The impact of Temperature inversions on Black Carbon and Particle Mass Concentrations from Wood-burning in a Mountainous Area
Authors: Glojek Kristina , Močnik Griša , C. Alas Honey Dawn , Cuesta-Mosquera Andrea , Drinovec Luka , Gregorič Asta , Ogrin Matej , Weinhold Kay , Ježek Irena , Müller Thomas , Rigler Martin , Remškar Maja , van Pinxteren Dominik , Herrmann Hartmut , Ristorini Martina , Merkel Maik , Markelj Miha , Wiedensohler Alfred 
Published: March 2020

&lt;p&gt;Lately, researchers, policy makers and governments have focused their attention mainly on air quality in urban areas. The issue of quality of air in rural areas remains neglected, although studies (Largeron &amp; Staquet, 2016 and the reference therein) show that especially in hilly/mountainous regions on the countryside, air pollution can be a serious problem.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our aim is to quantify the influence of ground temperature inversions on spatiotemporal variability of equivalent black carbon (eBC) and Particulate Matter (PM) mass concentrations in mountainous regions, example of which is the model region Lo&amp;#353;ki Potok, Slovenia.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Simultaneous mobile measurements with two instrumented backpacks (AE51, MA200, OPSS 3330, temperature sensor) (Alas et al., 2018) were performed along the woody karst hollow with the village Retje at the bottom. Mobile measurements were performed in winter 2017/18, three times a day (in the morning, at noon, and in the evening) with a 10- and 20-minute intercomparison with the reference instruments (AE-33, TROPOS and TSI MPSS) at the station on top of the hill and in the village. The regression slope between two AE51 microaethalometers was 1. Fixed instruments showed good agreement with the mobile instruments during inter-comparison periods (Alas et al., 2020).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The mean value of eBC and PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; mass concentrations for the whole relief depression during temperature inversion episodes was 4 &amp;#181;g/m&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; of eBC and 39.7 &amp;#181;g/m&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;. During periods with mixed atmosphere mean eBC and PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5 &lt;/sub&gt;mass concentrations were 0.9 and 11.4 &amp;#181;g/m&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt;. The eBC and PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; mass concentrations between 17:00 and 19:00 CET in the village reached 16&amp;#8211;20 &amp;#181;g/m&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; of eBC and 170&amp;#8211;250 &amp;#181;g/m&lt;sup&gt;3 &lt;/sup&gt;of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;, yet on the top of the hill Tabor concentrations were 2&amp;#8211;3.5 &amp;#181;g/m&lt;sup&gt;3 &lt;/sup&gt;of eBC and 10&amp;#8211;15 &amp;#181;g/m&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a result of human activities (residential wood burning) and the shallow thickness of an inversion layer temporal and spatial variability of pollutant concentrations in the study area is significant. During stable atmospheric conditions (temperature inversion) concentration levels strongly increase yet rapidly decrease with the temperature inversion break up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key words: carbonaceous aerosols, atmospheric stability, residential wood combustion (RWC), mobile measurements, rural areas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The research was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency, the COST Action CA16109 and the Municipality of Lo&amp;#353;ki Potok.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Alas, H. et al. (2018). Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 18, 2301&amp;#8211;2317.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Alas, H. et al. (2020). Manuscript in preparation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Largeron, Y., &amp; Staquet, C. (2016). Atmospheric Environment, 135, 92&amp;#8211;108.&lt;/p&gt;