Comparison of mixing layer height inversion algorithms using lidar and a pollution case study in Baoding, China.

Journal: Journal of environmental sciences (China)
PMID: 30784467

Abstract

Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area is suffering from atmospheric pollution from a long time. The understanding of the air pollution mechanism is of great importance for officials to design strategies for the environmental governance. Mixing layer height (MLH) is a key factor influencing the diffusion of air pollutants. It plays an important role on the evolution of heavy pollution events. Light detection and ranging (lidar), is an effective remote-sensing tool, which can retrieve high spatial and temporal evolution process within mixing layer (ML), especially the variation of MLH. There are many methods to retrieve MLH, but each method has its own applicable limitations. The Mie-lidar data in Beijing was firstly used to compare three different algorithms which are widely used under different pollution levels. We find that the multi-layer structure near surface may cause errors in the detection of mixing layer. The MLH retrieved based on image edge detection was better than another two methods especially under heavy polluted episode. Then we applied this method to investigate the evolution of the mixing layer height during a pollution episode in December 2016. MLH at Gucheng county showed the positive correlation with the concentration of particulate matters during the start of this pollution episode. The elevated pollution level in Gucheng was not associated with MLH's decrease, and the significantly increased particulate matters raised the boundary layer, which trapped the pollutants near the surface.

Authors

  • Xiangguang Ji
    School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China. Electronic address: xgji2017@mail.ustc.edu.cn.
  • Cheng Liu
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China. Electronic address: chliu81@ustc.edu.cn.
  • Zhouqing Xie
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Global Change, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China. Electronic address: zqxie@ustc.edu.cn.
  • Qihou Hu
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
  • Yunsheng Dong
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
  • Guangqiang Fan
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
  • Tianshu Zhang
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
  • Chengzhi Xing
    School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Zhuang Wang
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
  • Zeeshan Javed
    School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
  • Jianguo Liu
    Key Lab of Environmental Optics and Technology, Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China; Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.

Keywords

External Resources

Popular Topics
Recent Journals