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Atmosphere
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Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere
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Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Quality".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 21407

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Kostas Eleftheratos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, GR15784 Athens, Greece
Interests: atmospheric physics; climate variability; climate change; clouds and greenhouse gases; ozone and ultraviolet radiation; atmospheric pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Atmospheric concentrations can be altered by natural climatic and dynamical variability (e.g. volcanoes, quasi-periodic oscillations or the solar cycle) and by human activity (e.g. emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industry, biomass burning or land-use changes). In turn, changes in atmospheric concentrations can have important effects on climate change, ecosystems and human health. Atmospheric constituents can be measured in the atmosphere by ground-based instruments, balloons, aircraft and satellites, and can be simulated by numerical models. We invite you to submit high-quality research studies addressing changes in the composition of the atmosphere in the short- and long-term and space scales with emphasis on clouds, greenhouse gases, aerosols, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation, the impact of natural climatic oscillations and atmospheric pollution. Contributions based on ground-based measurements, satellite observations and model simulations addressing atmospheric composition change in the past, present and future are welcome.

Dr. Kostas Eleftheratos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • atmospheric composition
  • gases
  • climate
  • variability
  • measurements

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3041 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Meteorology and Emissions on O3 Pollution during 2013–2018 and Corresponding Control Strategy for a Typical Industrial City of China
by Shiyin Yao, Wei Wei, Shuiyuan Cheng, Yuan Niu and Panbo Guan
Atmosphere 2021, 12(5), 619; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos12050619 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2297
Abstract
The air quality of Handan, a typical industrial city in China, has been significantly improved through atmospheric pollution control, except for ozone (O3) pollution. We found that, in summer, emissions of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and NOx decreased yearly [...] Read more.
The air quality of Handan, a typical industrial city in China, has been significantly improved through atmospheric pollution control, except for ozone (O3) pollution. We found that, in summer, emissions of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and NOx decreased yearly in Handan, but the O3 concentration significantly declined yearly during 2013–2015, whereas it experienced worsening O3 pollution after 2015. Therefore, we used the Weather Research and Forecasting Community Multiscale Air Quality (WRF–CMAQ) modeling system to simulate the influence of the meteorological conditions and emission changes in Handan during the typical period (June) of O3 pollution in 2013–2018. For benchmarked June 2013, the results showed that the reduction of the O3 concentration in June of 2014–2016 was mainly caused by emission reduction, while in June of 2017–2018, the combined effect of changes in emissions and meteorological conditions led to aggravated O3 pollution. Sensitivity analysis indicated that combined VOCs and NOx emission controls would effectively reduce incremental O3 formation when the abatement ratio of VOCs/NOx should be no less than 0.84, and we found that VOCs reduction would continusouly bring about O3 decreases under various NOx reductions, but its positive sensitivity to O3 would become smaller with NOx reduction. However, the positive influence of NOx reduction on O3 would happen until NOx reduction exceeding 45–60%. The findings will be helpful in formulating emission control strategies for coping with O3 pollution in an industrial city. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere)
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16 pages, 3242 KiB  
Article
The Combined Effect of Ozone and Aerosols on Erythemal Irradiance in an Extremely Low Ozone Event during May 2020
by Ioannis-Panagiotis Raptis, Kostas Eleftheratos, Stelios Kazadzis, Panagiotis Kosmopoulos, Kyriakoula Papachristopoulou and Stavros Solomos
Atmosphere 2021, 12(2), 145; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos12020145 - 24 Jan 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3251
Abstract
In this study we focus on measurements and modeled UV index in the region of Athens, Greece, during a low ozone event. During the period of 12–19 May 2020, total ozone column (TOC) showed extremely low values, 35–55 Dobson Units (up to 15%) [...] Read more.
