AsianScientist (Jan. 4, 2018) – Scientists in China have demonstrated that the mixing of water vapor and fine particles in the atmosphere is responsible for haze in Eastern China. Their findings are published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Severe haze events have occurred frequently in China in recent years, raising environmental and health concerns. The mechanisms that cause haze to form, however, are still not well understood, hindering authorities’ ability to forecast and mitigate haze pollution.
In the present study, a team of scientists led by Dr. Tie Xuexi at the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed the 2012-2013 winter haze events in Beijing. They found that water vapor in the atmosphere played an important role in enhancing haze pollution in Eastern China.
Using a combination of observational and modelling methods, the researchers revealed that under weak solar radiation and stagnant moist meteorological conditions in winter, water vapor molecules and fine particles accumulated in the shallow planetary boundary layer of the atmosphere. Meanwhile, water vapor molecules adsorbed on the surface of particles to form a particulate water vapor surface layer, which initiated a positive feedback cycle leading to heavy haze.
“The amplification of water vapor in the atmosphere is a rapid, cyclical feedback process, which plays a critical role in the worsening of haze pollution,” said Tie.
The study has provided a deeper understanding of the quantitative effects of water vapor on regional haze pollution in China, potentially helping authorities to predict the onset of haze pollution under high humidity conditions.
The article can be found at: Tie et al. (2017) Severe Pollution in China Amplified by Atmospheric Moisture.
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Source: Chinese Academy of Sciences; Photo: Shutterstock.
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