Investigating correlations between urban air pollution patterns and ABL characteristics produced by a SODAR-RASS profilometer

SODAR-RASS systems are progressively used for a large number of applications especially in air pollution meteorology. Both quantitative and qualitative information on the atmospheric structure parameters can be obtained with reasonable accuracy. Among others, the mixing height of the atmosphere, the wind and temperature field and the stability class can be determined. This paper studies correlations between certain profilometer-produced estimates of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) characteristics and urban air pollution patterns incorporating collected environmental data in Athens, Greece. The recorded air pollution episodes, considering both primary emitted and photochemically produced pollutants, were analyzed along side the ABL characteristics determined by a SODAR-RASS profilometer operating close to the center of the city. First results indicated that sufficiently good correlation exists between relevant profilometer ABL estimates, (e.g. Zi) and the patterns of air pollution encountered over the city.