Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and Emissions

The mass composition of Particulate Matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) in San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is dominated by ammonium nitrate (NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>), a secondary pollutant. The goal of this research was the inv...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Thishan Dharshana Karandana Gamalathge, Mark C. Green, William R. Stockwell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
Series:Atmosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/3/312
_version_ 1819076720324509696
author Thishan Dharshana Karandana Gamalathge
Mark C. Green
William R. Stockwell
author_facet Thishan Dharshana Karandana Gamalathge
Mark C. Green
William R. Stockwell
author_sort Thishan Dharshana Karandana Gamalathge
collection DOAJ
description The mass composition of Particulate Matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) in San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is dominated by ammonium nitrate (NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>), a secondary pollutant. The goal of this research was the investigation of the relationship between emissions, meteorology and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations in Fresno for the winter season. It was found that location of sites near emission sources such as freeways compared with residential sites strongly affected measured PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations. It was found that although long-term trends showed declines in both emissions and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations, there was substantial variability between the years in the PM<sub>2.5</sub>&#8722;emissions relationship. Much of the yearly variation in the relationship between emissions and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations can be attributed to yearly variations in weather, such as atmospheric stability, precipitation frequency and average wind speed. There are moderate correlations between PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations and temperature differences between nearby surface stations at varying elevations which explains some of the daily and seasonal variation in PM<sub>2.5</sub>. Occurrence of precipitation was related to low PM <sub>2.5</sub>, although the higher wind speeds and lower atmospheric stability associated with precipitation likely explain some of the low PM<sub>2.5</sub> as well as washout of PM.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T18:45:47Z
format Article
id doaj.art-00a6147985e54c98a56616771ee6fdcd
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2073-4433
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T18:45:47Z
publishDate 2020-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Atmosphere
spelling doaj.art-00a6147985e54c98a56616771ee6fdcd2022-12-21T18:53:53ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332020-03-0111331210.3390/atmos11030312atmos11030312Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and EmissionsThishan Dharshana Karandana Gamalathge0Mark C. Green1William R. Stockwell2Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV 89512, USADivision of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV 89512, USADivision of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV 89512, USAThe mass composition of Particulate Matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) in San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is dominated by ammonium nitrate (NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>), a secondary pollutant. The goal of this research was the investigation of the relationship between emissions, meteorology and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations in Fresno for the winter season. It was found that location of sites near emission sources such as freeways compared with residential sites strongly affected measured PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations. It was found that although long-term trends showed declines in both emissions and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations, there was substantial variability between the years in the PM<sub>2.5</sub>&#8722;emissions relationship. Much of the yearly variation in the relationship between emissions and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations can be attributed to yearly variations in weather, such as atmospheric stability, precipitation frequency and average wind speed. There are moderate correlations between PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations and temperature differences between nearby surface stations at varying elevations which explains some of the daily and seasonal variation in PM<sub>2.5</sub>. Occurrence of precipitation was related to low PM <sub>2.5</sub>, although the higher wind speeds and lower atmospheric stability associated with precipitation likely explain some of the low PM<sub>2.5</sub> as well as washout of PM.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/3/312air pollutionpm<sub>2.5</sub>sjvwinterstabilitymeteorology
spellingShingle Thishan Dharshana Karandana Gamalathge
Mark C. Green
William R. Stockwell
Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and Emissions
Atmosphere
air pollution
pm<sub>2.5</sub>
sjv
winter
stability
meteorology
title Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and Emissions
title_full Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and Emissions
title_fullStr Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and Emissions
title_full_unstemmed Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and Emissions
title_short Pillars of Solution for the Problem of Winter PM<sub>2.5</sub> Variability in Fresno—Effects of Local Meteorology and Emissions
title_sort pillars of solution for the problem of winter pm sub 2 5 sub variability in fresno effects of local meteorology and emissions
topic air pollution
pm<sub>2.5</sub>
sjv
winter
stability
meteorology
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/3/312
work_keys_str_mv AT thishandharshanakarandanagamalathge pillarsofsolutionfortheproblemofwinterpmsub25subvariabilityinfresnoeffectsoflocalmeteorologyandemissions
AT markcgreen pillarsofsolutionfortheproblemofwinterpmsub25subvariabilityinfresnoeffectsoflocalmeteorologyandemissions
AT williamrstockwell pillarsofsolutionfortheproblemofwinterpmsub25subvariabilityinfresnoeffectsoflocalmeteorologyandemissions