Air pollution caused by energy generation and consumption is both a global as well as localised issue. It contributes to global warming along with degradation in human health, ecosystem health, local and global sustainable development. About 75% of the global GHG emissions, 66% of NOx emissions and most of the PM emissions are from energy sectors. Energy sectors have also been reported as the main contributors (90%) of SO2 emission in China. Among various influential factors (like energy utilisation, the intensity of economic activities, climatic conditions), the terrain is one of the key elements for the formation and dispersion of air pollution. The relationship between air pollution and terrain requires to be more deeply studied. The main contributions of this review include: 1) Summarising the main sources and types of air pollutants as well as the emission characteristics of different sector groups; 2) Proposing the mechanism of air pollution terrain nexus; 3) Reviewing modelling and experiments approaches for air pollution terrain nexus simulation; 4) Highlighting the existing limitations and challenges. This review provides a better understanding of the air pollution terrain nexus. It can contribute to mitigating the air pollution problems.

Air pollution terrain nexus: A review considering energy generation and consumption

. Ground-level and vertical measurements (performed using tethered and non-tethered balloons), coupled with modelling, of ozone (O3), other gaseous pollutants (NO, NO2, CO, SO2) and aerosols were carried out in the plains (Vic Plain) and valleys of the northern region of the Barcelona metropolitan area (BMA) in July 2015, an area typically recording the highest O3 episodes in Spain. Our results suggest that these very high O3 episodes were originated by three main contributions: (i) the surface fumigation from high O3 reservoir layers located at 1500–3000 m a.g.l. (according to modelling and non-tethered balloon measurements), and originated during the previous day(s) injections of polluted air masses at high altitude; (ii) local/regional photochemical production and transport (at lower heights) from the BMA and the surrounding coastal settlements, into the inland valleys; and (iii) external (to the study area) contributions of both O3 and precursors. These processes gave rise to maximal O3 levels in the inland plains and valleys northwards from the BMA when compared to the higher mountain sites. Thus, a maximum O3 concentration was observed within the lower tropospheric layer, characterised by an upward increase of O3 and black carbon (BC) up to around 100–200 m a.g.l. (reaching up to 300 µg m−3 of O3 as a 10 s average), followed by a decrease of both pollutants at higher altitudes, where BC and O3 concentrations alternate in layers with parallel variations, probably as a consequence of the atmospheric transport from the BMA and the return flows (to the sea) of strata injected at certain heights the previous day(s). At the highest altitudes reached in this study with the tethered balloons (900–1000 m a.g.l.) during the campaign, BC and O3 were often anti-correlated or unrelated, possibly due to a prevailing regional or even hemispheric contribution of O3 at those altitudes. In the central hours of the days a homogeneous O3 distribution was evidenced for the lowest 1 km of the atmosphere, although probably important variations could be expected at higher levels, where the high O3 return strata are injected according to the modelling results and non-tethered balloon data. Relatively low concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs) were found during the study, and nucleation episodes were only detected in the boundary layer. Two types of O3 episodes were identified: type A with major exceedances of the O3 information threshold (180 µg m−3 on an hourly basis) caused by a clear daily concatenation of local/regional production with accumulation (at upper levels), fumigation and direct transport from the BMA (closed circulation); and type B with regional O3 production without major recirculation (or fumigation) of the polluted BMA/regional air masses (open circulation), and relatively lower O3 levels, but still exceeding the 8 h averaged health target. To implement potential O3 control and abatement strategies two major key tasks are proposed: (i) meteorological forecasting, from June to August, to predict recirculation episodes so that NOx and VOC abatement measures can be applied before these episodes start; (ii) sensitivity analysis with high-resolution modelling to evaluate the effectiveness of these potential abatement measures of precursors for O3 reduction.

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Phenomenology of high-ozone episodes in NE Spain

We present a detailed evaluation of the seasonal performance of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modelling system and the PSU/NCAR meteorological model coupled to a new Numerical Emission Model for Air Quality (MNEQA). The combined system simulates air quality at a fine resolution (3 km as horizontal resolution and 1 h as temporal resolution) in north-eastern Spain, where problems of ozone pollution are frequent. An extensive database compiled over two periods, from May to September 2009 and 2010, is used to evaluate meteorological simulations and chemical outputs. Our results indicate that the model accurately reproduces hourly and 1-h and 8-h maximum ozone surface concentrations measured at the air quality stations, as statistical values fall within the EPA and EU recommendations. However, to further improve forecast accuracy, three simple bias-adjustment techniques—mean subtraction (MS), ratio adjustment (RA), and hybrid forecast (HF)—based on 10 days of available comparisons are applied. The results show that the MS technique performed better than RA or HF, although all the bias-adjustment techniques significantly reduce the systematic errors in ozone forecasts.

