Meteorological air pollution potential in western North Carolina

Journal Article · · J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7112650

Woodson, Jr, R B

The air pollution potential in western North Carolina was determined indirectly using previous studies of air pollution in valleys and mountain climatology, temperature data from the climatic substations in western North Carolina and calculating the diurnal temperature range, rainfall frequency, and synoptic weather influences. It was found that the diurnal temperature range in the valleys was on the average several degrees larger than the diurnal temperature range outside of the mountains. Thus it appears that the nocturnal inversion is stronger in the mountain valleys than at a location outside of the mountains. Based on the findings from previous studies, the air pollution potential appears to be the greatest just after sunrise when the convective currents bring the pollutants trapped beneath the inversion down to the valley floor. A statistical model relating the curvature of the topography to the diurnal temperature range was also determined. It was found that approximately 0.82 of the variance of the diurnal temperature range could be explained by the curvature or deepness of the valley in the southern mountains.

• OSTI ID: 7112650
• Journal Information: J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 91:2; ISSN JEMSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CLIMATES
FORECASTING
METEOROLOGY
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH CAROLINA
POLLUTION
RAIN
SOUTHEAST REGION
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
TOPOGRAPHY
USA
VALLEYS