Aerosol properties and meteorological conditions in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina during the resuspension of volcanic ash from the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption

Abstract. The eruption in June 2011 of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex in Chile impacted air traffic around the Southern Hemisphere for several months after the initial ash emissions. The ash deposited in vast areas of the Patagonian Steppe was subjected to the strong wind conditions prevalent during the austral winter and spring experiencing resuspension over various regions of Argentina. In this study we analyze the meteorological conditions that led to the episode of volcanic ash resuspension which impacted the city of Buenos Aires and resulted in the closure of the two main airports in Buenos Aires area (Ezeiza and Aeroparque) on 16 October 2011. A relevant result is that resuspended material (volcanic ash plus dust) imprints a distinguishable feature within the atmospheric thermodynamic vertical profiles. The thermodynamic soundings show the signature of "pulses of drying" in layers associated with the presence of hygroscopic ash in the atmosphere that has already been reported in similar episodes after volcanic eruptions in other parts of the world. This particular footprint can be used to detect the probable existence of volcanic ash layers. This study also illustrates the utility of ceilometers to detect not only cloud base at airports but also volcanic ash plumes at the boundary layer and up to 7 km altitude. Aerosol properties measured in the city during the resuspension episode indicate the presence of enhanced concentrations of aerosol particles in the boundary layer along with spectral signatures in the measurements at the Buenos Aires AERONET site typical of ash plus dust advected towards the city. The mandatory aviation reports from the National Weather Service about airborne and deposited volcanic ash at the airport near the measurement site (Aeroparque) correlate in time with the enhanced concentrations. The presence of the resuspended material was detected by the CALIOP lidar overpassing the region. Since the dynamics of ash resuspension and recirculation are similar to the dynamics of dust storms, we use the HYSPLIT model with the dust storm module to simulate the episode that affected Buenos Aires. The results of the modeling agree qualitatively with satellite lidar measurements.

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Review of the manuscript “Aerosol properties and meteorological conditions in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina during the resuspension of volcanic ash from the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption” by Ulke et al.

10.5194/nhess-2015-311-rc2 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Anonymous

Keyword(s):

Volcanic Ash ◽

Buenos Aires ◽

Meteorological Conditions ◽

The City ◽

Aerosol Properties

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Review of Aerosol properties and meteorological conditions in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina during the resuspension of volcanic ash from the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption

10.5194/nhess-2015-311-rc1 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Anonymous

Keyword(s):

Volcanic Ash ◽

Buenos Aires ◽

Meteorological Conditions ◽

The City ◽

Aerosol Properties

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Dynamics of Muddy Rain of 15 June 2018 in Nepal

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11050529 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 529

Author(s):

Ashok Kumar Pokharel ◽

Tianli Xu ◽

Xiaobo Liu ◽

Binod Dawadi

Keyword(s):

Dust Emission ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Strong Wind ◽

Hysplit Model ◽

Moderate Resolution ◽

Resolution Imaging ◽

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽

Upper Level ◽

Terra Satellite ◽

Negative Buoyancy

It has been revealed from the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications MERRA analyses, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer MODIS/Terra satellite imageries, Naval Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System NAAPS model outputs, Cloud –Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations CALIPSO imageries, Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory HYSPLIT model trajectories, atmospheric soundings, and observational records of dust emission that there were multiple dust storms in the far western parts of India from 12 to 15 June 2018 due to thunderstorms. This led to the lifting of the dust from the surface. The entry of dust into the upper air was caused by the generation of a significant amount of turbulent kinetic energy as a function of strong wind shear generated by the negative buoyancy of the cooled air aloft and the convective buoyancy in the lower planetary boundary layer. Elevated dust reached a significant vertical height and was advected towards the northern/northwestern/northeastern parts of India. In the meantime, this dust was carried by northwesterly winds associated with the jets in the upper level, which advected dust towards the skies over Nepal where rainfall was occurring at that time. Consequently, this led to the muddy rain in Nepal.

