Detailed Assessment of the Effects of Meteorological Conditions on PM10 Concentrations in the Northeastern Part of the Czech Republic

Abstract

This article assessed the links between PM10 pollution and meteorological conditions over the Czech-Polish border area at the Třinec-Kosmos and Věřňovice sites often burdened with high air pollution covering the years 2016–2019. For this purpose, the results of the measurements of special systems (ceilometers) that monitor the atmospheric boundary layer were used in the analysis. Meteorological conditions, including the mixing layer height (MLH), undoubtedly influence the air pollution level. Combinations of meteorological conditions and their influence on PM10 concentrations also vary, depending on the pollution sources of a certain area and the geographical conditions of the monitoring site. Gen1erally, the worst dispersion conditions for the PM10 air pollution level occur at low air temperatures, low wind speed, and low height of the mixing layer along with a wind direction from areas with a higher accumulation of pollution sources. The average PM10 concentrations at temperatures below 1 °C reach the highest values on the occurrence of a mixing layer height of up to 400 m at both sites. The influence of a rising height of the mixing layer at temperatures below 1 °C on the average PM10 concentrations at Třinec-Kosmos site is not as significant as in the case of Věřňovice, where a difference of several tens of µg·m−3 in the average PM10 concentrations was observed between levels of up to 200 m and levels of 200–300 m. The average PM10 hourly concentrations at Třinec-Kosmos were the highest at wind speeds of up to 0.5 m·s−1, at MLH levels of up to almost 600 m; at Věřňovice, the influence of wind speeds of up to 2 m·s−1 was detected. Despite the fact that the most frequent PM10 contributions come to the Třinec-Kosmos site from the SE direction, the average maximum concentration contributions come from the W–N sectors at low wind speeds and MLHs of up to 400 m. In Věřňovice, regardless of the prevailing SW wind direction, sources in the NE–E sector from the site have a crucial influence on the air pollution level caused by PM10.

Thermal Modernization Cost and the Potential Ecological Effect—Scenario Analysis for Thermal Modernization in Southern Poland

“…This region is also important because of its border location. Such a location causes the pollutant emission to travel outside Poland-to Czech Republic and Slovakia [15,32]. Both countries have been monitoring cross-border emissions since 2017, assessing how much pollution comes from Poland [33].…”

Transboundary Air Pollution Transport of PM10 and Benzo[a]pyrene in the Czech–Polish Border Region

“…At temperatures above 10 • C, the contribution of wind directions to PM 10 concentrations is more balanced, with the lowest concentrations at SW-W. The dependence of PM10 concentrations on wind speed is significant [38,39]. Figure 13 The dependence of PM 10 concentrations on wind speed is significant [38,39].…”

“…The average PM 10 concentrations for the entire 2011-2020 period (Figure 11) show that the highest PM 10 concentrations are obtained when the daily wind type is E, NE-E or N-NE. The dependence of PM10 concentrations on temperature is significant [38,39]. Figure 12 shows the PM10 concentrations as a function of temperature and divided into individual daily types of wind.…”

“…Figure 12 shows the PM10 concentrations as a function of temperature and divided into individual daily types of wind. At low temperatures below 1 °C, the highest PM10 concentrations The dependence of PM 10 concentrations on temperature is significant [38,39]. Figure 12 shows the PM 10 concentrations as a function of temperature and divided into individual daily types of wind.…”

Characterization of PM10 Sampled on the Top of a Former Mining Tower by the High-Volume Wind Direction-Dependent Sampler Using INNA

“…The air quality in the region is significantly influenced by the rate and nature of cross-border pollution transmission along the most frequent wind directions (typically SW/NE), together with the inverse character of the weather with steady atmosphere and subsequently worsened dispersion conditions, which significantly contribute to increased air pollution during the winter. According to the available studies [6,22,27,30], the contribution of the cross-border PM pollution to the annual average values can vary from 20-40% depending on the location in the region, emissions and meteorological conditions in the year.…”