Regional Characteristics and Causes of Haze Events in Northeast China

CHEN Weiwei; ZHANG Shichun; TONG Quansong; ZHANG Xuelei; ZHAO Hongmei; MA Siqi; XIU Aijun; HE Yuexin

doi:10.1007/s11769-018-0965-3

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CHEN Weiwei, ZHANG Shichun, TONG Quansong, ZHANG Xuelei, ZHAO Hongmei, MA Siqi, XIU Aijun, HE Yuexin. Regional Characteristics and Causes of Haze Events in Northeast China[J]. Chinese Geographical Science, 2018, 28(5): 836-850. doi: 10.1007/s11769-018-0965-3

Citation:

CHEN Weiwei, ZHANG Shichun, TONG Quansong, ZHANG Xuelei, ZHAO Hongmei, MA Siqi, XIU Aijun, HE Yuexin. Regional Characteristics and Causes of Haze Events in Northeast China[J]. Chinese Geographical Science, 2018, 28(5): 836-850. doi: 10.1007/s11769-018-0965-3

Regional Characteristics and Causes of Haze Events in Northeast China

doi: 10.1007/s11769-018-0965-3

Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China

Funds: Under the auspices of National Key R & D Program of China (No. 2017YFC0212303, 2017YFC0212304, 2017YFC0212301), Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. QYZDB-SSW-DQC045), Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 2017275), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41775116, 41771071, 41575129)

More Information

Corresponding author: CHEN Weiwei. E-mail:chenweiwei@iga.ac.cn;ZHANG Shichun. E-mail:zhangshichun@iga.ac.cn
Received Date: 2017-06-15
Rev Recd Date: 2017-09-12
Publish Date: 2018-10-27

Abstract

Northeast China experiences severe atmospheric pollution, with an increasing occurrence of heavy haze episodes. However, the underlying forces driving haze formation during different seasons are poorly understood. In this study, we explored the spatio-temporal characteristics and causes of haze events in Northeast China by combining a range of data sources (i.e., ground monitoring, satellite-based products, and meteorological products). It was found that the ‘Shenyang-Changchun-Harbin (SCH)’ city belt was the most polluted area in the region on an annual scale. The spatial distribution of air quality index (AQI) values had a clear seasonality, with the worst pollution occurring in winter, an approximately oval-shaped polluted area around western Jilin Province in spring, and the best air quality occurring in summer and most of the autumn. The three periods that typically experienced intense haze events were Period I from mid-October to mid-November (i.e., late autumn and early winter), Period Ⅱ from late-December to February (i.e., the coldest time in winter), and Period Ⅲ from April to mid-May (i.e., spring). During Period I, strong PM_2.5 emissions from seasonal crop residue burning and coal burning for winter heating were the dominant reasons for the occurrence of extreme haze events (AQI > 300). Period Ⅱ had frequent heavy haze events (200 < AQI < 300) in the coldest months of January and February, which were due to high PM_2.5 emissions from coal burning and vehicle fuel consumption, a lower atmospheric boundary layer, and stagnant atmospheric conditions. Haze events in Period Ⅲ, with high PM₁₀ concentrations, were primarily caused by the regional transportation of windblown dust from degraded grassland in central Inner Mongolia and bare soil in western Jilin Province. Local agricultural tilling could also release PM₁₀ and enhance the levels of windblown dust from tilled soil. Better control of coal burning, fuel consumption, and crop residue burning in winter and autumn is urgently needed to address the haze problem in Northeast China.
- air quality,
- PM₁₀,
- PM_2.5,
- dust,
- agricultural activity,
- coal burning,
- fuel consumption