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The impact of MISR-derived injection height initialization on wildfire and volcanic plume dispersion in the HYSPLIT model

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques ◽

10.5194/amt-11-6289-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 6289-6307 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Charles J. Vernon ◽

Ryan Bolt ◽

Timothy Canty ◽

Ralph A. Kahn

Keyword(s):

Volcanic Eruptions ◽

Dust Storms ◽

Volcanic Plume ◽

Plume Dispersion ◽

Hysplit Model ◽

Particle Injection ◽

Nominal Model ◽

Satellite Retrievals ◽

Aerosol Sources ◽

The Impact

Abstract. The dispersion of particles from wildfires, volcanic eruptions, dust storms, and other aerosol sources can affect many environmental factors downwind, including air quality. Aerosol injection height is one source attribute that mediates downwind dispersion, as wind speed and direction can vary dramatically with elevation. Using plume heights derived from space-based, multi-angle imaging, we examine the impact of initializing plumes in the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory's Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model with satellite-measured vs. nominal (model-calculated or VAAC-reported) injection height on the simulated dispersion of six large aerosol plumes. When there are significant differences in nominal vs. satellite-derived particle injection heights, especially if both heights are in the free troposphere or if one injection height is within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and the other is above the PBL, differences in simulation results can arise. In the cases studied with significant nominal vs. satellite-derived injection height differences, the HYSPLIT model can represent plume evolution better, relative to independent satellite observations, if the injection height in the model is constrained by hyper-stereo satellite retrievals.

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High PM10 concentrations in the city of Buenos Aires and their relationship with meteorological conditions

Atmospheric Environment ◽

10.1016/j.atmosenv.2020.117773 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 241 ◽

pp. 117773 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andrea L. Pineda Rojas ◽

Rafael Borge ◽

Nicolás A. Mazzeo ◽

Ramiro I. Saurral ◽

Bruno N. Matarazzo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Buenos Aires ◽

Meteorological Conditions ◽

The City

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Monitoring Dust Events Using Doppler Lidar and Ceilometer in Iceland

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11121294 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1294

Author(s):

Shu Yang ◽

Jana Preißler ◽

Matthias Wiegner ◽

Sibylle von Löwis ◽

Guðrún Nína Petersen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Volcanic Ash ◽

Volcanic Eruptions ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Strong Wind ◽

Doppler Lidar ◽

Dust Layer ◽

Lidar Measurements ◽

Processing Procedure ◽

Wind Lidar ◽

Dust Events

Ground-based lidars and ceilometers are widely used for dust and volcanic ash observation around the world. This is particularly interesting in Iceland where high-altitude dust events occur frequently during strong wind conditions and volcanic eruptions. To explore the possible application of such technologies in Iceland for monitoring dust events, we used a combination of Doppler wind lidars with depolarization channels, ceilometers, and other instruments, to monitor two dust events that occurred in Iceland during summer 2019. We applied a verified ceilometer data processing procedure with customized local corrections and developed a new procedure to process Doppler lidar data for aerosols measurements. Both lidar and ceilometer observations can be used to detect the dust layer and reveal the temporal and vertical distribution of dust aerosols in Iceland. The depolarization ratio measurements indicate that the weather conditions, e.g., relative humidity, could have a significant impact on lidar measurements. We conclude that using Doppler wind lidar and ceilometer measurements to monitor volcanic and sedimentary aerosols is possible and may be used to provide important information to the scientific community.

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The environmental impact of the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle 2011 volcanic eruption on Buenos Aires

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/nhessd-1-1507-2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 1507-1534

Author(s):

G. B. Raga ◽

D. Baumgardner ◽

A. G. Ulke ◽

M. Torres Brizuela ◽

B. Kucienska

Keyword(s):

Buenos Aires ◽

Volcanic Plume ◽

Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽

Volcanic Complex ◽

Average Temperature ◽

Research Site ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

Urban Conditions ◽

The City ◽

Aerosol Backscatter

Abstract. On 4 June 2011, the volcanic complex Puyehue-Cordon Caulle located in the Chilean Andes erupted, producing a plume of gases and particles that eventually circled the Southern Hemisphere, disrupting air travel and depositing ash in large quantities. On eight occasions, the plume passed over the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, leading local authorities to close the two international airports. The eruption occurred during an on-going field campaign when measurements of the properties of atmospheric aerosol particles were being made in Buenos Aires as part of a year-long study of the physical and optical properties of aerosol at one site in the city. The suite of instruments deployed in Buenos Aires were not tailored to measurements of volcanic ash, but were designed to characterize urban conditions. Nevertheless, these measurements were analyzed for periods when vertical profiles of aerosol backscatter, made with a ceilometer, clearly showed the presence of the volcano plume over the research site and resulted in airport closure. Aerosol optical thickness derived from AERONET, MODIS and a ceilometer at our research site, all show enhanced values clearly indicating that the three platforms identified the volcanic plume simultaneously. However, a quantitative comparison of the different estimates proves difficult, suggesting large spatial and temporal variability of the plume. Our results indicate that the number concentration of condensation nuclei (CN), the mass concentration of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH) and the light absorption coefficient exceeded the average background values by more than one standard deviation during the events of volcanic plume. The anomalous concentrations of CN suggest new particle formation, presumably from the conversion of SO2, while the anomalous concentrations of PPAH may come from the uptake of PAHs on the plume particles or from chemical reactions on the surface of plume particles. The anomalous absorption coefficients indicate that plume particles may contain certain compounds that can absorb radiation at 550 nm. Another possible explanation consistent with the observations is the scavenging of black carbon from urban sources as the plume descends through the boundary layer to the surface. In addition, the volcanic plume influenced the local meteorology resulting in a decrease of the temperature when compared to the average temperature during days with no plume present.

