Atmospheric stagnation, recirculation and ventilation potential of several sites in Argentina

Conditions for stagnation, recirculation and ventilation potential of the atmosphere were studied in five argentine cities: Resistencia, Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata and Comodoro Rivadavia, located in different regions of the country. Wind run and recirculation factors were calculated for a 24-h transport time using 2 years of hourly surface measurements of wind speed and direction. The largest stagnation frequency (45% of the time) was observed in Resistencia, located in the northeastern part of the country, in an area where winds are weak. The least frequency of stagnations (2%) was observed in Comodoro Rivadavia, in the southern region of the country, a region dominated by strong westerly winds. Comodoro Rivadavia and Córdoba registered the largest frequency of recirculations. Comodoro Rivadavia exposed to sea–land breezes and Córdoba, located on a complex terrain area and exposed to local circulations, experienced recirculation events during 10% of the time. Good atmospheric ventilation occurs when a high value of wind run and a low value of the recirculation factor are observed and it can be associated with the atmosphereʹs capacity to replace polluted air with clean air. Ventilation events occurred 58% of the time at Comodoro Rivadavia, 52% at Mar del Plata, 40% at Buenos Aires, 35% at Córdoba and 18% at Resistencia. In general, stagnation was more frequently observed during autumn and winter, recirculation during spring and summer and good ventilation conditions occurred during spring.