Atmospheric Pollutant Dispersion over Complex Terrain: Challenges and Needs for Improving Air Quality Measurements and Modeling

Abstract

Pollutant dispersion processes over complex terrain are much more complicated than over flat areas, as they are affected by atmospheric interactions with the orography at different spatial scales. This paper reviews recent findings and progress in this field, focusing on both experimental and modeling perspectives. It highlights open questions and challenges to our capability for better understanding and representing atmospheric processes controlling the fate of pollutants over mountainous areas. In particular, attention is focused on new measurement techniques for the retrieval of spatially distributed turbulence information and air quality parameters, and on challenges for meteorological and dispersion models to reproduce fine-scale processes influenced by the orography. Finally, specific needs in this field are discussed, along with possible directions for future research efforts.

The Imprint of the Southern Annular Mode on Black Carbon AOD in the Western Cape Province

“…The pollutant sources can play a leading role even when meteorological factors favor the dispersion and dilution of pollutants. In addition, there are other small-scale atmospheric circulation features, such as land and sea breezes [24], behavior of plumes emitted from the source, and topographically induced wind systems, that affect atmospheric pollutant transport [25].…”

Measurement report: Effect of wind shear on PM<sub>10</sub> concentration vertical structure in the urban boundary layer in a complex terrain

“…Hess, 1974). According to the studies on thermal stratification obtained for Kraków by using sodar measurements with hourly resolution, in the months from October to March, the mean monthly frequency of stable atmosphere conditions varies from 58.1 % in March to 74.0 % in December (Godłowska, 2019). All factors mentioned above contribute to the poor natural ventilation of the city and the occurrence of high PM 10 levels, especially in the heating season.…”

Kajian Hasil Prediksi Konsentrasi Aerosol PM10 Dari Data ECMWF Dengan Hasil Pengukuran Di Stasiun Pemantau Atmosfer Global Bukit Kototabang (Agam) dan Kota Padang

“…Ini terutama sering dijumpai di kawasan perkotaan dengan tingkat kepadatan penduduk dan frekuensi kendaraan bermotor yang tinggi. Oleh karena itu, untuk mengetahui sampai mana emisi dari suatu sumber dapat dikatakan membahayakan atau dapat menimbulkan gangguan, perlu lebih jauh pemahaman mengenai karakteristik atmosfer yang sangat erat hubungannya dengan kondisi meteorologi setempat [6]; [7].…”