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Comparison of Two Air Pollution Episodes over Northeast China in Winter 2016/17 Using Ground-Based Lidar

  • Special Collection on the Heavy and Persistent Haze-Fog Episodes in Winter 2016/17 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area of China
  • Published:
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Abstract

This study analyzes and compares aerosol properties and meteorological conditions during two air pollution episodes in 19–22 (E1) and 25–26 (E2) December 2016 in Northeast China. The visibility, particulate matter (PM) mass concentration, and surface meteorological observations were examined, together with the planetary boundary layer (PBL) properties and vertical profiles of aerosol extinction coefficient and volume depolarization ratio that were measured by a ground-based lidar in Shenyang of Liaoning Province, China during December 2016–January 2017. Results suggest that the low PBL height led to poor pollution dilution in E1, while the high PBL accompanied by low visibility in E2 might have been due to cross-regional and vertical air transmission. The PM mass concentration decreased as the PBL height increased in E1 while these two variables were positively correlated in E2. The enhanced winds in E2 diffused the pollutants and contributed largely to the aerosol transport. Strong temperature inversion in E1 resulted in increased PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, and the winds in E2 favoured the southwesterly transport of aerosols from the North China Plain into the region surrounding Shenyang. The large extinction coefficient was partially attributed to the local pollution under the low PBL with high ground-surface PM mass concentrations in E1, whereas the cross-regional transport of aerosols within a high PBL and the low PM mass concentration near the ground in E2 were associated with severe aerosol extinction at high altitudes. These results may facilitate better understanding of the vertical distribution of aerosol properties during winter pollution events in Northeast China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Atmospheric Environment, China Meteorological Administration, Shenyang, 110016, China

    Yanjun Ma, Hujia Zhao, Ye Hong, Xiaolan Li, Hongbin Yang, Yuche Liu, Yangfeng Wang & Ningwei Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China

    Yunsheng Dong

  3. State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather/Institute of Atmospheric Composition, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China

    Hujia Zhao & Huizheng Che

  4. Dalian Municipal Meteorological Observatory, Dalian, 116001, China

    Xiaoxiao Li

  5. Jinan Center of Aviation Control, Jinan, 250107, China

    Cuiyan Sun

Authors
  1. Yanjun Ma
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  2. Hujia Zhao
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  3. Yunsheng Dong
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  4. Huizheng Che
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  5. Xiaoxiao Li
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  6. Ye Hong
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  7. Xiaolan Li
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  8. Hongbin Yang
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  9. Yuche Liu
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  10. Yangfeng Wang
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  11. Ningwei Liu
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  12. Cuiyan Sun
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Huizheng Che.

Additional information

Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0203304 and 2016YFA0601901), National Natural Science Foundation of China (41605112, 41590874, 41375153, and 41375146), Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences Basic Research Fund (2017Z011, 2016Z001, and 2014R17), Climate Change Special Fund of China Meteorological Administration (CCSF201504), and Special Project for Doctoral Research of Liaoning Provincial Meteorological Bureau (D201501).

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Ma, Y., Zhao, H., Dong, Y. et al. Comparison of Two Air Pollution Episodes over Northeast China in Winter 2016/17 Using Ground-Based Lidar. J Meteorol Res 32, 313–323 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-018-7047-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-018-7047-4

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