Air Pollution Transport in an Alpine Valley: Results From Airborne and Ground-Based Observations

An observational dataset from a wintertime field campaign in the Inn Valley, Austria, is analysed in order to study mechanisms of air pollution transport in an Alpine valley. The results illustrate three types of mechanisms: transport by a density current, back-and-forth transport by valley winds, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Boundary-layer meteorology 2009-06, Vol.131 (3), p.441-463
Main Authors: Gohm, A, Harnisch, F, Vergeiner, J, Obleitner, F, Schnitzhofer, R, Hansel, A, Fix, A, Neininger, B, Emeis, S, Schäfer, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aerosols
Air masses
Air pollution
Airborne particulates
ALPNAP
Applied sciences
Atmospheric boundary layer
Atmospheric pollution
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Atmospheric Sciences
Coolers
Density
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Exact sciences and technology
Foehn
Ground-based observation
lidar
Local winds
Meteorology
NO x
Particulate matter
Pollutants
Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution
Pollution
Pollution abatement
Pollution control
Pollution dispersion
Transport
Valleys
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Summary:An observational dataset from a wintertime field campaign in the Inn Valley, Austria, is analysed in order to study mechanisms of air pollution transport in an Alpine valley. The results illustrate three types of mechanisms: transport by a density current, back-and-forth transport by valley winds, and transport by slope winds. The first type is associated with an air mass difference along the valley. Cooler air located in the lower part of the valley behaves like a density current and produces the advection of pollutants by upvalley winds. In the second type, strong horizontal gradients in pollution concentrations exist close to ground. Multiple wind reversals result in a back-and-forth transport of pollutants by weak valley winds. In the third type, upslope winds during daytime decrease low-level pollution concentrations and cause the formation of elevated pollution layers.
ISSN:0006-8314
1573-1472
DOI:10.1007/s10546-009-9371-9