Abstract. Eastern China (27–41∘ N,
110–123∘ E) is heavily polluted by
nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter
below 2.5 µm (PM2.5), and other air pollutants. These pollutants
vary on a variety of temporal and spatial scales, with many temporal scales
that are nonperiodic and nonstationary, challenging proper quantitative
characterization and visualization. This study uses a newly compiled
EOF–EEMD analysis visualization package to evaluate the spatiotemporal
variability of ground-level NO2, PM2.5, and their associations
with meteorological processes over Eastern China in fall–winter 2013.
Applying the package to observed hourly pollutant data reveals a primary
spatial pattern representing Eastern China synchronous variation in
time, which is dominated by diurnal variability with a much weaker
day-to-day signal. A secondary spatial mode, representing north–south
opposing changes in time with no constant period, is characterized by
wind-related dilution or a buildup of pollutants from one day to another. We further evaluate simulations of nested GEOS-Chem v9-02 and
WRF/CMAQ v5.0.1 in capturing the
spatiotemporal variability of pollutants. GEOS-Chem underestimates
NO2 by about 17 µg m−3 and PM2.5 by
35 µg m−3
on average over fall–winter 2013. It reproduces the diurnal
variability for both pollutants. For the day-to-day variation, GEOS-Chem
reproduces the observed north–south contrasting mode for both pollutants but
not the Eastern China synchronous mode (especially for NO2). The
model errors are due to a first model layer too thick (about 130 m) to
capture the near-surface vertical gradient, deficiencies in the nighttime
nitrogen chemistry in the first layer, and missing secondary organic aerosols
and anthropogenic dust. CMAQ overestimates the diurnal cycle of pollutants
due to too-weak boundary layer mixing, especially in the nighttime, and
overestimates NO2 by about 30 µg m−3 and PM2.5
by 60 µg m−3. For the day-to-day variability, CMAQ reproduces
the observed Eastern China synchronous mode but not the north–south opposing
mode of NO2. Both models capture the day-to-day variability of
PM2.5 better than that of NO2. These results shed light on
model improvement. The EOF–EEMD package is freely
available for noncommercial uses.