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Intra-seasonal differences in the atmospheric systems contributing to interannual variations of autumn haze pollution in the North China Plain

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Abstract

Our understanding of the factors influencing the interannual variation of autumn haze pollution in the North China Plain (NCP) remains quite limited. Here, we investigate interannual variations of atmospheric haze pollution and associated atmospheric anomalies in the NCP during autumn (September, October, and November). Pronounced anticyclonic anomalies tend to be observed around northeastern Asia when more severe haze pollution occurs over the NCP during this season. However, the processes underlying the impact of the atmospheric anomalies on the NCP haze show considerable intra-seasonal differences. In September, anticyclonic anomalies impact the NCP haze via modulating the surface relative humidity (SRH) and boundary layer height (BLH), while changes in surface wind speed (SWS) are not found to be related to the NCP haze. In contrast, the interannual variation of the NCP haze has a close relationship with the changes of SWS, SRH, and BLH in both October and November. The factors responsible for formation of the anticyclonic anomalies around northeastern Asia are found to differ greatly over the 3 months. In September, the formation of anticyclonic anomalies is related to the East Atlantic (EA) pattern, which triggers an eastward propagating atmospheric wave train extending from Europe to northeastern Asia. In October, the Scandinavia teleconnection is crucial for generating anticyclonic anomalies. While in November, the formation of the anticyclonic anomalies is largely due to the joint effect of the Scandinavia and East Atlantic/Western Russian teleconnections, as well as the non-negligible influence caused by sea surface temperature anomalies in the tropical central-eastern Pacific.

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Funding

This study is jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 41605031, 41605050, and 41771399), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant 2017YFC1501401), and the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by the China Association for Science and Technology (Grant 2016QNRC001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Monsoon System Research, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Shangfeng Chen

  2. State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China

    Jianping Guo

  3. Institute of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China

    Linye Song

  4. School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen Univserity, Zhuhai, China

    Jason Blake Cohen

  5. ZAMG, Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, Vienna, Austria

    Yong Wang

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  1. Shangfeng Chen
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  2. Jianping Guo
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Chen, S., Guo, J., Song, L. et al. Intra-seasonal differences in the atmospheric systems contributing to interannual variations of autumn haze pollution in the North China Plain. Theor Appl Climatol 141, 389–403 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-020-03221-4

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