen, and P. A. Solomon, 2005: Airborne particulate matter and human health: A review. Aerosol Science and Technology, 39, 737–749, https://doi.org/10.1080/02786820500191348
Deng, X. J., X. X. Tie, D. Wu, X. J. Zhou, X. Y. Bi, H. B. Tan, F. Li, and C. L. Jiang, 2008: Long-term trend of visibility and its characterizations in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, China. Atmos. Environ., 42, 1424–1435, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.11.025
Ding, A. J., T. Wang, and C. B. Fu, 2013: Transport characteristics and origins of carbon monoxide and ozone in Hong Kong, South China. J. Geophys. Res., 118, 9475–9488, https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50714
Draxler, R. R., and G. D. Hess, 1997: Description of the HYSPLIT 4 modeling system. NOAA Technical Memorandum. ERL ARL-224. Silver Spring, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Research Laboratories, Air Resources Laboratory.
Feng, Y. R., A. Y. Wang, D. Wu, and X. D. Xu, 2007: The influence of tropical cyclone Melor on PM10 concentrations during an aerosol episode over the Pearl River Delta region of China: Numerical modeling versus observational analysis. Atmos. Environ., 41, 4349–4365, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.01.055
Hien, P. D., P. D. Loc, and N. V. Dao, 2011: Air pollution episodes associated with East Asian winter monsoons. Science of the Total Environment, 409, 5063–5068, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.08.049
Ho, K. F., S. C. Lee, C. K. Chan, J. C. Yu, J. C. Chow, and X. H. Yao, 2003: Characterization of chemical species in PM2.5 and PM10 aerosols in Hong Kong. Atmos. Environ., 37, 31–39, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(02)00804-X
Husar, R. B., J. M. Prospero, and L. L. Stowe, 1997: Characterization of tropospheric aerosols over the oceans with the NOAA advanced very high resolution radiometer optical thickness operational product. J. Geophys. Res., 102, 16889–16909, https://doi.org/10.1029/96JD04009
Jiang, F., and Coauthors, 2010: An ozone episode in the Pearl River Delta: Field observation and model simulation. J. Geophys. Res., 115, D22305, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JD013583
Kim, J.-S., W. Zhou, H. N. Cheung, and C. H. Chow, 2013: Variability and risk analysis of Hong Kong air quality based on Monsoon and El Ni˜no conditions.Adv. Atmos. Sci., 30, 280–290, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-012-2074-z
Lai, L. Y., and R. Sequeira, 2001: Visibility degradation across Hong Kong: Its components and their relative contributions. Atmos. Environ., 35, 5861–5872, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(01)00395-8
Lam, K. S., T. J. Wang, L. Y. Chan, T. Wang, and J. Harris, 2001: Flow patterns influencing the seasonal behavior of surface ozone and carbon monoxide at a coastal site near Hong Kong. Atmos. Environ., 35, 3121–3135, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(00)00559-8
Lee, L. Y. L., R. C. W. Kwok, Y. P. Cheung, and K. N. Yu, 2004: Analyses of airborne 7Be concentrations in Hong Kong using back-trajectories. Atmos. Environ., 38, 7033–7040, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2003.11.045
Lee, Y. C., G. Calori, P. Hills, and G. R. Carmichael, 2002: Ozone episodes in urban Hong Kong 1994–1999. Atmos. Environ., 36, 1957–1968, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(02)00150-4
Lee, Y. C., and A. Savtchenko, 2006: Relationship between air pollution in Hong Kong and in the Pearl River Delta region of South China in 2003 and 2004: An analysis. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 45, 269–282, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAM2332.1
Lee, Y. C., X. Yang, and M. Wenig, 2010: Transport of dusts from East Asian and non-East Asian sources to Hong Kong during dust storm related events 1996–2007. Atmos. Environ., 44, 3728–3738, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.03.034
Louie, P. K. K., J. G. Watson, J. C. Chow, A. Chen, D. W. M. Sin, and A. K. H. Lau, 2005: Seasonal characteristics and regional transport of PM2.5 in Hong Kong. Atmos. Environ., 39, 1695–1710, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.11.017
Qin, Y., C. K. Chan, and L. Y. Chan, 1997: Characteristics of chemical compositions of atmospheric aerosols in Hong Kong: Spatial and seasonal distributions. Science of the Total Environment, 206, 25–37, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(97)00214-3
Shen, J., and Coauthors, 2015: An ozone episode over the Pearl River Delta in October 2008. Atmos. Environ., 122, 852–863, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.03.036