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The environmental impact of the Puyehue–Cordon Caulle 2011 volcanic eruption on Buenos Aires

Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ◽

10.5194/nhess-13-2319-2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 2319-2330 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

G. B. Raga ◽

D. Baumgardner ◽

A. G. Ulke ◽

M. Torres Brizuela ◽

B. Kucienska

Keyword(s):

Buenos Aires ◽

Volcanic Plume ◽

Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽

Volcanic Complex ◽

Average Temperature ◽

Research Site ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

Urban Conditions ◽

The City ◽

Aerosol Backscatter

Abstract. On 4 June 2011, the volcanic complex Puyehue–Cordon Caulle located in the Chilean Andes erupted, producing a plume of gases and particles that eventually circled the Southern Hemisphere, disrupting air travel and depositing ash in large quantities. On eight occasions, the plume passed over the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, leading local authorities to close the two international airports. The eruption occurred during an on-going field campaign when measurements of the properties of atmospheric aerosol particles were being made in Buenos Aires as part of a year-long study of the concentration and optical properties of aerosol at one site in the city. The suite of instruments deployed in Buenos Aires were not tailored to measurements of volcanic ash, but were designed to characterize urban conditions. Nevertheless, these measurements were analysed for periods when vertical profiles of aerosol backscatter, made with a ceilometer, clearly showed the presence of the volcano plume over the research site and resulted in airport closure. Aerosol optical thickness derived from AERONET, MODIS and a ceilometer at our research site, all show enhanced values clearly indicating that the three platforms identified the volcanic plume simultaneously. However, a quantitative comparison of the different estimates proves difficult, suggesting large spatial and temporal variability of the plume. Our results indicate that the number concentration of condensation nuclei (CN), the mass concentration of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH) and the light absorption coefficient exceeded the average background values by more than one standard deviation during the events of volcanic plume. The anomalous concentrations of CN suggest new particle formation, presumably from the conversion of SO2, while the anomalous concentrations of PPAH may come from the uptake of PAHs on the plume particles or from chemical reactions on the surface of plume particles. The anomalous absorption coefficients indicate that plume particles may contain certain compounds that can absorb radiation at 550 nm. Another possible explanation consistent with the observations is the scavenging of black carbon from urban sources as the plume descends through the boundary layer to the surface. In addition, the volcanic plume influenced the local meteorology resulting in a decrease of the temperature when compared to the average temperature during days with no plume present.

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Spread of COVID-19, Meteorological Conditions and Air Quality in the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina: Two Facets Observed during Its Pandemic Lockdown

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11101045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 1045 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tomás R. Bolaño-Ortiz ◽

Romina M. Pascual-Flores ◽

S. Enrique Puliafito ◽

Yiniva Camargo-Caicedo ◽

Lucas L. Berná-Peña ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Buenos Aires ◽

Human Mobility ◽

Meteorological Conditions ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Temperature Correlation ◽

Daily Data ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Average Relative Humidity ◽

The City

This work studied the spread of COVID-19, the meteorological conditions and the air quality in a megacity from two viewpoints: (1) the correlation between meteorological and air quality (PM10 and NO2) variables with infections and deaths due COVID-19, and (2) the improvement in air quality. Both analyses were performed for the pandemic lockdown due to COVID-19 in the City of Buenos Aires (CABA), the capital and the largest city in Argentina. Daily data from temperature, rainfall, average relative humidity, wind speed, PM10, NO2, new cases and deaths due COVID-19 were analyzed. Our findings showed a significant correlation of meteorological and air quality variables with COVID-19 cases. The highest temperature correlation occurred before the confirmation day of new cases. PM10 presented the highest correlation within 13 to 15 days lag, while NO2 within 3 to 6 days lag. Also, reductions in PM10 and NO2 were observed. This study shows that exposure to air pollution was significantly correlated with an increased risk of becoming infected and dying due to COVID-19. Thus, these results show that the NO2 and PM10 levels in CABA can serve as one of the indicators to assess vulnerability to COVID-19. In addition, decision-makers can use this information to adopt strategies to restrict human mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic and future outbreaks of similar diseases in CABA.

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