Zifa Wang

Investigation of the sources and evolution processes of severe haze pollution in Beijing in January 2013

China experienced severe haze pollution in January 2013. Here we have a detailed characterization of the sources and evolution mechanisms of this haze pollution with a focus on four haze episodes that occurred during 10–14 January in Beijing. The main source of data analyzed is from submicron aerosol measurements by an Aerodyne Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor. The average PM1 mass concentration during the four haze episodes ranged from 144 to 300 µg m−3, which was more than 10 times higher than that observed during clean periods. All submicron aerosol species showed substantial increases during haze episodes with sulfate being the largest. Secondary inorganic species played enhanced roles in the haze formation as suggested by their elevated contributions during haze episodes. Positive matrix factorization analysis resolved six organic aerosol (OA) factors including three primary OA (POA) factors from traffic, cooking, and coal combustion emissions, respectively, and three secondary OA (SOA) factors. Overall, SOA contributed 41–59% of OA with the rest being POA. Coal combustion OA (CCOA) was the largest primary source, on average accounting for 20–32% of OA, and showed the most significant enhancement during haze episodes. A regional SOA (RSOA) was resolved for the first time which showed a pronounced peak only during the record-breaking haze episode (Ep3) on 12–13 January. The regional contributions estimated based on the steep evolution of air pollutants were found to play dominant roles for the formation of Ep3, on average accounting for 66% of PM1 during the peak of Ep3 with sulfate, CCOA, and RSOA being the largest fractions (> ~ 75%). Our results suggest that stagnant meteorological conditions, coal combustion, secondary production, and regional transport are four main factors driving the formation and evolution of haze pollution in Beijing during wintertime.

A deflation module for use in modeling long‐range transport of yellow sand over East Asia

A deflation module of soil and sand dust loading, especially for Asian dust (called yellow sand or Kosa), has been designed to provide explicit information on emission intensity for use in modeling long-range transport of yellow sand over East Asia. In contrast to previous modules for Sahara and Australian deserts, it includes three major predictors, the friction velocity, the surface humidity, and the dominant weather system. Comparison of the deflation module results, using these three parameters together or separately, with observed data on dust deflation in April and July 1988, shows that the best estimate can be obtained by considering the three predictors together when we take the minimum of the total error ratio as the selection criteria. It indicates that last two predictors provide a limitation for deflation and can decrease the number of false declarations from 23 to 7%, especially in the wet season. A regional long-range transport model for Kosa is introduced, which considers various parameters such as particle size, transport, diffusion, and removal in detail. The model results show a reasonable agreement with the observations during Kosa episodes in April 1988. A size-resolved analysis explains the peculiar multi layered vertical distribution of dust at large distances from the source areas; that is, for fine particles one peak appears close to the ground, while the other is in the middle troposphere.

“APEC Blue”: Secondary Aerosol Reductions from Emission Controls in Beijing

China implemented strict emission control measures in Beijing and surrounding regions to ensure good air quality during the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. We conducted synchronous aerosol particle measurements with two aerosol mass spectrometers at different heights on a meteorological tower in urban Beijing to investigate the variations in particulate composition, sources and size distributions in response to emission controls. Our results show consistently large reductions in secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) of 61–67% and 51–57%, and in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) of 55% and 37%, at 260 m and ground level, respectively, during the APEC summit. These changes were mainly caused by large reductions in accumulation mode particles and by suppression of the growth of SIA and SOA by a factor of 2–3, which led to blue sky days during APEC commonly referred to as “APEC Blue”. We propose a conceptual framework for the evolution of primary and secondary species and highlight the importance of regional atmospheric transport in the formation of severe pollution episodes in Beijing. Our results indicate that reducing the precursors of secondary aerosol over regional scales is crucial and effective in suppressing the formation of secondary particulates and mitigating PM pollution.