In this study we focus on measurements and modeled UV index in the region of Athens, Greece, during a low ozone event. During the period of 12–19 May 2020, total ozone column (TOC) showed extremely low values, 35–55 Dobson Units (up to 15%) decrease from the climatic mean (being lower than the −2σ). This condition favors the increase of UV erythemal irradiance, since stratospheric ozone is the most important attenuator at the UVB spectral region. Simultaneously, an intrusion of Saharan dust aerosols in the region has masked a large part of the low ozone effect on UV irradiance. In order to investigate the event, we have used spectral solar irradiance measurements from the Precision Solar Radiometer (PSR), TOC from the Brewer spectrophotometer, and Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) calculations. Model calculations of the UV Index (UVI) showed an increase of ~30% compared to the long-term normal UVI due to the low TOC while at the same time and for particular days, aerosols masked this effect by ~20%. The RTM has been used to investigate the response in the UV spectral region of these variations at different solar zenith angles (SZAs). Spectra simulated with the RTM have been compared to measured ones and an average difference of ~2% was found. The study points out the importance of accurate measurements or forecasts of both ozone and aerosols when deriving UVI under unusual low ozone–high aerosol conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere)
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16 pages, 4333 KiB  
Article
Ozone Trends from Two Decades of Ground Level Observation in Malaysia
by Fatimah Ahamad, Paul T. Griffiths, Mohd Talib Latif, Liew Juneng and Chung Jing Xiang
Atmosphere 2020, 11(7), 755; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos11070755 - 17 Jul 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3301
Abstract
We examine the change in surface ozone and its precursor behavior over 20 years at four locations in western Peninsular Malaysia which have undergone urban-commercial development. Trend and correlation analyses were carried out on ozone and oxides of nitrogen observation data over the [...] Read more.
We examine the change in surface ozone and its precursor behavior over 20 years at four locations in western Peninsular Malaysia which have undergone urban-commercial development. Trend and correlation analyses were carried out on ozone and oxides of nitrogen observation data over the periods of 1997–2016 as well as the decadal intervals of 1997–2006 and 2007–2016. Diurnal variation composites for decadal intervals were also plotted. Significant increasing ozone concentrations were observed at all locations for the 20-year period, with a range between 0.09 and 0.21 ppb yr−1. The most urbanized location (S3) showed the highest ozone trend. Decadal intervals show that not all stations record significant increasing trends of ozone, with S1 recording decreasing ozone at a rate of −0.44 ppb yr−1 during the latter decade. Correlation analysis showed that only oxides of nitrogen ratios (NO/NO2) had significant inverse relationships with ozone at all stations corresponding to control of ozone by photostationary state reactions. The diurnal composites show that decadal difference in NO/NO2 is mostly influenced by change in nitric oxide concentrations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere)
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18 pages, 3405 KiB  
Article
Possible Effects of Greenhouse Gases to Ozone Profiles and DNA Active UV-B Irradiance at Ground Level
by Kostas Eleftheratos, John Kapsomenakis, Christos S. Zerefos, Alkiviadis F. Bais, Ilias Fountoulakis, Martin Dameris, Patrick Jöckel, Amund S. Haslerud, Sophie Godin-Beekmann, Wolfgang Steinbrecht, Irina Petropavlovskikh, Colette Brogniez, Thierry Leblanc, J. Ben Liley, Richard Querel and Daan P. J. Swart
Atmosphere 2020, 11(3), 228; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos11030228 - 26 Feb 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4584
Abstract
In this paper, we compare model calculations of ozone profiles and their variability for the period 1998 to 2016 with satellite and lidar profiles at five ground-based stations. Under the investigation is the temporal impact of the stratospheric halogen reduction (chemical processes) and [...] Read more.
In this paper, we compare model calculations of ozone profiles and their variability for the period 1998 to 2016 with satellite and lidar profiles at five ground-based stations. Under the investigation is the temporal impact of the stratospheric halogen reduction (chemical processes) and increase in greenhouse gases (i.e., global warming) on stratospheric ozone changes. Attention is given to the effect of greenhouse gases on ultraviolet-B radiation at ground level. Our chemistry transport and chemistry climate models (Oslo CTM3 and EMAC CCM) indicate that (a) the effect of halogen reduction is maximized in ozone recovery at 1–7 hPa and observed at all lidar stations; and (b) significant impact of greenhouse gases on stratospheric ozone recovery is predicted after the year 2050. Our study indicates that solar ultraviolet-B irradiance that produces DNA damage would increase after the year 2050 by +1.3% per decade. Such change in the model is driven by a significant decrease in cloud cover due to the evolution of greenhouse gases in the future and an insignificant trend in total ozone. If our estimates prove to be true, then it is likely that the process of climate change will overwhelm the effect of ozone recovery on UV-B irradiance in midlatitudes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere)
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21 pages, 5031 KiB  
Article
A Decade of Aerosol Optical Properties Measurements over Athens, Greece
by Ioannis-Panagiotis Raptis, Stelios Kazadzis, Vassilis Amiridis, Antonis Gkikas, Evangelos Gerasopoulos and Nikolaos Mihalopoulos
Atmosphere 2020, 11(2), 154; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos11020154 - 30 Jan 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4547
Abstract
Long-term ground-based measurements of aerosol optical properties in Athens, Greece, for the period 2008–2018 performed by the National Observatory of Athens are used in order to investigate the aerosol climatology of the area. In this study, we utilize quality-assured measurements of the aerosol [...] Read more.
