Investigations on meteorological conditions for elevated PM2.5 in Fairbanks, Alaska

The relationships between meteorological conditions (temperature, wind-speed and direction, relative humidity, surface-inversion depth and strength, and stability) and PM2.5 concentrations in Fairbanks, Alaska were investigated using ten years of observational data. The results show that during wintertime (November through February) PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the 24 h National Air Quality Standard (35 μg/m3) occurred under calm wind, extremely low temperature (≤20 °C) and moisture (water-vapor pressure < 2 hPa) multiday surface-inversion conditions that trap the pollutants in the breathing level and inhibit transport of polluted air out of Fairbanks. PM2.5 concentrations tend to be higher under stable than other conditions, but are not sensitive to the degree of stability. The presence of a surface inversion and calm wind are necessary, but in combination with low temperatures and humidity, the conditions are sufficient for high PM2.5 concentrations. The low temperatures are required because they lead to increased emission rates from domestic heating and power production. During multiday inversions with temperatures above − 20 °C, high relative humidity (> 75%) partly caused by water-vapor emission reduces PM2.5 concentrations.