Detecting the Causal Nexus between Particulate Matter (<i>PM</i>10) and Rainfall in the Caribbean Area
In this study, we investigate the interactions between particulate matter that have an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi mathvariant="sans-serif">μ&l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/2/175 |
| Summary: | In this study, we investigate the interactions between particulate matter that have an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi mathvariant="sans-serif">μ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>m diameter (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>M</mi><mn>10</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and rainfall (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) in entropy framework. Our results showed there is a bidirectional causality between <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>M</mi><mn>10</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> concentrations and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> values. This means that <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>M</mi><mn>10</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> concentrations influence <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> values while <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> induces the wet scavenging process. Rainfall seasonality has a significant impact on the wet scavenging process while African dust seasonality strongly influence <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> behavior. Indeed, the wet scavenging process is 5 times higher during the wet season while <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>M</mi><mn>10</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> impact on <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> is 2.5 times higher during the first part of the high dust season. These results revealed two types of causality: a direct causality (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> to <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>M</mi><mn>10</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and an indirect causality (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>M</mi><mn>10</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> to <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>R</mi></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>). All these elements showed that entropy is an efficient way to quantify the behavior of atmospheric processes using ground-based measurements. |
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| ISSN: | 2073-4433 |