Long-term ground-based measurements of aerosol optical properties in Athens, Greece, for the period 2008–2018 performed by the National Observatory of Athens are used in order to investigate the aerosol climatology of the area. In this study, we utilize quality-assured measurements of the aerosol optical depth (AOD), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) and Ångström exponent obtained by CIMEL photometers in the framework of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) to extract the seasonality and the trends of aerosols in the region. Higher aerosol loads are found during spring and summer months. A 1.1% per year decrease for AOD at 440 nm and 0.4% decrease per year for SSA during the studied period are recorded. Collocated and synchronous PM10 values, for a five-year period, are used in order to study ground-level conditions. Also, the Planetary Boundary Layer Height from ERA-5 is used to investigate the stratification of the particles. The classification of aerosols using AERONET data is performed to separate dust, biomass burning, polluted urban, marine and continental dominant aerosol mixtures. Also, the characterization of AOD provided by Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) is investigated. Finally, seasonal AOD trends recorded from AERONET from satellite sensors (MODIS-Aqua/MODIS-Terra) and estimated by CAMS are examined, and significant differences have been found. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere)
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12 pages, 1550 KiB  
Article
Optical Properties of Aerosols and Chemical Composition Apportionment under Different Pollution Levels in Wuhan during January 2018
by Dongping Bai, Honglei Wang, Yue Tan, Yan Yin, Zhijun Wu, Song Guo, Lijuan Shen, Bin Zhu, Jinhu Wang and Xiangchen Kong
Atmosphere 2020, 11(1), 17; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos11010017 - 23 Dec 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2268
Abstract
To clarify the aerosol optical properties under different pollution levels and their impacting factors, hourly organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and water-soluble ion (WSI) concentrations in PM2.5 were observed by using monitoring for aerosols and gases (MARGA) and a semicontinuous OC/EC [...] Read more.
To clarify the aerosol optical properties under different pollution levels and their impacting factors, hourly organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and water-soluble ion (WSI) concentrations in PM2.5 were observed by using monitoring for aerosols and gases (MARGA) and a semicontinuous OC/EC analyzer (Model RT-4) in Wuhan from 9 to 26 January 2018. The aerosol extinction coefficient (bext) was reconstructed using the original Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environment (IMPROVE) formula with a modification to include sea salt aerosols. A good correlation was obtained between the reconstructed bext and measured bext converted from visibility. bext presented a unimodal distribution on polluted days (PM2.5 mass concentrations > 75 μg⋅m−3), peaking at 19:00. bext on clean days (PM2.5 mass concentrations < 75 μg⋅m−3) did not change much during the day, while on polluted days, it increased rapidly starting at 12:00 due to the decrease of wind speed and increase of relative humidity (RH). PM2.5 mass concentrations, the aerosol scattering coefficient (bscat), and the aerosol extinction coefficient increased with pollution levels. The value of bext was 854.72 Mm−1 on bad days, which was 4.86, 3.1, 2.29, and 1.28 times of that obtained on excellent, good, acceptable, and poor days, respectively. When RH < 95%, bext exhibited an increasing trend with RH under all pollution levels, and the higher the pollution level, the bigger the growth rate was. However, when RH > 95%, bext on acceptable, poor and bad days decreased, while bext on excellent and good days still increased. The overall bext in Wuhan in January was mainly contributed by NH4NO3 (25.2%) and organic matter (20.1%). The contributions of NH4NO3 and (NH4)2SO4 to bext increased significantly with pollution levels. On bad days, NH4NO3 and (NH4)2SO4 contributed the most to bext, accounting for 38.2% and 27.0%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Changes in the Composition of the Atmosphere)
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