Relative Contributions of Boundary-Layer Meteorological Factors to the Explosive Growth of PM2.5 during the Red-Alert Heavy Pollution Episodes in Beijing in December 2016

Based on observations of urban mass concentration of fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter （PM2.5）, ground meteorological data, vertical measurements of winds, temperature, and relative humidity （RH）, and ECMWF reanalysis data, the major changes in the vertical structures of meteorological factors in the boundary layer （BL） during the heavy aerosol pollution episodes （HPEs） that occurred in winter 2016 in the urban Beijing area were analyzed. The HPEs are divided into two stages： the transport of pollutants under prevailing southerly winds, known as the transport stage （TS）, and the PM2.5 explosive growth and pollution accumulation period characterized by a temperature inversion with low winds and high RH in the lower BL, known as the cumulative stage （CS）. During the TS, a surface high lies south of Beijing, and pollutants are transported northwards. During the CS, a stable BL forms and is characterized by weak winds, temperature inversion, and moisture accumulation. Stable atmospheric stratifica- tion featured with light/calm winds and accumulated moisture （RH 〉 80%） below 250 m at the beginning of the CS is closely associated with the inversion, which is strengthened by the considerable decrease in near-surface air temperat- ure due to the interaction between aerosols and radiation after the aerosol pollution occurs. A significant increase in the PLAM （Parameter Linking Aerosol Pollution and Meteorological Elements） index is found, which is linearly re- lated to PM mass change. During the first 10 h of the CS, the more stable BL contributes approximately 84% of the explosive growth of PM2.5 mass. Additional accumulated near-surface moisture caused by the ground temperature de- crease, weak turbulent diffusion, low BL height, and inhibited vertical mixing of water vapor is conducive to the sec- ondary aerosol formation through chemical reactions, including liquid phase and heterogeneous reactions, which fur- ther increases the PM2.5 concentration levels. The contribution of these reaction mechanisms to the explosive growth of PM2,5 mass during the early CS and subsequent pollution accumulation requires further investigation.

Aerosol Hygroscopicity during the Haze Red-Alert Period in December 2016 at a Rural Site of the North China Plain

A humidification system was deployed to measure aerosol hygroscopicity at a rural site of the North China Plain during the haze red-alert period 17–22 December 2016. The aerosol scattering coefficients under dry [relative humidity（RH） 〈 30%] and wet（RH in the range of 40%–85%） conditions were simultaneously measured at wavelengths of450, 550, and 700 nm. It is found that the aerosol scattering coefficient and backscattering coefficient increased by only 29% and 10%, respectively when RH went up from 40% to 80%, while the hemispheric backscatter fraction went down by 14%, implying that the aerosol hygroscopicity represented by the aerosol scattering enhancement factor f（RH） is relatively low and RH exerted little effects on the aerosol light scattering in this case. The scattering enhancement factors do not show significant differences at the three wavelengths, only with an approximate 2% variation, suggesting that the aerosol hygroscopicity is independent of the wavelength. Aerosol hygroscopicity is highly dependent on the aerosol chemical composition. When there is a large mass fraction of inorganics and a small mass fraction of organic matter, f（RH） reaches a high value. The fraction of NO3^- was strongly correlated with the aerosol scattering coefficient at RH = 80%, which suggests that NO3^- played an important role in aerosol hygroscopic growth during the heavy pollution period.

Comparison of Submicron Particles at a Rural and an Urban Site in the North China Plain during the December 2016 Heavy Pollution Episodes

An extensive field experiment for measurement of physical and chemical properties of aerosols was conducted at an urban site in the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences（CAMS） in Beijing and at a rural site in Gucheng（GC）, Hebei Province in December 2016. This paper compares the number size distribution of submicron particle matter（PM1, diameter 〈 1 μm） between the two sites. The results show that the mean PM1 number concentration at GC was twice that at CAMS, and the mass concentration was three times the amount at CAMS. It is found that the accumulation mode（100–850 nm） particles constituted the largest fraction of PM1 at GC, which was significantly correlated with the local coal combustion, as confirmed by a significant relationship between the accumulation mode and the absorption coefficient of soot particles. The high PM1 concentration at GC prevented the occurrence of new particle formation（NPF） events, while eight such events were observed at CAMS. During the NPF events, the mass fraction of sulfate increased significantly, indicating that sulfate played an important role in NPF. The contribution of regional transport to PM1 mass concentration was approximately 50% at both sites, same as that of the local emission. However, during the red-alert period when emission control took place, the contribution of regional transport was notably higher.