Impacts of Boundary-Layer Structure and Turbulence on the Variations of PM2.5 During Fog–Haze Episodes

Abstract

The precise cause of PM2.5 (fine particular matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 μm) explosive growth and the contribution of intermittent turbulence to the dispersion of PM2.5 are uncertain. Thus, the impact of boundary-layer structure and turbulence on the variations of surface PM2.5 during fog–haze episodes, especially during explosive growth and dispersion episodes, are investigated using turbulence data collected at a 255-m high meteorological tower in Tianjin from 2016 to 2018. Results suggest that the explosive growth of surface PM2.5 during fog–haze episodes is closely related to weak turbulent mixing, nocturnal inversions, or anomalous inversions, and the barrier effect of strong turbulent intermittency. Turbulent intermittency acts as a lid for hindering pollutant dispersion and is favourable for the fast accumulation of surface PM2.5. Apart from the potential causes mentioned above, the persistent moderate south-westerly flow is also a contributing factor for the explosive growth of surface PM2.5 during fog–haze episodes associated with regional transport. In addition, we demonstrate a possible mechanism of how intermittent turbulence affects the dispersion of PM2.5. Results verify that intermittent turbulence induced by the nocturnal low-level jet (LLJ) indeed plays an important role in the dispersion of PM2.5. However, the contribution of intermittent turbulence generated by the nocturnal LLJ to the dispersion of PM2.5 strongly relies on the intensity of the nocturnal LLJ.