Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain)
The aim of this paper is to statistically characterize gross beta activity concentrations in ground-level air in Bilbao (northern Spain) by analysing five years (2014–2018) worth of weekly measurements in aerosols collected in filters to analyse the impact of local meteorological parameters on conce...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/10/1323 |
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| author | Natalia Alegría Miguel Ángel Hernández-Ceballos Margarita Herranz Raquel Idoeta Fernando Legarda |
| author_facet | Natalia Alegría Miguel Ángel Hernández-Ceballos Margarita Herranz Raquel Idoeta Fernando Legarda |
| author_sort | Natalia Alegría |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this paper is to statistically characterize gross beta activity concentrations in ground-level air in Bilbao (northern Spain) by analysing five years (2014–2018) worth of weekly measurements in aerosols collected in filters to analyse the impact of local meteorological parameters on concentrations. In addition, synoptic meteorological scenarios associated with anomalous beta surface activity concentrations were identified. Over this five-year period, beta activity concentrations ranged from 35.45 µBq/m<sup>3</sup> to 1778 µBq/m<sup>3</sup> with a mean of 520.12 ± 281.77 µBq/m<sup>3</sup>. A positive correlation was found with the alpha concentrations (0.67), with an average of 0.138 for the alpha/beta ratio, and a low correlation was found with <sup>7</sup>Be (0.16). Statistical analysis identified a seasonal component in the time series, increasing, on average, beta activity concentrations from winter to autumn. The highest beta activity concentrations were measured under the arrival of southerly land winds with low wind speeds, while the wind analysis (surface winds and air masses) of two different seasonal periods (autumn 2015 and winter 2017) have highlighted how small variations in synoptic and local winds highly influence beta activity concentrations. These results are relevant to understand the meteorological factors affecting beta activity concentrations in this area and hence to define meteorological scenarios that are in favour to high/anomalous surface activity concentrations that are harmful to the environmental and public health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:43:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3e55ba772e914abea20b698c0f829910 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:43:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-3e55ba772e914abea20b698c0f8299102023-11-22T17:25:48ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332021-10-011210132310.3390/atmos12101323Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain)Natalia Alegría0Miguel Ángel Hernández-Ceballos1Margarita Herranz2Raquel Idoeta3Fernando Legarda4Department of Energy Engineering, University of the Basque Country, 48013 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Physics, University of Cordoba, 14071 Córdoba, SpainDepartment of Energy Engineering, University of the Basque Country, 48013 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Energy Engineering, University of the Basque Country, 48013 Bilbao, SpainDepartment of Energy Engineering, University of the Basque Country, 48013 Bilbao, SpainThe aim of this paper is to statistically characterize gross beta activity concentrations in ground-level air in Bilbao (northern Spain) by analysing five years (2014–2018) worth of weekly measurements in aerosols collected in filters to analyse the impact of local meteorological parameters on concentrations. In addition, synoptic meteorological scenarios associated with anomalous beta surface activity concentrations were identified. Over this five-year period, beta activity concentrations ranged from 35.45 µBq/m<sup>3</sup> to 1778 µBq/m<sup>3</sup> with a mean of 520.12 ± 281.77 µBq/m<sup>3</sup>. A positive correlation was found with the alpha concentrations (0.67), with an average of 0.138 for the alpha/beta ratio, and a low correlation was found with <sup>7</sup>Be (0.16). Statistical analysis identified a seasonal component in the time series, increasing, on average, beta activity concentrations from winter to autumn. The highest beta activity concentrations were measured under the arrival of southerly land winds with low wind speeds, while the wind analysis (surface winds and air masses) of two different seasonal periods (autumn 2015 and winter 2017) have highlighted how small variations in synoptic and local winds highly influence beta activity concentrations. These results are relevant to understand the meteorological factors affecting beta activity concentrations in this area and hence to define meteorological scenarios that are in favour to high/anomalous surface activity concentrations that are harmful to the environmental and public health.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/10/1323gross beta activitymeteorological parametersair massessurface windsnorthern Spain |
| spellingShingle | Natalia Alegría Miguel Ángel Hernández-Ceballos Margarita Herranz Raquel Idoeta Fernando Legarda Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain) Atmosphere gross beta activity meteorological parameters air masses surface winds northern Spain |
| title | Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain) |
| title_full | Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain) |
| title_fullStr | Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain) |
| title_short | Five Years (2014–2018) of Beta Activity Concentration and the Impact of Synoptic and Local Meteorological Conditions in Bilbao (Northern Spain) |
| title_sort | five years 2014 2018 of beta activity concentration and the impact of synoptic and local meteorological conditions in bilbao northern spain |
| topic | gross beta activity meteorological parameters air masses surface winds northern Spain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/10/1323 |
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