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Influence from long-distance transport, local sources and precipitation on black carbon concentrations at a rural background field station in southern Sweden

Yam, Kit Ming LU (2019) FYSK02 20191
Nuclear physics
Department of Physics
Abstract
The year 2018 was the first complete year with aerosol observations at the rural background station Hyltemossa in southern Sweden. The aim of this thesis was to analyse and investigate the influence from long-distance transport (LDT) aerosols, local sources and precipitation on the black carbon (BC) mass concentration by utilising the Aethalometer and the HYSPLIT model, which estimated the BC mass concentration ([BC]) and simulated the origin of the LDT air masses to Hyltemossa, respectively. The results were evaluated in terms of the probability distribution and geometric mean of [BC]. They indicate that air masses that contained relatively high [BC] at Hyltemossa station tended to originate from Eastern Europe through LDT air masses.... (More)
The year 2018 was the first complete year with aerosol observations at the rural background station Hyltemossa in southern Sweden. The aim of this thesis was to analyse and investigate the influence from long-distance transport (LDT) aerosols, local sources and precipitation on the black carbon (BC) mass concentration by utilising the Aethalometer and the HYSPLIT model, which estimated the BC mass concentration ([BC]) and simulated the origin of the LDT air masses to Hyltemossa, respectively. The results were evaluated in terms of the probability distribution and geometric mean of [BC]. They indicate that air masses that contained relatively high [BC] at Hyltemossa station tended to originate from Eastern Europe through LDT air masses. Additionally, the influence from local sources (Øresund) had a statistically significant local contribution to [BC] after eliminating the influence from Eastern Europe. Moreover, the estimated geometric mean of [BC] had a decreasing trend as the accumulated precipitation increased (wet scavenging). In the last section, the local contribution to [BC] at a busy street in Malmö was estimated and compared with the [BC] at Hyltemossa station. (Less)
Popular Abstract
Although we try to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), it is still not enough to stop global warming. There is a type of carbon-containing aerosols that absorb solar radiation and heat up the surrounding atmosphere—black carbon (BC). Tami Bond, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois, has said that BC has been estimated to be the second-largest contributor to modern global warming after CO2. It indicates that BC is a silent assassin to our earth, trapping the heat in the surrounding atmosphere without arousing people’s attention. Therefore, it is crucial to study the influence from European regions on BC concentration at a new rural background field station—Hyltemossa station in north Scania,... (More)
Although we try to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), it is still not enough to stop global warming. There is a type of carbon-containing aerosols that absorb solar radiation and heat up the surrounding atmosphere—black carbon (BC). Tami Bond, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois, has said that BC has been estimated to be the second-largest contributor to modern global warming after CO2. It indicates that BC is a silent assassin to our earth, trapping the heat in the surrounding atmosphere without arousing people’s attention. Therefore, it is crucial to study the influence from European regions on BC concentration at a new rural background field station—Hyltemossa station in north Scania, which records the first complete year (2018) of BC measurements.

Regions with a higher fossil fuel consumption (% of total energy) have been considered as the origin of BC, which is formed from incomplete combustion, e.g. within a diesel engine or from wood combustion. By using the Aethalometer model, the assassin cannot
hide under his mask anymore because the model reveals BC concentration. Results of my thesis work show that the air masses with influence from Eastern Europe had a generally higher probability of high BC concentration than the air masses with influence from Western Europe. In view of the average BC concentration at Hyltemossa station, the air masses with influence from Eastern Europe had a higher geometric mean of BC concentration than the air masses from Western Europe. International Energy Agency finds out that countries in Eastern Europe have a relatively higher fossil fuel consumption than
countries in Western Europe. This observation agrees with the results of my thesis work to a great extent.

If policymakers ignore BC measurements in a climate plan for their city, how much worse our earth will be. Governments of European countries should always remind themselves that not only CO2 has been an agent for climate change, but BC also keeps trapping the heat and thereby increases the temperature of our earth. James Hansen, adjunct professor of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, pointed out that BC is approximately twice as effective in changing global surface air temperature in the Northern Hemisphere and the Arctic than CO2. In other words, BC measurements should be regarded as equally important as CO2 measurements if we want to alleviate global warming.

This thesis work is mainly about data analysis of black carbon concentration and origin. I specifically study the influence from long-distance transport, local sources and precipitation on [BC] during 2018. This information may be beneficial for policymakers because the results of this work could help them to quantify and reveal the urban influence from aerosol particles on adjacent regions and Government can then evaluate the recent state and predict the future behaviour of the earth’s climate. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Yam, Kit Ming LU
supervisor
organization
course
FYSK02 20191
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Black carbon, black carbon concentrations, Hyltemossa station, Aethalometer, HYSPLIT, long-distance transport, local sources, precipitation
language
English
id
8980932
date added to LUP
2019-06-18 19:53:53
date last changed
2019-06-18 19:53:53
@misc{8980932,
  abstract     = {{The year 2018 was the first complete year with aerosol observations at the rural background station Hyltemossa in southern Sweden. The aim of this thesis was to analyse and investigate the influence from long-distance transport (LDT) aerosols, local sources and precipitation on the black carbon (BC) mass concentration by utilising the Aethalometer and the HYSPLIT model, which estimated the BC mass concentration ([BC]) and simulated the origin of the LDT air masses to Hyltemossa, respectively. The results were evaluated in terms of the probability distribution and geometric mean of [BC]. They indicate that air masses that contained relatively high [BC] at Hyltemossa station tended to originate from Eastern Europe through LDT air masses. Additionally, the influence from local sources (Øresund) had a statistically significant local contribution to [BC] after eliminating the influence from Eastern Europe. Moreover, the estimated geometric mean of [BC] had a decreasing trend as the accumulated precipitation increased (wet scavenging). In the last section, the local contribution to [BC] at a busy street in Malmö was estimated and compared with the [BC] at Hyltemossa station.}},
  author       = {{Yam, Kit Ming}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Influence from long-distance transport, local sources and precipitation on black carbon concentrations at a rural background field station in southern Sweden}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}