Contribution of local emissions and transboundary air pollution to air quality in Hong Kong during El Niño-Southern Oscillation and heatwaves

Yim, Steve Hung Lam; Hou, Xiudan; Guo, Jianping; Yang, Yibo

doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2018.10.021

Cited by 51 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…The aerosol loading is further enhanced by the positive feedback between PBL and aerosol radiative forcing (Ding et al, 2016;Ramanathan et al, 2007). The impact of the PBL on transboundary air pollution has also been reported (e.g., Hou et al, 2018;Yim et al, 2019). Additionally, the changes in PBL are closely associated with global warming through the lower atmospheric temperature, for instance, partly accounting for the amplified Arctic temperature response (Davy & Esau, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…As the layer of the troposphere in contact with surface, the planetary boundary layer (PBL) controls the vertical exchange of heat, moisture, momentum, and air pollutants between the Earth's surface and the free atmosphere (Garratt, 1994). The boundary layer height (BLH) is strongly affected by factors including sensible heat flux, frictional drag, evaporation, and flow modification (Stull, 1988), which plays a significant role in weather, climate, and air quality (e.g., Guo, Lou, et al, 2017;Liu et al, 2018;Seidel et al, 2010;Yim et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Shift in the Temporal Trend of Boundary Layer Height in China Using Long‐Term (1979–2016) Radiosonde Data

Guo

Cohen

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

144

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The knowledge regarding how the boundary layer height (BLH) changes over time is still poor. Here we analyze the spatial and temporal changes in radiosonde‐derived measurements of BLH over China from 1979 to 2016. A qualitatively robust and abrupt change of BLH occurred in 2004. Over the former period (from 1979 to 2003) a spatially uniform increase was found in the BLH, while over the latter period BLH decreased in a spatially nonuniform way. Second, the meteorological influence on the rising BLH was determined to have a negative association with soil moisture, lower tropospheric stability and relative humidity, and a positive association with the near‐surface temperature. Yet, there was a different influence of meteorology on the BLH over the latter period, where a negative association was revealed with Tsfc and relative humidity. These findings shed new light on the long‐term changes in air pollution across China.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shift in the Temporal Trend of Boundary Layer Height in China Using Long‐Term (1979–2016) Radiosonde Data

Guo

Cohen

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

144

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“…The dispersion of atmospheric pollutants depends mostly on atmospheric turbulence and horizontal wind, which accelerates the vertical and horizontal diffusion of aerosol (Ding et al, ; Pal et al, ; Zheng et al, ). On the other side, except for the contributions of local pollutant emissions, atmospheric transport, and atmospheric chemistry (Guo et al, , ; Qin et al, ; Yao et al, ; Yim et al, ), the role of meteorological conditions cannot be ignored, such as strong temperature inversion or large‐scale high‐pressure systems (Miao, Guo, Liu, Liu, Li, et al, ). The increases in absorbing aerosol tend to stabilize the PBL and suppress the PBL, which consequently exacerbates the haze pollution (Ding et al, ; Wang et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Relationship Between Aerosol and Boundary Layer Height in Summer in China Under Different Thermodynamic Conditions

Lou

Guo

Wang

et al. 2019

Earth and Space Science

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The observed relationships between boundary layer height (BLH) and PM2.5 on a national scale remain unclear due to the dearth of observations. Here we investigated this relationship from a unique perspective of thermodynamic stability in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), using summertime (June–August) soundings from China for the period from 2014 to 2017. For all three times of soundings (0800, 1400, and 2000 Beijing time [BJT]), positive (negative) PM2.5 concentrations anomalies were found to correlate with negative (positive) BLHs anomalies relative to daily means. The negative correlation was strongest at 1400 BJT, followed by 2000 BJT and 0800 BJT. Overall, the PM2.5 was found to nonuniformly anticorrelate with BLH across China at 0800 and 2000 BJT. The strongest anticorrelation occurred in the North China Plain at 1400 BJT, in sharp contrast to the much weaker correlation in other regions characterized by much less polluted regions. The averaged PM2.5 in neutral boundary layers was higher than that in convective boundary layers (CBLs). The CBL, where the anticorrelation was the strongest, was conducive to dissipating more aerosol in the heavily polluted area in China than neutral boundary layer. The higher CBL formed under low cloud cover, low surface humidity, and strong wind speed was favorable for the dispersion of aerosol, in contrast to the stable boundary layers that happen under the highest cloud cover. Also, positive correlation was seen between stable boundary layer and PM2.5. The findings call for attention that the thermodynamical condition of PBL should be considered when examining the aerosol‐PBL interactions.

