How aerosol transport from the North China plain contributes to air quality in northeast China

Abstract Northeast China (NEC) has unique climate characteristics and emission sources; continued urbanisation has aggravated regional pollution. The in situ observation data concerning PM2.5, visibility, surface meteorological elements and synchronous aerosol vertical extinction profiles obtained from ground-based Lidar were investigated to better understand local and regional particulate pollution in NEC. The WRF (3.7.1)/CAMx (6.40) model was employed to quantitative investigate the contribution of regional transport to PM2.5 in Shenyang. The results suggested that PM2.5 increased significantly from 9 to 14 January over NEC and the Northern China (NC), with monthly PM2.5 highest in Shijiazhuang and Baoding of NC about 145.2 ± 88.9 and 136.8 ± 83.1 μg m−3, respectively. The distribution of SO2 and NO2 for PM2.5 implied SO2 was more influence on PM2.5 in NEC, while NO2 has larger impact on PM2.5 in NC. The significant increasing of relative humidity (RH) and temperatures exhibited in the pollution indicate water vapor and warm air flow during the transport. The development of the southwest airflow was conducive to pollutant transport across the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (or Jing-Jin-Ji) megalopolis to NEC, and together with the local emissions in NEC to affect air quality. The modelling results pointed out that contribution of regional transport to PM2.5 in Shenyang was about 80.12% at 00:00 LT in 10 January, of which the contribution of BTH was about 61.52%; the total regional contribution to PM2.5 in Shenyang reaching 60.70% at 02:00 LT on 13 January including 34.56% contributed by BTH region. Aerosol vertical extinction indicated the particle layer appeared in the near-surface and in the upper atmospheric layer from 0.5 to 1.0 km following the development of transport event. The findings of this study can facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the local and regional air pollution in NEC and helpful for national environment pollution controls and improvement.