AIR POLLUTION METEOROLOGY. CASE STUDY: SO2 AND NO2 MONITORING IN ARGEȘ COUNTY

Air pollution is one of the most dangerous forms of pollution, which can have disastrous effects on the environment. For example, pollution with sulfur oxides contributes to the formation of acid rain and nitrogen oxides promote the accumulation of nitrates in the soil. Meteorological factors, such as temperature, significantly influence the levels of pollution and the spread of pollutants in the lower atmosphere. Air pollution meteorology helps to understand how pollutants are emitted and dispersed in the ambient air. Therefore, the purpose of the paper was to monitor for one year the concentrations of NO2 and SO2 in Argeș County and to correlate these data with climatic and urban parameters. The study concludes with a simulation of the dispersion of pollutants emitted by a source, having dimensions and location similar to those of the evacuation tower from CET Bradu, in conditions of a stable atmosphere at various temperatures.

Air Pollution Meteorology

Air pollution is a major environmental problem. It is divided into indoor air pollution and outdoor air pollution. The pollutants released in the outdoor atmosphere are under the control of meteorological conditions prevailing at the time of emission and after. Thus, the subject, air pollution meteorology, has emerged. It explains the significance of meteorological aspects and their influences on air pollutants emitted in the outdoor atmosphere. Prevailing winds and atmospheric stability are the two major factors that determine the dispersion of the pollutants. In this chapter, a brief outline is presented on composition and structure of atmosphere, and its processes such as radiation through the atmosphere, winds, global circulation, and atmospheric stability. Mixing height and ventilation coefficients are explained. The prediction of air quality using Gaussian dispersion model with the input of data of emission and meteorology is also explained.