Observational study of aerosol-induced impact on planetary boundary layer based on lidar and sunphotometer in Beijing

Haofei Wang; Zhengqiang Li; Yang Lv; Hua Xu; Kaitao Li; Donghui Li; Weizhen Hou; Fengxun Zheng; Yuanyuan Wei; Bangyu Ge

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.070

Observational study of aerosol-induced impact on planetary boundary layer based on lidar and sunphotometer in Beijing

Environ Pollut. 2019 Sep;252(Pt A):897-906. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.070. Epub 2019 May 18.

Authors

Haofei Wang¹, Zhengqiang Li², Yang Lv¹, Hua Xu³, Kaitao Li³, Donghui Li³, Weizhen Hou³, Fengxun Zheng¹, Yuanyuan Wei¹, Bangyu Ge¹

Affiliations

¹ State Environment Protection Key Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
² State Environment Protection Key Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. Electronic address: lizq@radi.ac.cn.
³ State Environment Protection Key Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.

PMID: 31212251
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.05.070

Abstract

Atmospheric aerosols have been found to influence the development of planetary boundary layer (PBL) and hence to aggravate haze pollution in megacities. PBL height (PBLH) determines the vertical extent to which the most pollutant effectively disperses and is a key argument in pollution study. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate aerosol radiation effect on PBL, as well as assessment of surface cooling effect and atmosphere heating effect. All the data are measured at a site of Beijing from 2014 to 2017, of which PBLH is retrieved from micro pulse lidar and aerosol optical depth (AOD) from sunphotometer. Case study shows qualitatively that relative high aerosol load reduces PBLH, and in turn causes a high surface PM_2.5 concentration. We preliminarily reveal the influential mechanism of aerosol on PBL. The influence of aerosol on the radiation flux of PBL is analyzed, with the correlation coefficient (R) of 0.938 between AOD and radiative forcing of BOA (RF_BOA) and R = 0.43 between RF_BOA and PBLH. Also, AOD is found to negatively correlate with PBLH (R = -0.41). With the increase of AOD, the cooling effect of surface is enhanced, and further impede the development of PBL. Due to aerosol-induced reduction of PBLH, near surface PM_2.5 concentration surges and presents an exponential growth following AOD. Then, it is speculated and testified that the relationship between SSA (single scatting albedo) and PBLH would be determined by the location of absorbing aerosol within PBL. The upper PBL absorbing aerosol may decrease PBLH, while the lower absorbing aerosol appear to enhance PBLH. The study probably can provide effective observational evidence for understanding the effect of aerosol on PBL and be a reference of air pollution mitigation in Beijing and its surrounding areas.

Keywords: Absorbing aerosol; Aerosol; Lidar; Planetary boundary layer; Surface PM(2.5).

Publication types

Observational Study

MeSH terms

Aerosols / analysis*
Air Pollutants / analysis*
Air Pollution / analysis*
Atmosphere / chemistry
Beijing
Environmental Monitoring / methods*
Smog / analysis*

Substances

Aerosols
Air Pollutants
Smog