DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15346372
title: Daily total PM2.5, smoke PM2.5, and non-fire PM2.5 concentrations for 8 Australian cities from 2009 to 2020

description: The datasets contain adjusted (1) daily fire-specific concentrations of PM2.5, OC (organic carbon), and BC (black carbon); (2) daily non-fire PM2.5 concentrations; (3) daily surface observations of total PM2.5 concentrations over 8 Australian sites from 2009 to 2020. The adjusted datasets are based on the orginal data here.

The original daily fire-specific PM2.5, OC, and BC are estimated using the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model version 2 (STILT smoke PM2.5/OC/BC). The original PM2.5 observations are from the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority, the Queensland Government Open Data Portal, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, and the Victoria Environment Protection Authority. 

We adjusted the original datasets following the method below.

1. Choose cities/towns that have a complete timeseries of observed PM2.5. Assume that Observed total PM2.5 = Smoke PM2.5 + Non-fire PM2.5

Here is the list of the receptors and the observation periods.

In southeastern Australia: 1.    Melbourne (Footscray): 2009-20202.    Melbourne (Alphington): 2009-20203.    Wollongong (Wollongong): 2009-20204.    Newcastle (Wallsend): 2009-20205.    Sydney (Liverpool): 2009-20206.    Brisbane (Springwood): 2009-2020

In northern Australia:1.    Darwin (Palmerston): 2011-20202.    Gladstone (South Gladstone): 2009-2020

2. On days when observed PM2.5 is missing, use this equation:

Observed total PM2.5 = Original STILT smoke PM2.5 + Seasonal mean non-fire PM2.5Non-fire PM2.5 = Seasonal mean non-fire PM2.5The seasonal mean non-fire PM2.5 is calculated as described in Section 2.4 of Feng et al. (2024)

3. On days when observed PM2.5 is available, calculate daily non-fire PM2.5 using this equation:

Non-fire PM2.5 = Observed total PM2.5 - Original STILT smoke PM2.5

4. On days when Equation #3 yields a negative value for non-fire PM2.5, scale the STILT smoke PM2.5 as follows:

4a. When observed PM2.5 is larger than seasonal mean non-fire PM2.5, use these equations:Non-fire PM2.5 = Seasonal mean non-fire PM2.5Scaled smoke PM2.5 = Observed total PM2.5 - Non-fire PM2.5Scaled smoke BC   = Percent contrib of BC x Scaled smoke PM2.5Scaled smoke OC   = Percent contrib of OC x Scaled smoke PM2.5

Percent contributions of STILT smoke BC/OC to STILT smoke PM2.5 on this day

4b. When observed PM2.5 is less than seasonal mean non-fire PM2.5, use this method: 4b1. Calculate average ratio of STILT smoke PM2.5 to observed total PM2.5 on the two days before and after the day with the negative value.4b2. Calculate average percent contributions of STILT smoke BC/OC to STILT smoke PM2.5 on the two days before and after.

Scaled smoke PM2.5 = (Average ratio STILT/observed from 4b1) x Observed total PM2.5.Scaled smoke BC = (Average percent contrib of BC from 4b2) x Scaled smoke PM2.5 Scaled smoke OC = (Average percent contrib of OC from 4b2) x Scaled smoke PM2.5Non-fire PM2.5 = Observed total PM2.5 - Scaled smoke PM2.5
description: File Description

1. Original PM2.5 observations (unit: μg m-3) at receptors in southeastern and northern Australia

Filename: OBS_PM25_YYYY-YYYY_southeast_receptors.csv

Period: Aug-Feb (2009-2021)

Receptors: Footscray, Alphington, Wollongong, Liverpool, Wallsend, and Springwood. Palmerston, and South Gladstone.

Filename: OBS_PM25_YYYY_north_receptors.csv:

Period: Apr-Dec (2009-2020)

Receptors: Palmerston and South Gladstone.

2. Adjusted PM2.5 observations (unit: μg m-3) at receptors in southeastern and northern Australia

Filename: ADJ_OBS_PM25_YYYY-YYYY_southeast_receptors.csv

Period: Aug-Feb (2009-2021)

Receptors: Footscray, Alphington, Wollongong, Liverpool, Wallsend, and Springwood. Palmerston, and South Gladstone.

Filename: ADJ_OBS_PM25_YYYY_north_receptors.csv:

Period: Apr-Dec (2009-2020)

Receptors: Palmerston and South Gladstone.

3. Adjusted smoke PM2.5/BC/OC concentrations (unit: μg m-3) at receptors in southeastern and northern Australia

Filename: Smoke_exposure_YYYY-YYYY_southeast_receptors_v1.csv

Period: Aug-Feb (2009-2021)

Receptors: Footscray, Alphington, Wollongong, Liverpool, Wallsend, and Springwood. Palmerston, and South Gladstone.

Filename: Smoke_exposure_YYYY_north_receptors_v1.csv:

Period: Apr-Dec (2009-2020)

Receptors: Palmerston and South Gladstone.

4. Non-fire PM2.5 concentrations (unit: μg m-3) at receptors in southeastern and northern Australia 

Filename: Non_fire_pm25_YYYY-YYYY_southeast_receptors.csv

Period: Aug-Feb (2009-2021)

Receptors: Footscray, Alphington, Wollongong, Liverpool, Wallsend, and Springwood. Palmerston, and South Gladstone.

Filename: Non_fire_pm25_YYYY_north_receptors.csv:

Period: Apr-Dec (2009-2020)

Receptors: Palmerston and South Gladstone.

5. Days with negative non-fire PM2.5 concentrations at each receptor. We adjusted the smoke PM2.5 and non-fire PM2.5 concentrations over these days.

Filename: Receptors_date_negative_nonfirePM25.xlsx