THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY DO MINH HONG THE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN PARTICULATE MATTER CONCENTRATIONS, PLANETARY BOUNDARY LAYER HEIGHT AND METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS BACHELOR THESIS Study Mode: Full-time Major : Environmental Science and Management Faculty : International Training and Development Center Batch : 2012-2016 Thai Nguyen, 05/12/2016 n Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry Degree program Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management Full name DO MINH HONG Student ID DTN1253150038 Thesis title The correlations between particulate matter concentration, planetary boundary layer height and meteorological parameters Supervisor Ph., Associate Professor Tang-Huang Lin (National Central University, Taiwan) MSc. Nguyen Van Hieu (Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam) Abstract: In this study, data describing PM10 concentrations, planetary boundary layer height, atmospheric temperature, relative humidity and wind speed in 2015 were analyzed and correlated for the further application to the air quality assessment in Taoyuan city, Taiwan. PM10 data were collected from an air quality station in urban area. The characteristics of PM10 concentrations were explored, and it's relationwith meteorological parameters were examinedaccordingly.
The studied area is characterized by low wind speed and humidity, with mild to warm winter and hot summer. Daily mass concentration of PM10 ranged from 10 to 104 µg/m3, which was under the limit of national air quality standards (125 µg/m3). The highest level of PM10 i n was observed duringwinter, while the lowest loading was during summer.Pearson analysis revealed strong negative correlations between PM10 and temperature, humidity and wind speed (>4 m/s) with the correlation coefficient of -0. Although, there was a weak correlation (-0.48) between PM10 and planetary boundary layer height for all observations, the relations during an interval near surface are significant (almost more than -0.8) indicating the impact of weather system.
Keywords Particulate matter, PM10, planetary boundary layer, wind speed, Taiwan Number of pages 38 Date of submission December 2016 ii n ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost,I would like to thank myadvisorAssoc. Tang-Huang Linfor being supportive, guiding and understanding during a difficult time.You have set an example of excellence as a researcher, mentor, instructor, who spent endless hours proofreading my research papers and giving me excellent suggestions which resulted in improved versions of documents. I would like to thank my advisor MSc. Nguyen Van Hieufor his constant enthusiasm and encouragement.
I would also like to thank members of "Environmental Remote Sensing Laboratory": Kuo-En Chang,Wei-HungLien, Yi-Ling Chang,Yuan-Hsiang Chang, Tsung-Ting Lee and Sheng-Kai Zeng.I am very grateful to all of you for your support and kindness. Finally, I take this opportunity to record my sense of gratitude to my families and friends who encourage and backing me unceasingly. Thai Nguyen, 05/12/2016 Author Do Minh Hong iii n TABLE OF CONTENT LIST OF FIGURES .1 LIST OF TABLES .2 LIST OF ABBREVIATION. Factors that affect particulate matter.
Planetary Boundary Layer. Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Network. Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. GMAO Data Products.
Pearson's Correlation Coefficient. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Description of the Study Area. Data and Equipment.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Statistics of the variables. Relationship between the variables. Relationship between PM10 and planetary boundary layer.
Relationship between PM10 and meteorological parameters .34 v n LIST OF FIGURES Page Fig. PM graphic showing size compared to hair and grain of sand 6 Fig. Planetary Boundary Layer 10 Fig. Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Network site 11 Fig.
Map of Taiwan showing the study area 19 Fig. Image of Taoyuan station surroundings 20 Fig. Flowchart of the study 21 Fig. Diurnal variations of PBLH (m) seasonal mean in Taoyuan in 2015.
Daily mean values of PM10 concentrations in Taoyuan station in 2015. Variation of monthly PM10 concentrations in Taoyuan station in 2015. Time series of particulate matter concentrations in Taoyuan in 2015. Time series for planetary boundary layer height and meteorological 27 variables (wind speed, relative humidity and temperature) in Taoyuan in one year.
Diurnal variations of parameter in Taoyuan for the studied period (a) 28 PM10, (b) planetary boundary layer height, (c) wind speed, and (d) relative humidity and temperature. Relationships between PM10 and planetary boundary layer height. Relationships between PM10 and meteorological parameters. 32 1 n LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1.
Brief description of GMAO data products 13 Table 2. Monthly means of meteorological elements in Taoyuan in 2015 23 Table 3. Correlation of particulate matter and planetary boundary layer heightin 30 2015 Table 4. Correlation of particulate matter and meteorological parameters in 31 2015 2 n LIST OF ABBREVIATION EOS Earth Observing System EPA Environmental Protection Agency GEOS Goddard Earth Observing System GMAO Global Modeling and Assimilation Office NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration PBL Planetary Boundary Layer PBLH Planetary Boundary Layer Height PM Particulate matter TAQMN Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Network 3 n PART I.
Research rationale Particulate matters are complex pollutants of different sizes, shapes and origins suspended in the atmosphere. Those with aerodynamic size not greater than 10 µm in diameter are collectively referred to as PM10. Due to their small sizes, PM10 can be inhaled readily and can penetrate deep into the human body. Hence respiratory health effects on people can be observed when they are exposed at elevated concentrations.
Studies indicated that an increase in daily mean PM10 concentrations might cause an increase in daily mortality and hospital admissions (Bell et al. Meteorology is a major factor in ambient PM concentrations since dispersion processes, removal mechanisms, and chemical formation of atmospheric particles depend on parameters. The meteorological parameters such as wind speed (WS), temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) etc. are expected to have important effects on PM10 variation.