Stein, A. F., R. R. Draxler, G. D. Rolph, B. J. B. Stunder, M. D. Cohen, and F. Ngan, 2015: NOAA’s HYSPLIT atmospheric transport and dispersion modeling system. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 96, 2059–2077, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00110.1
Strong, M., Z. D. Sharp, and D. S. Gutzler, 2007: Diagnosing moisture transport using D/H ratios of water vapor. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L03404, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL028307
Wang, T., 2003: Study of visibility reduction and its causes in Hong Kong. Final Report, Tender Ref. AS01-286, Research Centre for Environmental Technology and Management, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Wang, T., V. T. F. Cheung, M. Anson, and Y. S. Li, 2001a: Ozone and related gaseous pollutants in the boundary layer of eastern China: Overview of the recent measurements at a rural site. Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 2373–2376, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000GL012378
Wang, T., Y. Y. Wu, T. F. Cheung, and K. S. Lam, 2001b: A study of surface ozone and the relation to complex wind flow in Hong Kong. Atmos. Environ., 35, 3203–3215, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1352-2310(00)00558-6
Wang, T., K. S. Lam, A. S. Y. Lee, S. W. Pang, and W. S. Tsui, 1998: Meteorological and chemical characteristics of the photochemical ozone episodes observed at Cape D’Aguilar in Hong Kong. J. Appl. Meteor., 37, 1167–1178, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1998)037<1167:MACCOT>2.0.CO;2
Wang, T., X. L. Wei, A. J. Ding, C. N. Poon, K. S. Lam, Y. S. Li, L. Y. Chan, and M. Anson, 2009: Increasing surface ozone concentrations in the background atmosphere of Southern China, 1994–2007. Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 6217–6227, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-6217-2009
Wang, X.-K., and W.-Z. Lu, 2006: Seasonal variation of air pollution index: Hong Kong case study. Chemosphere, 63, 1261–1272, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.10.031
Wei, X. L., Y. S. Li, K. S. Lam, A. Y. Wang, and T. J. Wang, 2007: Impact of biogenic VOC emissions on a tropical cyclonerelated ozone episode in the Pearl River Delta region, China. Atmos. Environ., 41, 7851–7864, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.06.012
World Health Organization, 2006: Air Quality Guidelines: Global Update 2005: Particulate Matter, Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide. World Health Organization, https://doi.org/www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/airquality/publications/pre2009/air-quality-guidelines.-globalupdate-2005.-particulate-matter,-ozone,-nitrogen-dioxideand-sulfur-dioxide
Wu, D., X. X. Tie, C. C. Li, Z. M. Ying, A. K.-H. Lau, A., J. Huang, X. J. Deng, and X. Y. Bi, 2005: An extremely low visibility event over the Guangzhou region: A case study. Atmos. Environ., 39, 6568–6577, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.07.061
Yang, J. X., A. K. H. Lau, J. C. H. Fung, W. Zhou, and M. Wenig, 2012: An air pollution episode and its formation mechanism during the tropical cyclone Nuri’s landfall in a coastal city of south China. Atmos. Environ., 54, 746–753, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.12.023
Yu, J. Z., J.W. T. Tung, A.W. M. Wu, A. K. H. Lau, P. K.-K. Louie, and J. C. H. Fung, 2004: Abundance and seasonal characteristics of elemental and organic carbon in Hong Kong PM10. Atmos. Environ., 38, 1511–1521, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2003.11.035
Yuan, Z. B., A. K. H. Lau, H. Y. Zhang, J. Z. Yu, P. K. K. Louie, and J. C. H. Fung, 2006: Identification and spatiotemporal variations of dominant PM10 sources over Hong Kong. Atmos. Environ., 40, 1803–1815, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.11.030
Zhao, C., Y. H. Wang, Q. Yang, R. Fu, D. Cunnold, and Y. Choi, 2010: Impact of East Asian summer monsoon on the air quality over China: View from space. J. Geophys. Res., 115, D09301, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JD012745
Acknowledgements
This work is financially supported by the City University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Research Institute Postdoc Fellowship, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 41675062), and the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. CityU 11306417).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chow, E.C.H., Li, R.C.Y. & Zhou, W. Influence of Tropical Cyclones on Hong Kong Air Quality. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 35, 1177–1188 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-018-7225-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-018-7225-4