Air Pollution in Poland: A 2022 Narrative Review with Focus on Respiratory Diseases

According to the World Bank Group, 36 of the 50 most polluted cities in the European Union are in Poland. Thus, ambient air pollution and its detrimental health effects are a matter of immense importance in Poland. This narrative review aims to analyse current findings on air pollution and health in Poland, with a focus on respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, as well as the Poles’ awareness of air pollution. PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched. In total, results from 71 research papers were summarized qualitatively. In Poland, increased air pollution levels are linked to increased general and respiratory disease mortality rates, higher prevalence of respiratory diseases, including asthma, lung cancer and COVID-19 infections, reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). The proximity of high traffic areas exacerbates respiratory health problems. People living in more polluted regions (south of Poland) and in the winter season have a higher level of air pollution awareness. There is an urgent need to reduce air pollution levels and increase public awareness of this threat. A larger number of multi-city studies are needed in Poland to consistently track the burden of diseases attributable to air pollution.

Lidar-derived aerosol concentration and their relationship with horizontal winds over an urban location

Lidar-derived aerosol vertical profiles obtained at Pune, a low latitude tropical station, on about 535 days during a ten-year period (1987 – 96) along with simultaneous pilot-balloon wind (speed and direction) data of India Meteorological Department, Pune have been used in the study to investigate the influence of horizontal winds on the aerosol characteristics in the lower atmosphere. Aerosol column content in the atmospheric boundary layer (surface to 1100 m altitude above ground-level) as well as aerosol number density at the surface level (at 50 m) showed relatively higher values over the lidar site whenever the winds were blowing from the main urban and industrial regions of the city of Pune. This effect was found to be more pronounced during the winter season. Wind speeds also correlate well with increased aerosol loading, but only during selected high wind speed episodes. Thus the study shows that the short- and long-term increases in aerosol concentration/loading over the observation site are, to a large extent, influenced by horizontal winds in the surface layers and this in turn, can be attributed to the increasing human/urban activity around the lidar site over the years.

Recent trends in climate of Bangalore

The linear trends in the monthly, seasonal and annual mean maximum temperature, minimum temperature, average temperature, diurnal range of temperature, rainfall, relative humidities at 0830 & 1730 hr IST of Bangalore city and airport have been analysed based on the data for the period from 1960-95. The variation in surface wind over Bangalore during above period has also been studied to find out impact of urbanisation on weather parameters. It is found that Bangalore city is becoming warmer in terms of mean maximum & mean minimum temperatures. Rate of increase is significantly higher over Bangalore city (central observatory) than that over airport during winter months. Similarly the rising trend of average temperature of Bangalore city is higher than of Bangalore airport during October to April being significantly so during winter season. Also the diurnal range of temperature of Bangalore is becoming larger in winter months with the rising trend being higher over Bangalore city than over airport. Even though rainfall does not show any significant trend, the rising trend during monsoon & falling trend during post monsoon season over Bangalore city are higher than that of Bangalore airport. Also though both Bangalore city & airport show maximum rising trend in mean relative humidity at 0830 hr IST during winter, the rate of rise is less over Bangalore city. Similarly though the relative humidity at 1730 hr IST shows decreasing trend during all the seasons, the rate of decrease is less over Bangalore city for all seasons except post monsoon season. The mean maximum, minimum and average temperatures and relative humidities show cyclic variation of their monthly trend coefficients during the year.

Using Heat as a Tracer to Detect the Development of the Recharge Bulb in Managed Aquifer Recharge Schemes

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), the intentional recharge of aquifers, has surged worldwide in the last 60 years as one of the options to preserve and increase water resources availability. However, estimating the extent of the area impacted by the recharge operations is not an obvious task. In this descriptive study, we monitored the spatiotemporal variation of the groundwater temperature in a phreatic aquifer before and during MAR operations, for 15 days, at the LIFE REWAT pilot infiltration basin using surface water as recharge source. The study was carried out in the winter season, taking advantage of the existing marked difference in temperature between the surface water (cold, between 8 and 13 °C, and in quasi-equilibrium with the air temperature) and the groundwater temperature, ranging between 10 and 18 °C. This difference in heat carried by groundwater was then used as a tracer. Results show that in the experiment the cold infiltrated surface water moved through the aquifer, allowing us to identify the development and extension in two dimensions of the recharge plume resulting from the MAR infiltration basin operations. Forced convection is the dominant heat transport mechanism. Further data, to be gathered at high frequency, and modeling analyses using the heat distribution at different depths are needed to identify the evolution of the recharge bulb in the three-dimensional space.

Visibility over Indian airports during winter season

Visibility plays a key role at the time of landing and take off operations at airports. The daily visibility data from 1969 onwards for 25 stations in the country (at 2100, 0000, 0300 and 0600 UTC) are examined for the winter period. Side by side the dry bulb temperatures and the relative humidity recorded at the same time are also examined. Linear trend regressions have been fitted on the data sets for each of the cities. The significance is tested at 99% level of confidence. In recent years, degradation of air quality in the cities has often been suggested as the cause for the increase in the number of poor visibility days <2000 meters) particularly in the morning hours. Continuous persistence of this phenomenon for a number of days has also been reported. The results show that there are decreasing trends in visibility at most of the stations. At 0300 UTC the visibility is generally low and increased afterwards due to mixing and turbulence in the boundary layer.

