Impact of planetary boundary layer structure on the formation and evolution of air-pollution episodes in Shenyang, Northeast China

The impact of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) structure on air pollution in Northeast China, where frequently experiences air pollution episodes in autumn and winter, is not well understood due to a lack of observations. In this study, four pollution episodes during autumn and winter of 2016 at Shenyang, a provincial capital city in Northeast China, were examined to investigate the linkage between the PBL structure and air pollution using meteorological sounding data and LiDAR-retrieved profiles of aerosol extinction coefficients. We also conducted a tracer simulation using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) to demonstrate the transport and vertical mixing of air pollutants in the PBL. The results indicated that a stable, moist and shallow surface layer (<400 m) formed and remained at night due to strong surface radiative cooling after a steep decline of temperature during the first air-pollution episode (EP1, from 12:00 Local Time (LT) on November 26 to 07:00 LT on November 27). Stable stratification and stagnant winds contributed to the increase of surface pollutant concentrations in EP1. Strong surface potential temperature inversion and enhanced local emissions during evening rush hour resulted in the formation of EP2 (13:00–23:00 LT on December 2). Observations and modelling results revealed that large amount of pollutants were transported by the southerly nocturnal low-level jets from the North China Plain to Shenyang after EP2. These pollutants were trapped in the residue layer at night and then mixed to the surface after sunrise due to convective turbulence, leading to the formation of EP3 (06:00–23:00 LT on December 3). EP4 (03:00–14:00 LT on December 4) occurred in the convergence zone ahead of an approaching trough. Low wind speed (<6 m s−1) and high relative humidity (>80%) in the PBL enhanced the deterioration of air quality near the surface.