Urban heat islands in China enhanced by haze pollution

Urban heat islands in China enhanced by haze pollution

The urban heat island (UHI), the phenomenon of higher temperatures in urban land than the surrounding rural land, is commonly attributed to changes in biophysical properties of the land surface associated with urbanization. Here we provide evidence for a long-held hypothesis that the biogeochemical effect of urban aerosol or haze pollution is also a contributor to the UHI. Our results are based...

Elucidating severe urban haze formation in China.

As the world's second largest economy, China has experienced severe haze pollution, with fine particulate matter (PM) recently reaching unprecedentedly high levels across many cities, and an understanding of the PM formation mechanism is critical in the development of efficient mediation policies to minimize its regional to global impacts. We demonstrate a periodic cycle of PM episodes in Beiji...

Formation of nanoparticles of blue haze enhanced by anthropogenic pollution.

The molecular processes leading to formation of nanoparticles of blue haze over forested areas are highly complex and not fully understood. We show that the interaction between biogenic organic acids and sulfuric acid enhances nucleation and initial growth of those nanoparticles. With one cis-pinonic acid and three to five sulfuric acid molecules in the critical nucleus, the hydrophobic organic...

Factors Contributing to Haze Pollution: Evidence from Macao, China

Haze is a major environmental concern in many cities because it adversely affects people’s physiological and psychological well-being. This paper examines the extent of haze in Macao during the period 1986–2016. It identifies the relationships between haze, energy use, and meteorological conditions directly. The haze in Macao changed over the period 1986–2016 with air pollution getting worse an...

Atmospheric Pollution and Urban Development in China