References

[1]	Chalvatzaki E, Glytsos T, Lazaridis M, 2015. A methodology for the determination of fugitive dust emissions from landfill sites. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 25(5):551-569. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2014.989491
[2]	Chan C K, Yao X H, 2008. Air pollution in mega cities in China. Atmospheric Environment, 42(1):1-42. doi:10.1016/j.atmo-senv. 2007.09.003
[3]	Chen W, Wang F S, Xiao G F et al., 2015. Air quality of Beijing and impacts of the new ambient air quality standard. Atmos-phere, 6(8):1243-1258. doi: 10.3390/atmos6081243
[4]	Chen W, Tang H Z, Zhao H M, 2016. Urban air quality evaluations under two versions of the national ambient air quality standards of China. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 7(1):49-57. doi: 10.1016/j.apr.2015.07.004
[5]	Chen W W, Tong D Q, Dan M et al., 2017. Typical atmospheric haze during crop harvest season in northeastern China:a case in the Changchun region. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 54:101-113. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2016.03.031
[6]	Fang C H, Zhang Z D, Jin M Y et al., 2017. Pollution characteris-tics of PM_2.5 aerosol during haze periods in Changchun, China. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 17(4):888-895. doi: 10.4209/aaqr.2016.09.0407
[7]	He K B, Huo H, Zhang Q, 2002. Urban air pollution in China:current status, characteristics, and progress. Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, 27:397-431. doi: 10.1146/an-nurev.energy.27.122001.083421
[8]	Heal M R, Kumar P, Harrison R M, 2012. Particles, air quality, policy and health. Chemical Society Reviews, 41(19):6606-6630. doi: 10.1039/C2CS35076A
[9]	Huang L K, Wang K, Yuan C S et al., 2010. Study on the seasonal variation and source apportionment of PM₁₀ in Harbin, China. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 10(1):86-93. doi: 10.4209/aaqr.2009.04.0025
[10]	Li J, Bo Y, Xie S D, 2016. Estimating emissions from crop residue open burning in China based on statistics and MODIS fire products. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 44:158-170. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2015.08.024
[11]	Liu Qin, 2015. Review of coal control measures for heavy air pollution in Northeast China. Environmental Education, 12:17-18. (In Chinese)
[12]	Long X, Tie X X, Cao J J et al., 2016. Impact of crop field burning and mountains on heavy haze in the North China Plain:a case study. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16(15):9675-9691. doi: 10.5194/acp-16-9675-2016
[13]	Marcazzan G M, Vaccaro S, Valli G et al., 2001. Characterisation of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 particulate matter in the ambient air of Milan (Italy). Atmospheric Environment, 35(27):4639-4650. doi: 10.1016/S1352-2310(01)00124-8
[14]	National Agricultural Work Conference, 2013. China Agriculture Yearbook 2013. Beijing:China Agriculture Press. (in Chinese)
[15]	National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China, 2013. China Statistical Yearbook 2013. Beijing:China Statistic Press. (in Chinese)
[16]	Shen G F, Yuan S Y, Xie Y N et al., 2014. Ambient levels and temporal variations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ at a residential site in the mega-city, Nanjing, in the western Yangtze River Delta, China. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 49(2):171-178. doi: 10.1080/10934529.2013.838851
[17]	Shen L, Liu L T, Yao Z J et al., 2010. Development potentials and policy options of biomass in China. Environmental Manage-ment, 46(4):539-554. doi: 10.1007/s00267-010-9476-4
[18]	Wang H L, Qiao L P, Luo S R et al., 2015. PM_2.5 pollution episode and its contributors from 2011 to 2013 in urban Shanghai, China. Atmospheric Environment, 123:298-305. doi:10. 1016/j.atmosenv.2015.08.018
[19]	Wang J, Christopher S A, 2003. Intercomparison between satel-lite-derived aerosol optical thickness and PM_2.5 mass:implica-tions for air quality studies. Geophysical Research Letters, 30(21):2095. doi: 10.1029/2003GL018174
[20]	Xu P, Chen Y F, Ye X J, 2013. Haze, air pollution, and health in China. The Lancet, 382(9910):2067. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62693-8
[21]	Yang Junchao, Zhou Zuhuan, Zhang Guojun et al., 2016. Atmos-pheric particulate matter emissions of road and building con-struction dust estimation and prevention measures in Baise. Popular Science & Technology, 18(8):29-31. (in Chinese)
[22]	Zhang X L, Zhou Q Q, Chen W W et al., 2015. Observation and modeling of black soil wind-blown erosion from cropland in northeastern China. Aeolian Research, 19:153-162. doi:10. 1016/j.aeolia.2015.07.009
[23]	Zhao H M, Zhang X L, Zhang S C et al., 2017. Effects of agri-cultural biomass burning on regional haze in China:a review. Atmosphere, 8(5):88. doi: 10.3390/atmos8050088
[24]	Zhou J B, Wang T G, Huang Y B et al., 2005. Size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban and suburban sites of Beijing, China. Chemosphere, 61(6):792-799. doi:10. 1016/j.chemosphere.2005.04.002
[25]	Zhou Qinqian, Zhang Shichun, Chen Weiwei et al., 2014. Pollution characteristics and sources of SO₂, O₃ and NO_x in Changchun. Research of Environmental Sciences, 27(7):768-774. (in Chinese)
[26]	Zhu Fahua, Wang Sheng, Zheng Youfei, 2004. NO_x emitting cur-rent situationand forecast from thermal power plants and countermeasures. Energy Environmental Protection, 18(1):1-5. (in Chinese)
[27]	Zhu Fahua, Wang Sheng, Meng Lingyuan, 2016. Emission reduc-tion potential and the necessity of implementation about ul-tra-low emission in coal-fired sector. Environmental Protection, 44(7):42-46. (in Chinese)