Lidar network observations of tropospheric aerosols

Observations of tropospheric aerosols (mineral dust, air-pollution aerosols, etc.) and clouds are being conducted using a network of two-wavelength (1064nm, 532nm) polarization (532nm) lidars in the East Asian region. Currently, the lidars are operated continuously at 23 locations in Japan, Korea, China, Mongolia and Thailand. A real-time data processing system was developed for the network, and the data products such as the attenuated backscatter coefficients and the estimated extinction coefficients for non-spherical and spherical aerosols are generated automatically for online network stations. The data are used in the real-time monitoring of Asian dust as well as in the studies of regional air pollution and climate change.

Characteristics of aerosol optical properties in pollution and Asian dust episodes over Beijing, China

Aerosol optical properties were continuously measured with the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) compact Raman lidar over Beijing, China, from 15 to 31 December 2007. The results indicated that in a moderate pollution episode, the averaged aerosol extinction below 1 km height was 0.39+/-0.15 km(-1) and the lidar ratio was 60.8+/-13.5 sr; in heavy pollution episode, they were 1.97+/-0.91 km(-1) and 43.7+/-8.3 sr; in an Asian dust episode, they were 0.33+/-0.11 km(-1) and 38.3+/-9.8 sr. The total depolarization ratio was mostly below 10% in the pollution episode, whereas it was larger than 20% in the Asian dust episode. The distinct characteristics of aerosol optical properties in moderate and heavy pollution episodes were attributed to the difference in air mass trajectory and the ambient atmospheric conditions such as relative humidity.

Rapid formation and evolution of an extreme haze episode in Northern China during winter 2015.

We investigate the rapid formation and evolutionary mechanisms of an extremely severe and persistent haze episode that occurred in northern China during winter 2015 using comprehensive ground and vertical measurements, along with receptor and dispersion model analysis. Our results indicate that the life cycle of a severe winter haze episode typically consists of four stages: (1) rapid formation initiated by sudden changes in meteorological parameters and synchronous increases in most aerosol species, (2) persistent evolution with relatively constant variations in secondary inorganic aerosols and secondary organic aerosols, (3) further evolution associated with fog processing and significantly enhanced sulfate levels, and (4) clearing due to dry, cold north-northwesterly winds. Aerosol composition showed substantial changes during the formation and evolution of the haze episode but was generally dominated by regional secondary aerosols (53–67%). Our results demonstrate the important role of regional transport, largely from the southwest but also from the east, and of coal combustion emissions for winter haze formation in Beijing. Also, we observed an important downward mixing pathway during the severe haze in 2015 that can lead to rapid increases in certain aerosol species.

Trend of acid rain and neutralization by yellow sand in east Asia: a numerical study

Abstract Acid rain and its neutralization by yellow sand in East Asia were investigated numerically by an Air Quality Prediction Modeling System (AQPMS). AQPMS consists of advection, diffusion, dry and wet deposition, gas-phase chemistry and the liquid-phase chemistry. A new deflation module of the yellow sand (Asian soil dust) was designed to provide explicit information on the dust loading. Different from the previous ones for Sahara and Australian deserts, this new one includes three major predictors, i.e., the friction velocity, the surface humidity and the predominant weather system, while this module was linked to the AQPMS. For model validation, the predicted pH values and sulfate- and nitrate-ion levels of precipitation, together with the surface concentrations of gaseous pollutants, were compared with the measured values at atmospheric monitoring stations, and a reasonable agreement was obtained. Firstly, the trend of the acid rain in East Asia due to the rapid increase of Chinese pollutants emission was investigated, and a remarkably rapid increase of acid rain area was predicted in the period from 1985 to 1995, the monthly mean pH values showing the decrease of 0.3–0.8 in the area from the center to northeast in China, and 0.1–0.2 even in Japan and Korea. Secondly, the simulation results of April 1995 exhibited a strong neutralization of the precipitation by the yellow sand. The monthly mean pH values in the northern China showed a remarkable increase of 0.6–1.8 by neutralization effect of the yellow sand, while the increases in the southern China were less than 0.1. Even in Korea and Japan the yellow sand caused the increase of the pH value of rain by 0.1–0.2.

