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An objective classification system of air mass types for Szeged, Hungary, with special attention to plant pollen levels

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Abstract

This paper discusses the characteristic air mass types over the Carpathian Basin in relation to plant pollen levels over annual pollination periods. Based on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts dataset, daily sea-level pressure fields analysed at 00 UTC were prepared for each air mass type (cluster) in order to relate sea-level pressure patterns to pollen levels in Szeged, Hungary. The database comprises daily values of 12 meteorological parameters and daily pollen concentrations of 24 species for their pollination periods from 1997 to 2001. Characteristic air mass types were objectively defined via factor analysis and cluster analysis. According to the results, nine air mass types (clusters) were detected for pollination periods of the year corresponding to pollen levels that appear with higher concentration when irradiance is moderate while wind speed is moderate or high. This is the case when an anticyclone prevails in the region west of the Carpathian Basin and when Hungary is under the influence of zonal currents (wind speed is high). The sea level pressure systems associated with low pollen concentrations are mostly similar to those connected to higher pollen concentrations, and arise when wind speed is low or moderate. Low pollen levels occur when an anticyclone prevails in the region west of the Carpathian Basin, as well as when an anticyclone covers the region with Hungary at its centre. Hence, anticyclonic or anticyclonic ridge weather situations seem to be relevant in classifying pollen levels.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Department of Analysis and Methodology, Hungarian Meteorological Service for providing the sea-level pressure data for the investigated period, Gábor Motika (Environmental Protection Inspectorate of Lower-Tisza Region, Szeged, Hungary) for handling meteorological and air pollution data and Áron Deák József for advice on plant ecology. This study was supported by the Hungarian National Foundation for Scientific Research (OTKA No. T 034765).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Climatology and Landscape Ecology, University of Szeged, P.O.B. 653, 6701, Szeged, Hungary

    László Makra, Rita Béczi & Zoltán Sümeghy

  2. Department of Botany, University of Szeged, P.O.B. 657, 6701, Szeged, Hungary

    Miklós Juhász

  3. Hungarian Meteorological Service, P.O.B. 38, 1525, Budapest, Hungary

    János Mika

  4. Laboratory of Meteorology, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece

    Aristides Bartzokas

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  1. László Makra
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  2. Miklós Juhász
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  3. János Mika
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  4. Aristides Bartzokas
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  5. Rita Béczi
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  6. Zoltán Sümeghy
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Correspondence to László Makra.

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Makra, L., Juhász, M., Mika, J. et al. An objective classification system of air mass types for Szeged, Hungary, with special attention to plant pollen levels. Int J Biometeorol 50, 403–421 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-006-0026-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-006-0026-y

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