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通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com

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沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院沈阳 110142

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Regional Characteristics and Causes of Haze Events in Northeast China

Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China

Corresponding author: CHEN Weiwei. E-mail:chenweiwei@iga.ac.cn;ZHANG Shichun. E-mail:zhangshichun@iga.ac.cn

Received Date: 2017-06-15

Rev Recd Date: 2017-09-12

Publish Date: 2018-10-27

Key words:

Abstract: Northeast China experiences severe atmospheric pollution, with an increasing occurrence of heavy haze episodes. However, the underlying forces driving haze formation during different seasons are poorly understood. In this study, we explored the spatio-temporal characteristics and causes of haze events in Northeast China by combining a range of data sources (i.e., ground monitoring, satellite-based products, and meteorological products). It was found that the ‘Shenyang-Changchun-Harbin (SCH)’ city belt was the most polluted area in the region on an annual scale. The spatial distribution of air quality index (AQI) values had a clear seasonality, with the worst pollution occurring in winter, an approximately oval-shaped polluted area around western Jilin Province in spring, and the best air quality occurring in summer and most of the autumn. The three periods that typically experienced intense haze events were Period I from mid-October to mid-November (i.e., late autumn and early winter), Period Ⅱ from late-December to February (i.e., the coldest time in winter), and Period Ⅲ from April to mid-May (i.e., spring). During Period I, strong PM_2.5 emissions from seasonal crop residue burning and coal burning for winter heating were the dominant reasons for the occurrence of extreme haze events (AQI > 300). Period Ⅱ had frequent heavy haze events (200 < AQI < 300) in the coldest months of January and February, which were due to high PM_2.5 emissions from coal burning and vehicle fuel consumption, a lower atmospheric boundary layer, and stagnant atmospheric conditions. Haze events in Period Ⅲ, with high PM₁₀ concentrations, were primarily caused by the regional transportation of windblown dust from degraded grassland in central Inner Mongolia and bare soil in western Jilin Province. Local agricultural tilling could also release PM₁₀ and enhance the levels of windblown dust from tilled soil. Better control of coal burning, fuel consumption, and crop residue burning in winter and autumn is urgently needed to address the haze problem in Northeast China.

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Reference (27)

