A Comprehensive Study of a Winter Haze Episode over the Area around Bohai Bay in Northeast China: Insights from Meteorological Elements Observations of Boundary Layer

Boshi Kang, Chong Liu, Chuanhai Miao, Tiening Zhang, Zonghao Li, Chang Hou, Hongshuo Li, Chenrui Li, Yu Zheng and Huizheng Che
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Boshi Kang: The Institute of Atmospheric Environment, China Meteorological Administration, Shenyang 110000, China
Chong Liu: Earth System Modeling and Prediction Centre, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China
Chuanhai Miao: Liaoning Meteorological Equipment Support Center, Shenyang 110000, China
Tiening Zhang: Liaoning Weather Modification Office, Shenyang 110000, China
Zonghao Li: Liaoning Meteorological Equipment Support Center, Shenyang 110000, China
Chang Hou: Liaoning Meteorological Equipment Support Center, Shenyang 110000, China
Hongshuo Li: Liaoning Meteorological Equipment Support Center, Shenyang 110000, China
Chenrui Li: Lanzhou Central Meteorological Observatory, Lanzhou 730020, China
Yu Zheng: State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Institute of Atmospheric Composition and Environmental Meteorology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Huizheng Che: State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Institute of Atmospheric Composition and Environmental Meteorology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Based on wind profile radar observations, along with high-frequency wave radar data, meteorological data, and air quality monitoring data, we studied a haze episode in Panjin—a coastal city around Bohai Bay in Northeast China—that occurred from 8 to 13 February 2020. The results show that this persistent pollution event was dominated by PM 10 and PM 2.5 and their mass concentrations were both ~120 μg/m 3 in the mature stage. In the early stage, the southerly sea breeze of ~4.5 m/s brought a large amount of moist air from the sea, which provided sufficient water vapor for the condensation and nucleation of pollutants, and thus accelerated the formation of haze. In the whole haze process, a weak updraft first appeared in the boundary layer, according to the vertical profile, contributing to the collision and growth of particulate matter. Vertical turbulence was barely observed in the mature stage, with the haze layer reaching 900 m in its peak, suggesting stable stratification conditions of the atmospheric boundary layer. The explosive growth of pollutant concentrations was about 10 h later than the formation of the stable stratification condition of the boundary layer. The potential source areas of air pollutants were identified by the WRF-FLEXPART model, which showed the significant contribution of local emissions and the transport effect of sea breeze. This study provides insights into the formation mechanism of haze pollution in this area, but the data observed in this campaign are also valuable for numerical modeling.

Keywords: haze episode; ground-based observations; wind profile radar; boundary layer; sea breeze; Bohai Bay; Northeast China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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