1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention
(LAP), Department of environmental science and engineering, Fudan
University, Shanghai 200433, China
2Atmospheric Environment Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental
Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
3South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental
Protection, Guangzhou 510655, China
4Key Laboratory of Region Climate-Environment Research for Temperate East
Asia, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
100029, China
5Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster of Ministry of Education, Nanjing
University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention
(LAP), Department of environmental science and engineering, Fudan
University, Shanghai 200433, China
2Atmospheric Environment Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental
Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
3South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental
Protection, Guangzhou 510655, China
4Key Laboratory of Region Climate-Environment Research for Temperate East
Asia, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
100029, China
5Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster of Ministry of Education, Nanjing
University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Correspondence: Tiantao Cheng (ttcheng@fudan.edu.cn) and Xiang Li (lixiang@fudan.edu.cn)
Received: 25 Aug 2015 – Discussion started: 19 Nov 2015 – Revised: 13 Jun 2016 – Accepted: 24 Jun 2016 – Published: 27 Jul 2016
Abstract. A historic haze event, characterized by lengthy, large-scale and severe pollution, occurred in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of China from 1 to 10 December 2013. This haze event significantly influenced air quality throughout the region, especially in urban areas. Aerosol physical, chemical and optical properties were measured in Shanghai. Sometimes the 1 h average particle concentration (e.g., PM2.5) exceeded 600 µg m−3. Inorganic water-soluble ions in particles, trace gases and aerosol optical coefficients had a similar tendency to increase evidently from clear to hazy episodes. A combination of various factors contributed to the formation and evolution of the haze event, among which meteorological conditions, local anthropogenic emissions and pollutants are the major factors. High pressure system, calm surface wind and subsidence airflow were responsible for the decrease of planetary boundary layer (PBL) and the accumulation of pollutants. Atmospheric visibility correlated strongly with relative humidity (RH), particle number in size of 600–1400 nm other than particulate water-soluble species and particle mass (PM2.5). The particle hygroscopicity plays an important role in atmospheric visibility reduction. The results are somewhat helpful to forecast and eliminate regional atmospheric pollution in China.
Meteorological conditions, local anthropogenic emissions and aerosol properties played major roles in this historic winter haze weather formation. Aerosols the size of 600–1400 nm are mostly responsible for the impairment of atmospheric visibility. This study was performed by combining many on-line measurement techniques which were calibrated regularly to ensure reliability, and can act as a reference for forecasting and eliminating the occurrences of regional atmospheric pollutions in China.
Meteorological conditions, local anthropogenic emissions and aerosol properties played major...
