Influence of meteorological variability upon aerosol mass size distribution

Aerosol mass size distribution has been measured by using an optical particle counter. The measurements were done in an urban background location in the western Mediterranean during winter 2006. The study has been focused in determining the mass size distribution under special meteorological conditions like moderate rain, considerable winds and high atmospheric stability. The results obtained showed a mass predominance of accumulation mode during rain and high stability periods although for different reasons. In the case of rain, it is due to greater atmospheric cleansing effectiveness that rain has upon coarse mode particles. However, during stagnant periods, the meteorological situation favored coagulation processes among nucleation mode particles giving like result a mass increase in the accumulation mode. Finally, strong winds favor the resuspension of the largest particles and the dispersion of particles with sizes inferior to 7.5 μm. Similar results have been reproduced using principal component analysis (PCA). In this way, three components were identified. The first (PC1) represents particles in the accumulation mode. The second component (PC2) is constituted by coarse particles to 7.5 μm, and the third (PC3) corresponds to coarser particles. The contribution of each group to the overall average concentration was determined: 27.2% corresponds to particles with sizes belonging within the first component, 35.4% to PC2 and 37.3% to PC3. Important percentage variability for each component under meteorological episodes has been obtained. Results obtained showed an important increase of PC1 during Rainy Days (53.8%) and High Pollution Days (40.2%). Contrary to this on Windy Days this component decreases to 7.4%. However, during this kind of day PC3 increases to 64.6%.