Erik Crosman Dept Atmospheric Sciences University of Utah www.atmos.utah.

edu

Requirements for Bad AQ Episodes In The Salt Lake Valley

Winter PM2.5

Summer Ozone

Primary and precursors reactants from Human activity N0, VOC, etc Lack of sunshine needed Strong temperature inversion (temperature increasing with elevation) below mountaintop to trap pollutants Episodes generally build and are often the worst at the end of episode, chemical reactions ongoing See website: http://home.chpc.utah.edu/~u 0453210/PM2.5/PM2.5.html

Precursors reactants from human activity N0, VOC, etc Lots of sunshine needed! Generally no inversion to trap pollutants near surface so much deeper layer of precursor reactants exists Episodes vary more on a diurnal basis since photochemical reactions that produce ozone are during the day See website: http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001 /gooduphigh/bad.html

Meteorology Is Different In Summer Than Winter

Winter PM2.5 Episodes Summer Ozone Episodes Depth ~ 500 m Depth ~ 2000+ m

Shallow, stable near surface layer Build-up over multiple days in shallow layer of particulates through primary and secondary Aerosols Requires low available sunshine to keep inversion in place

Deep, hot stagnant atmosphere Build-up over multiple days in deep layer of precursors. Requires high available sunshine for photochemical reactions that results in high near-surface ozone levels

Wintertime Weather Systems Often Clean the Air

Earlier Clean air

Mixing out of shallow polluted layer

Shallow polluted layer

later

Clean air

Summertime Weather Systems Typically Too Weak to Do The Job

Earlier Clean air

Less mixing of deep polluted layer

Weaker winds aloft in summer than in winter less transport

Deeper polluted layer

later

Differences between Ozone and PM2.5 Episodes

Summer 0zone Day to night fluctuations higher

PM2.5 Episodes Incrementally Build Over Time

How Ozone Forms

Source: http://www.airinfonow.org/html/ed_ozone.ht ml

Sources of High PM2.5 Episodes In SLV

high stability in the valley atmosphere near surface Low incoming solar energy from sun
PM2.5 (respirable particulate matter) material is primarily formed from chemical reactions in the atmosphere such as fuel combustion (e.g., motor vehicles, power generation, industrial facilities, residential fire places, wood stoves and agricultural burning) and by soil erosion by the wind