Atmospheric Circulation Patterns Conducive to Severe Haze in Eastern China Have Shifted Under Climate Change. Issue 23 (2nd December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Yang; Zhou, Yang; Li, Ke; Wang, Hailong; Ren, Lili; Zeng, Liangying; Li, Huimin; Wang, Pinya; Li, Baojie; Liao, Hong
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 48:Issue 23(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-12-02
• Subjects: atmospheric circulation patterns -- Haze -- PM2.5 -- local accumulation -- regional transport -- climate change; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1029/2021GL095011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: Regional atmospheric circulation patterns affect haze pollution and they change in the warming climate. Here, the characteristics of atmospheric circulation anomalies conducive to extreme haze occurrence in China and their historical and future trends are examined based on surface observations, reanalysis data, aerosol source tagging technique, and multimodel intercomparison results. December 2016 and 2017 are identified as the worst months of haze pollution over northern and southern China, featuring weakened and strengthened prevailing winds, respectively. During 1980–2019, the atmospheric pattern similar to December 2016 decreased, while that similar to 2017 increased, suggesting that severe haze formation mechanism in eastern China has been shifting from causes of local accumulation to regional transport processes. In the future, climate change under the sustainable and intermediate development scenarios are the ideal paths to reduce haze in China, while high social vulnerability and radiative forcing would cause a severe damage to the environment. Plain Language Summary: Severe haze pollution occurred in December 2016 and 2017 over different regions of China related to local accumulation and regional transport of aerosols, respectively. During the past four decades, the frequency of atmospheric circulation patterns similar to December 2016 decreased and that similar to 2017 increased. It indicates that haze formation in eastern China has shifted from local accumulation in northern China to regional transport in southern China. The ideal path for China to reduce haze is under sustainable development scenarios whereas high levels of social vulnerability and radiative forcing will cause severe damage to the atmospheric environment in the future. Key Points: Atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the most severe haze pollution are identified Haze formation in eastern China has shifted from causes of local accumulation in northern China to regional transport in southern China Climate change under the sustainable and intermediate development scenarios are the ideal paths to reduce haze in China