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“…Air pollution is one of the major environmental problems facing the modern world, leading to adverse impacts on human health (Brook et al, 2004;Brunekreef and Holgate, 2002;Cook et al, 2005;Dockery et al, 1993;Lelieveld et al, 2015;Nel, 2005;Pope III and Dockery, 2006;Samet et al, 2000;Yim and Barrett, 2012;Yim et al, 2013Yim et al, , 2015Yim et al, , 2019a, the environment (Gu et al, 2018;Lee et al, 2005;Rodhe et al, 2002), climate (Guo et al, 2016;Koren et al, 2012;Li et al, 2011;Liu et al, 2018, and economic costs (Y. J. Yin et al, 2017). This study focuses specifically on the phenomenon of transboundary air pollution (TAP; Yim et al, 2019b), which creates problems of assigning attribution and thwarts the implementation of effec-S. H. L. Yim et al: Air quality and acid deposition impacts tive policies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air quality and acid deposition impacts of local emissions and transboundary air pollution in Japan and South Korea

Yim

Shapiro

et al. 2019

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

Self Cite

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Abstract. Numerous studies have reported that ambient air pollution, which has both local and long-range sources, causes adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Previous studies have investigated the impacts of transboundary air pollution (TAP) in East Asia, albeit primarily through analyses of episodic events. In addition, it is useful to better understand the spatiotemporal variations in TAP and the resultant impact on the environment and human health. This study aimed at assessing and quantifying the air quality impacts in Japan and South Korea due to local emissions and TAP from sources in East Asia - one of the most polluted regions in the world. We applied state-of-the-science atmospheric models to simulate air quality in East Asia and then analyzed the air quality and acid deposition impacts of both local emissions and TAP sources in Japan and South Korea. Our results show that ∼ 30 % of the annual average ambient PM2.5 concentrations in Japan and South Korea in 2010 were contributed to by local emissions within each country, while the remaining ∼ 70 % were contributed to by TAP from other countries in the region. More detailed analyses also revealed that the local contribution was higher in the metropolises of Japan (∼ 40 %–79 %) and South Korea (∼ 31 %–55 %) and that minimal seasonal variations in surface PM2.5 occurred in Japan, whereas there was a relatively large variation in South Korea in the winter. Further, among all five studied anthropogenic emission sectors of China, the industrial sector represented the greatest contributor to annual surface PM2.5 concentrations in Japan and South Korea, followed by the residential and power generation sectors. Results also show that TAP's impact on acid deposition (SO42- and NO3-) was larger than TAP's impact on PM2.5 concentrations (accounting for over 80 % of the total deposition), and that seasonal variations in acid deposition were similar for both Japan and South Korea (i.e., higher in both the winter and summer). Finally, wet deposition had a greater impact on mixed forests in Japan and savannas in South Korea. Given these significant impacts of TAP in the region, it is paramount that cross-national efforts should be taken to mitigate air pollution problems across East Asia.

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Contribution of local emissions and transboundary air pollution to air quality in Hong Kong during El Niño-Southern Oscillation and heatwaves

Cited by 51 publications

References 55 publications

Shift in the Temporal Trend of Boundary Layer Height in China Using Long‐Term (1979–2016) Radiosonde Data

Shift in the Temporal Trend of Boundary Layer Height in China Using Long‐Term (1979–2016) Radiosonde Data

On the Relationship Between Aerosol and Boundary Layer Height in Summer in China Under Different Thermodynamic Conditions

Air quality and acid deposition impacts of local emissions and transboundary air pollution in Japan and South Korea

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