Simulation of dust aerosol radiative feedback using the Global Transport Model of Dust: 1. Dust cycle and validation

concentrations (mean bias MB of � 0.67 m gm � 3 , normalized mean bias NMB of � 8.0%, correlation coefficient of 0.96 at 18 sites), logarithmic total deposition (� 0.62 g m � 2 a � 1 , � 36.0%, 0.84 at 251 sites), and aerosol optical thickness (� 0.04, � 26.7%, 0.80 at 16 sites). The simulated dust particle size distribution is consistent with observations; both have a volume median radius in the range 1.0–4.0 mm. We examine the temporal variation of dust transport on different timescales. The simulated interannual variability is small, but the seasonal variation is quite large in the Sahara Desert and central Asia. We pay special attention to the diurnal variation of dust; both observations and simulations show that dust mobilization is more active during the local daytime than nighttime. On a global and annual mean basis, the simulated ratio of the daytime maximum uplift to the nighttime minimum is 75. Both the dust burden and dry deposition of dust show a similar diurnal cycle peaking in the late afternoon.

Simulations of monthly mean nitrate concentrations in precipitation over East Asia

Abstract Monthly mean nitrate concentrations in precipitation over East Asia (10–55°N, 75–155°E) in April, July, September, and December of 1999 were simulated by using a regional air quality Eulerian model (RAQM) with meteorological fields four times per day taken from National Centers for Environmental Prediction. The distribution of the nitrate concentration in precipitation depends significantly on the emission patterns of nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO+NO2) and volatile organic compound (VOC) and seasonal precipitation variability. The downward trend is also revealed, particularly in July and December. Highest concentrations are found in the industrialized regions, i.e., the coastal area of the Mainland of China, the Bay of the Huanghai Sea and the Bohai Sea, Korea, and Southern Japan. Long-range transport may cause elevated concentrations in remote areas downwind of the industrialized regions under favorable meteorological conditions, e.g., low precipitation. Comparison of observations and simulations indicates that the RAQM model reasonably predicts synoptic-scale changes in different months (seasons) and simulated nitrate levels in 4 months fit observed data with the discrepancy within a factor of 2. Exclusion of liquid chemistry within clouds is feasible for regional (1°×1°) and long-term (monthly) nitrate simulations. The uncertainty originates mainly from that of the emission data and modeled precipitation amounts and initial and boundary conditions.

Real-Time Characterization of Aerosol Particle Composition above the Urban Canopy in Beijing: Insights into the Interactions between the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Aerosol Chemistry.

Despite extensive efforts into the characterization of air pollution during the past decade, real-time characterization of aerosol particle composition above the urban canopy in the megacity Beijing has never been performed to date. Here we conducted the first simultaneous real-time measurements of aerosol composition at two different heights at the same location in urban Beijing from December 19, 2013 to January 2, 2014. The nonrefractory submicron aerosol (NR-PM1) species were measured in situ by a high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer at near-ground level and an aerosol chemical speciation monitor at 260 m on a 325 m meteorological tower in Beijing. Secondary aerosol showed similar temporal variations between ground level and 260 m, whereas much weaker correlations were found for the primary aerosol. The diurnal evolution of the ratios and correlations of aerosol species between 260 m and the ground level further illustrated a complex interaction between vertical mixing processes and local source emissions on aerosol chemistry in the atmospheric boundary layer. As a result, the aerosol compositions at the two heights were substantially different. Organic aerosol (OA), mainly composed of primary OA (62%), at the ground level showed a higher contribution to NR-PM1 (65%) than at 260 m (54%), whereas a higher concentration and contribution (15%) of nitrate was observed at 260 m, probably due to the favorable gas-particle partitioning under lower temperature conditions. In addition, two different boundary layer structures were observed, each interacting differently with the evolution processes of aerosol chemistry.