For the reason, some studies carried out in urban areas have investigated the relationship between meteorological variables and PM concentration(Galindo et al., 2011; Hien et al. In addition, planetary boundary layer has a significant effect on the air pollutants, especiallythe particulate matters near surface(Quan et al., 2013; Rigby et al. For the case of Taoyuan city, it's a special municipality in northwestern Taiwan, which is prosperous in commerce and industry. Due to trade prosperity in recent years and the proliferation of job opportunities, Taoyuan has developed into a major 4 n economic district in Northern Taiwan.
Air traffic at Taiwan Taoyuan Internation Airport has increased steadily. The emissions produced from larger energy consumption and from increasing local traffic volume might generate more particulates which impose stresses on the atmospheric environment. Understanding PM10 behavior and the relationship with meteorological variables is an essential issue related to the environmental assessment. Thus, having this project conducted “The correlations between particulate matter concentration, planetary boundary layer height and meteorological parameters".
Research's objectives The objective of this study is to explore the influence of meteorological parameters onPM10concentrationsin Taoyuan city, Taiwanduring 2015.PM10 and meteorological parameters data were collected from an ambient air quality station in Taoyuan; planetary boundary layer height data were obtained from the online outputs provided by GMAOin 2015. These data have been analyzed to assess ambient PM10 levels, diurnal and monthly variation, and inter-correlations of the variables. What is the content of PM10 in Taoyuan city? 2. How does planetary boundary layer and meteorological parameters effect on concentrations of PM10in Taoyuan city? 1.
Limitations The analysis conducted so far is limited because due toPM10 and meteorological parameters data was collected in one stationonly; it might limit the representative of results in this study. Particulate Matter According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "Particulate matter" or PM is the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.
Particulate matterincludes "inhalable coarse particles", with diameters larger than 2.5 micrometers and smaller than 10 micrometers and "fine particles", with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers and smaller, they are the standard concentrations used in EPA. How small is 2.5 micrometers? Think about a single hair from your head. The average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter – making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle (US EPA, n. PM graphic showing size compared to hair and grain of sand 6 n Studies illustrate that the main PM10 sources were mineral dust, emissions derived from power generation, vehicle exhausts, marine aerosol, soil and sea salt particles (Kavouras et al., 2001; Rodríguez et al.
Meteorological parameters play a significant role in transport, diffusion and natural cleansing in the atmosphere. The air pollution cycle consist of three phases: release of air pollutant at the sources, transport and diffusion in the atmosphere, and reception by people, plants and animals (Goel & Trivedy, 1998). One main problem is that particulate pollution may remain in the atmosphere for some time depending on the size and the amount of precipitation that occurs. For example, winds can carry PM10 great distances before they finally reach the surface.
Particle pollution contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream. Studies indicated that an increase in daily mean PM10 concentrations might cause an increase in daily mortality and hospital admissions (Bell et al.
EPA found particulate matters levels are usually high during north-east monsoon in autumn and winter, especially for PM10. EPA has set up Air Quality Standards which provides information to people in the website. To be specific, size equivalent to 7 n less than 10 microns of suspended particles (PM10) standard of the average of 24 hours is 125 µg/m3 and annual average is 65 µg/m3. Factors that affect particulate matter There are many factors affect particulate matter that can decrease or increase theconcentration of particulate matter.
Most natural aerosol sources are controlled by climatic parameters like wind, moisture, and temperature. The transport and removal of particulate matter is highly sensitive to winds and precipitation. Removal of particulate matter from the atmosphere occurs mainly by wet deposition (in which atmospheric pollutants mix with water vapor and fall as precipitation) (NRC, 2005a). The wind speed plays a role in diluting pollution.
When vast quantities of pollutants are spewed into the air, the wind speed determines how quickly the pollutants mix with the surrounding air and, of course, how fast they move away from their source. Strong winds tend to lower the concentration of particulate matters by spreading them apart as they move downstream. Moreover, the stronger the wind, the more turbulent the air. Turbulent air produces swirling eddies that dilute the particulate matters by mixing them with the cleaner surrounding air.
Hence, when the wind dies down, particulate matters are not readily dispersed and tend to become more concentrated(Ahrens, 2014). Particulate matter chemistry is affected by changes in temperature. Temperature is one of the most important meteorological variables influencing air quality in urban atmospheres because it affects gas and heterogeneous chemical reaction rates and gas- to-particle partitioning. The net effect that increased temperature has on airborne particle concentrations is a balance between increased production rates for secondary 8 n particulate matter (which increases particulate concentrations) and increased equilibrium vapor pressures for semi-volatile particulate compounds (which decreases particulate concentrations).
Increase temperatures may either increase or decrease the concentration of semi-volatile secondary reaction products, such as ammonium nitrate, depending on ambient conditions. Regions with relatively warm initial temperatures (>17 °C) may experience a reduction in particulate ammonium nitrate concentrations as temperature increases, while regions with relatively cool initial temperatures (<17 °C) may experience minor reductions or even small increases in particulate ammonium nitrate concentrations as temperature increases (Gray, 2009). Planetary Boundary Layer The planetary boundary layer (PBL) is the lowest layer of the troposphere where wind is influenced by friction (Fig.