[1]	Chalvatzaki E, Glytsos T, Lazaridis M, 2015. A methodology for the determination of fugitive dust emissions from landfill sites. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 25(5):551-569. doi:10.1080/09603123.2014.989491
[2]	Chan C K, Yao X H, 2008. Air pollution in mega cities in China. Atmospheric Environment, 42(1):1-42. doi:10.1016/j.atmo-senv. 2007.09.003
[3]	Chen W, Wang F S, Xiao G F et al., 2015. Air quality of Beijing and impacts of the new ambient air quality standard. Atmos-phere, 6(8):1243-1258. doi:10.3390/atmos6081243
[4]	Chen W, Tang H Z, Zhao H M, 2016. Urban air quality evaluations under two versions of the national ambient air quality standards of China. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 7(1):49-57. doi:10.1016/j.apr.2015.07.004
[5]	Chen W W, Tong D Q, Dan M et al., 2017. Typical atmospheric haze during crop harvest season in northeastern China:a case in the Changchun region. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 54:101-113. doi:10.1016/j.jes.2016.03.031
[6]	Fang C H, Zhang Z D, Jin M Y et al., 2017. Pollution characteris-tics of PM_2.5 aerosol during haze periods in Changchun, China. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 17(4):888-895. doi:10.4209/aaqr.2016.09.0407
[7]	He K B, Huo H, Zhang Q, 2002. Urban air pollution in China:current status, characteristics, and progress. Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, 27:397-431. doi:10.1146/an-nurev.energy.27.122001.083421
[8]	Heal M R, Kumar P, Harrison R M, 2012. Particles, air quality, policy and health. Chemical Society Reviews, 41(19):6606-6630. doi:10.1039/C2CS35076A
[9]	Huang L K, Wang K, Yuan C S et al., 2010. Study on the seasonal variation and source apportionment of PM₁₀ in Harbin, China. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 10(1):86-93. doi:10.4209/aaqr.2009.04.0025
[10]	Li J, Bo Y, Xie S D, 2016. Estimating emissions from crop residue open burning in China based on statistics and MODIS fire products. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 44:158-170. doi:10.1016/j.jes.2015.08.024
[11]	Liu Qin, 2015. Review of coal control measures for heavy air pollution in Northeast China. Environmental Education, 12:17-18. (In Chinese)
[12]	Long X, Tie X X, Cao J J et al., 2016. Impact of crop field burning and mountains on heavy haze in the North China Plain:a case study. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16(15):9675-9691. doi:10.5194/acp-16-9675-2016
[13]	Marcazzan G M, Vaccaro S, Valli G et al., 2001. Characterisation of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 particulate matter in the ambient air of Milan (Italy). Atmospheric Environment, 35(27):4639-4650. doi:10.1016/S1352-2310(01)00124-8
[14]	National Agricultural Work Conference, 2013. China Agriculture Yearbook 2013. Beijing:China Agriculture Press. (in Chinese)
[15]	National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China, 2013. China Statistical Yearbook 2013. Beijing:China Statistic Press. (in Chinese)
[16]	Shen G F, Yuan S Y, Xie Y N et al., 2014. Ambient levels and temporal variations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ at a residential site in the mega-city, Nanjing, in the western Yangtze River Delta, China. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 49(2):171-178. doi:10.1080/10934529.2013.838851
[17]	Shen L, Liu L T, Yao Z J et al., 2010. Development potentials and policy options of biomass in China. Environmental Manage-ment, 46(4):539-554. doi:10.1007/s00267-010-9476-4
[18]	Wang H L, Qiao L P, Luo S R et al., 2015. PM_2.5 pollution episode and its contributors from 2011 to 2013 in urban Shanghai, China. Atmospheric Environment, 123:298-305. doi:10. 1016/j.atmosenv.2015.08.018
[19]	Wang J, Christopher S A, 2003. Intercomparison between satel-lite-derived aerosol optical thickness and PM_2.5 mass:implica-tions for air quality studies. Geophysical Research Letters, 30(21):2095. doi:10.1029/2003GL018174
[20]	Xu P, Chen Y F, Ye X J, 2013. Haze, air pollution, and health in China. The Lancet, 382(9910):2067. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62693-8
[21]	Yang Junchao, Zhou Zuhuan, Zhang Guojun et al., 2016. Atmos-pheric particulate matter emissions of road and building con-struction dust estimation and prevention measures in Baise. Popular Science & Technology, 18(8):29-31. (in Chinese)
[22]	Zhang X L, Zhou Q Q, Chen W W et al., 2015. Observation and modeling of black soil wind-blown erosion from cropland in northeastern China. Aeolian Research, 19:153-162. doi:10. 1016/j.aeolia.2015.07.009
[23]	Zhao H M, Zhang X L, Zhang S C et al., 2017. Effects of agri-cultural biomass burning on regional haze in China:a review. Atmosphere, 8(5):88. doi:10.3390/atmos8050088
[24]	Zhou J B, Wang T G, Huang Y B et al., 2005. Size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban and suburban sites of Beijing, China. Chemosphere, 61(6):792-799. doi:10. 1016/j.chemosphere.2005.04.002
[25]	Zhou Qinqian, Zhang Shichun, Chen Weiwei et al., 2014. Pollution characteristics and sources of SO₂, O₃ and NO_x in Changchun. Research of Environmental Sciences, 27(7):768-774. (in Chinese)
[26]	Zhu Fahua, Wang Sheng, Zheng Youfei, 2004. NO_x emitting cur-rent situationand forecast from thermal power plants and countermeasures. Energy Environmental Protection, 18(1):1-5. (in Chinese)
[27]	Zhu Fahua, Wang Sheng, Meng Lingyuan, 2016. Emission reduc-tion potential and the necessity of implementation about ul-tra-low emission in coal-fired sector. Environmental Protection, 44(7):42-46. (in Chinese)

Regional Characteristics and Causes of Haze Events in Northeast China

doi: 10.1007/s11769-018-0965-3

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References

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通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com

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