Rainfall and Landslide Susceptibility in Hakha Environ in Northern Chin State, Myanmar

This research emphasizes the cause of landslides that occur in Hakha Town and its environ. The main aim is to investigate the distinct phenomena that result in a landslide and to provide suggestions that can reduce the risk of landslide in its prone area. Regarding the two phenomena, natural and man-made, the data on soil, steep slope, monsoon rainfall, pine forest areas, water sources, motor-car road area, population, and houses were collected by field survey, observation, and questionnaires. The collected data were processed and analyzed by using remote sensing methods, qualitative and quantitative methods, and Geographic Information System. According to the results, major causes of the landslides in the study area are found to be due to location lying between 1,830 meters (6,000 ft) and 2,440 meters (8,000 ft) above sea level and establishing of the settlements on steep slopes, receiving plenty of rainfall under the mountain climate with the extremely cold winter season, the existence of unstable and unconsolidated soil and lithology, extending construction of new roads and expansion of the existing roads, population growth and settling of more people in the urban area, and collapsing of big old pine trees. In conclusion, landslides in the study area are found resulting from combined activities of physical factors and human impacts.

Subdaily meteorological measurements of temperature, direction of the movement of the clouds, and cloud cover in the Late Maunder Minimum by Louis Morin in Paris

We have digitized three meteorological variables (temperature, direction of the movement of the clouds, and cloud cover) from copies of Louis Morin’s original measurements (Source: Institute of History / Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern) and subjected them to quality analysis to make these data available to the scientific community. Our available data cover the period 1665–1709 (temperature beginning in 1676). We compare the early instrumental temperature dataset with statistical methods and proxy data to validate the measurements in terms of inhomogeneities and claim that they are, apart from small inhomogeneities, reliable. The Late Maunder Minimum (LMM) is characterized by cold winters and autumns, and moderate springs and summers, with respect to the reference period of 1961–1990. Winter months show a significant lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds. This reduction of advection from the ocean leads to a cooling in Paris in winter. The influence of the advection becomes apparent when comparing the last decade of the 17th century (cold) and the first decade of the 18th century (warm). A lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds can also be seen in summer, but the influence is stronger in winter than in summer. Consequently, the unusually cold winters in the LMM can be attributed to a lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds. An impact analysis reveals that the winter of 1708/09 was a devastating one with respect of consecutive ice days, although other winters are more pronounced (e.g., the winters of 1676/77, 1678/79, 1683/84, 1692/93, 1694/95 and 1696/97) in terms of mean temperature, ice 15 days, cold days or consecutive cold days. An investigation of the cloud cover data revealed a high discrepancy in the seasons, where the winter season (DJF) (−13.2 %) and the spring season (MAM) (−12.6 %) show a negative anomaly of the total cloud cover (TCC), whereas summer (JJA) (−0.5 %) shows a moderate anomaly of TCC with respect to the 30 year mean of the Meteobluedata (1985–2014).

Effect of Nitrogen Rate and Application Ratio on Late Sown Sunflower in Wet Soil under Zero Tillage in the Coastal Zone of Southwestern Bangladesh

Background: The cropping pattern of southwestern (SW) coastal Bangladesh has been improving from Fallow-Fallow-Transplanted aman paddy to Sunflower-Fallow-Transplanted aman paddy. The emerging cropping pattern of SW Bangladesh from single transplanted aman paddy to double cropping, sunflower in winter after transplanted aman paddy needs new crop husbandry including nutrient management particularly nitrogen (N). Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the yield response of late sown sunflower to rates and application ratio (basal:top dressed) of N in the coastal soil of SW Bangladesh. Methods: The field experiment was conducted during winter season (2018-19) in a randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. The experimental treatments consisted of seven N rates (0, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210 kg ha-1) and three application ratio (50%:50%, 25%:75% and 0%:100%). Result: Results revealed that with the increased of N rates, dry matter, seed yield, yield attributes and net income were substantially increased: the highest values of these parameters were found at 150 and 180 kg N ha-1 when applied @ ratio of 25%:75% (basal: top dressed) despite non-significant interaction while the agronomic efficiency was higher at 60 kg ha-1 next decreased. The findings of the study suggested that N @ 150 kg ha-1 with 25%:75% application ratio is suitable for late sown sunflower in the coastal soil of SW Bangladesh.

Stratospheric Nudging And Predictable Surface Impacts (SNAPSI): A Protocol for Investigating the Role of the Stratospheric Polar Vortex in Subseasonal to Seasonal Forecasts

Major disruptions of the winter season, high-latitude, stratospheric polar vortices can result in stratospheric anomalies that persist for months. These sudden stratospheric warming events are recognized as an important potential source of forecast skill for surface climate on subseasonal to seasonal timescales. Realizing this skill in operational subseasonal forecast models remains a challenge, as models must capture both the evolution of the stratospheric polar vortices in addition to their coupling to the troposphere. The processes involved in this coupling remain a topic of open research. We present here the Stratospheric Nudging And Predictable Surface Impacts (SNAPSI) project. SNAPSI is a new model intercomparison protocol designed to study the role of the Arctic and Antarctic stratospheric polar vortices in sub-seasonal to seasonal forecast models. Based on a set of controlled, subseasonal, ensemble forecasts of three recent events, the protocol aims to address four main scientific goals. First, to quantify the impact of improved stratospheric forecasts on near-surface forecast skill. Second, to attribute specific extreme events to stratospheric variability. Third, to assess the mechanisms by which the stratosphere influences the troposphere in the forecast models, and fourth, to investigate the wave processes that lead to the stratospheric anomalies themselves. Although not a primary focus, the experiments are furthermore expected to shed light on coupling between the tropical stratosphere and troposphere. The output requested will allow for a more detailed, process-based community analysis than has been possible with existing databases of subseasonal forecasts.