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Evaluating the Performance of a Regional-Scale Photochemical Modelling System: Part I—Ozone Predictions

The structure and evolution of the sea breeze in the north-west part of the Mediterranean (Catalonia, north-east Spain) is studied both experimentally and, predominantly, using numerical models to increase understanding of sea-breeze structure and three-dimensional (3D) pollution distributions in coastal environments. Sea-breeze components are modelled and analyzed using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Centre for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5). The results show that the growth and structure of the sea-breeze circulation is modulated by the synoptic flow and especially by the complex topography of the area. 3D pollution transport in a sea breeze is modelled by coupling the MM5 to the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, with results indicating that topography and synoptic flow are the main factors modulating horizontal and vertical pollutant transport in sea-breeze episodes. In this way, horizontal dispersion is limited by the complex topography of the area, whilst the sea-breeze flow is intensified by anabatic upslope winds that contribute to vertical pollutant transport. The numerical model results also indicate that the sea-breeze circulation with a weak return flow at upper levels grows due to a synoptic onshore wind component. However, such a sea-breeze circulation is capable of transporting pollutants towards the coast.

Modelling Local Sea-Breeze Flow and Associated Dispersion Patterns Over a Coastal Area in North-East Spain: A Case Study

. Stable atmospheric conditions are often connected with the occurrence of high pollution episodes especially in urban or industrial areas. In this work we investigate a severe SO2 episode observed on 3–5 February 2002 in a coastal industrial town of Rijeka, Croatia, where very high daily mean concentrations (up to 353.5 μg m−3) were measured. The episode occurred under high air pressure conditions, which were accompanied with a fog and low wind speeds. Three air quality models (50-km EMEP model, 10-km EMEP4HR model and 1-km CAMx model) were used to simulate SO2 concentrations fields and to evaluate the relative contribution of distant and local pollution sources to observed concentrations. Results suggest that the episode was caused predominately by local sources. Furthermore, using three-dimensional, higher-order turbulence closure mesoscale meteorological model (WRF), the wind regimes and thermo-dynamical structure of the lower troposphere above the greater Rijeka area (GRA) were examined in detail. Modelled atmospheric fields suggest several factors whose simultaneous acting was responsible for elevated SO2 concentrations. Established small scale wind directions supported the transport of air from nearby industrial areas with major pollution sources towards Rijeka. This transport was associated with strong, ground-based temperature inversion and correspondingly, very low mixing layer (at most up to about 140 m). Additionally, the surface winds in Rijeka were light or almost calm thus, preventing ventilation of polluted air. Finally, a vertical circulation cell formed between the mainland and a nearby island, supported the air subsidence and the increase of static stability.

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Exploring atmospheric boundary layer characteristics in a severe SO 2 episode in the north-eastern Adriatic

A variety of programmes and field experiments were carried out in order to develop and evaluate models of transport and diffusion of pollutants in complex terrain areas. As part of this programme, in this study, we have focused our interest on analyzing the basic features of different flow fields and thermal structures developed in a complex area and their relation to air pollution problems. The area is located in the province of Barcelona (in the northeast of Spain) close to a wide industrial zone, thus a pollutant flux could affect this region. In order to carry out the main purpose of this study we have analysed data from a Doppler Sodar (FAS 64) and a network of near surface meteorological and air quality stations. In addition, different dynamical simulations given by a numerical mesoscale model (MM5) are also analyzed. The results show that the main flow fields and thermal structures generated in this area are: sea breeze, slope drainage winds, channelling winds created by terrain constrictions and cool-air accumulation in low-lying regions. This last structure, developed specially in winter time, gives rise to stagnant cold air masses and strong thermic inversions, with average lapse rate of −4 degrees on 100 m, which contribute to increase air pollution concentration, especially SO2. Hourly and daily averaged SO2 concentration can be higher than 350 and 138 µg m−3 respectively. In addition, as “La Plana” is located not far from the Mediterranean Sea, during summertime the sea breeze arrives into this zone via its southern entrance, thereby reaching the whole area. The arrival of the sea breeze in to “La Plana”, which advects pollutants from the nearby industrial area, is the main cause of some of these pollutants, especially ozone and its precursors, attaining high concentrations during afternoon hours. The contribution of the sea breeze is variable, but could represent between a 25% to a 30% of its total value.

Analyzing the basic features of different complex terrain flows by means of a Doppler Sodar and a numerical model: Some implications for air pollution problems

M. Bravo

Papers

Analyzing the basic features of different complex terrain flows by means of a Doppler Sodar and a numerical model: Some implications for air pollution problems