Air Pollution–Planetary Boundary Layer–Weather Interactions in Asia: Observation and Modeling Evidences

Air pollution is one of the grand environmental challenges in East Asia. Planetary boundary layer (PBL) and synoptic weather are important for day-to-day air quality, however intense air pollution, especially high concentration of aerosols, can substantially influence meteorological parameters through the aerosol-radiation-PBL-weather interactions (1,2). Such kind of two-way feedback will not only influence weather and regional climate but also crucial for the enhancement of haze pollution in regions with strong emission of air pollutants.

Based on ground-based supersite measurement, radiosonde observations and satellite data together with numerical modeling, we found comprehensive evidences to show how the complex air pollutants from anthropogenic fossil fuel combustion sources and biomass burning activities could substantially modify weather, including air temperature, precipitation and low clouds in East Asia and southeastern Asia (3,4). We also found evidences to show how the air pollutants influence the PBL dynamics, the most important condition for air pollution dispersion and accumulation, and how the aerosol-radiation-PBL interaction, especially through its impact on increasing relative humidity, is important for secondary aerosol formation in Asia (5-6). We quantified the roles of strong-absorption aerosols, like black carbon and dust, in modifying boundary layer dynamics and enhancement of haze pollution in megacities and rural areas (i.e. the so-called “dome effect”) (7-11) and found that the air pollution-PBL-weather interactions should be considered in making regional air pollution control measures.

References:

[1]Ding, A., X. Huang, C. Fu, Air pollution and Weather Interaction in East Asia, Oxford Research Encyclopedias: Environmental Science, DOI:10.1093/acrefore/ 9780199389414.013.536, 2017.

[2] Li, Z., J. Guo, A. Ding, H. Liao, J. Liu, Y. Sun, T. Wang, H. Xue, H. Zhang, and B. Zhu, Aerosol and boundary-layer interactions and impact on air quality, Natl. Sci. Rev., 4 (6), 810 – 833, 2017.

[3]Ding, A. et al., Intense atmospheric pollution modifies weather: a case of mixed biomass burning wither fossil fuel combustion pollution in the eastern China, Atmos. Chem. Phys.,13,10545-10554, 2013.

[4]Huang, X. et al., Effects of aerosol–radiation interaction on precipitation during biomass-burning season in East China, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 10063-10082, 2016.

[5]Xie, Y. et al., Enhanced sulfate formation by nitrogen dioxide: Implications from in situ observations at the SORPES station, J. Geophys. Res., 120, 24, 12679-12694, doi:10.1002/ 2015JD023607, 2015.

[6] Ding, A. et al., Long-term observation of air pollution-weather/climate interactions at the SORPES station: a review and outlook, Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.,10 (5): 15, 2016.

[7]Ding, A. et al., Enhanced haze pollution by black carbon in megacities in China, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi:10.1002/2016GL067745, 2016.

[8]Liu, L., X. Huang, A. Ding, and C. Fu, Dust-induced radiative feedbacks in north China: A dust storm episode modeling study using WRF-Chem, Atmos. Environ., 129, 43-54, 2016.

[9]Petaja, T. et al., Enhanced air pollution via aerosol-boundary layer feedback in China, Scientific Reports, 6, 18998, 2016.

[10] Wang, Z., X. Huang, and A. Ding, Dome effect of black carbon and its key influencing factors: a one-dimensional modelling study, Atmos. Chem. Phys. 18 (4), 2821-2834, 2018.

[11]Huang, X., Z. Wang, and A. Ding, Impact of Aerosol-PBL Interaction on Haze Pollution: Multi-Year Observational Evidences in North China, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi:10.1002/2018GL079239, 2018.