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Currently, ozone pollution is one of the key environmental concerns, and to provide more effective strategies for ozone control, this paper proposes the use of the Geostationary Environmental Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) in conjunction with MAX-DOAS for observations and ozone sensitivity analysis. Compared to traditional polar-orbiting satellites, GEMS, launched by South Korea in 2019, offers superior spatiotemporal resolution. However, there is a lack of ground validation for GEMS data related to ozone and its precursors. In this study, we conducted validation in the Jing-Jin-Ji (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) region using two typical MAX-DOAS sites and the China National Environmental Monitoring Center (CNEMC) sites, confirming the accuracy of GEMS data. Analysis of the seasonal horizontal distribution results from GEMS and vertical distribution results from MAX-DOAS in 2022 reveals that the concentrations of NO 2 , HCHO, O 3 , and ozone sensitivity not only display seasonality and regional variations but also exhibit distinct characteristics at different altitudes and times, influenced by local climatic conditions, human activities, and topography. When formulating ozone control policies, it becomes imperative to consider factors such as time, regional characteristics, and seasonality. Comparisons between daily results from TROPOMI and GEMS indicate that polar-orbiting satellites may overlook high-pollution periods within a single day, and their measurements may not provide a comprehensive representation of an entire day's data. Consequently, relying solely on polar-orbiting satellite data for shaping ozone prevention and control policies may inadvertently encourage ozone formation during specific time periods, rendering these policies ineffective. Therefore, leveraging GEMS is essential for the development of comprehensive, around-the-clock ozone control policies. Finally, we used monitoring data from Beijing on October 6, 2022, to illustrate how the combination of GEMS and MAX-DOAS enables three-dimensional monitoring of pollutant transport processes on an hourly scale. [Display omitted] • Validation of the accuracy of ozone and its precursor data from GEMS. • Analysis of hourly ozone sensitivity level distribution using GEMS. • Limitations of polar orbit satellites in O 3 sensitivity analysis compared to GEMS. • Observation of the transport of pollutants combining GEMS and MAX-DOAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beijing Lightning Network (BLNET), a regional multi-frequency-band lightning detection and location network, has been developed for both research and operational purposes. The network consisted of 15 stations in 2014, covering an area of about 100 km × 85 km in Beijing area. In this paper, we present the configuration of the network and the detailed description on the sensors for the first time. The Chan algorithm and Levenberg–Marquardt method are adopted jointly in the lightning location algorithm. The Monte Carlo simulation reveals that the horizontal and the vertical location errors within BLNET coverage are less than 300 m and 600 m, respectively. The comparison of total lightning location results with the corresponding radar reflectivity for a thunderstorm case indicates that BLNET has a good capability to track thunderstorms in the Beijing area. Besides, we examine the electric field waveforms of the preliminary breakdown process (PBP) of 111 − CG flashes, 92 + CG flashes, 22 normal-polarity IC flashes and 22 inverted-polarity IC flashes. Statistics on the time interval between the largest PBP pulse and the corresponding first RS pulse for CG flash ( PB–RS interval), the ratio of the largest PBP pulse to the corresponding first RS pulse for CG flash ( PB / RS ratio), the pulse width for individual pulse in the PBP train ( T w ) and the time interval between successive pulses in the PBP train ( T i ) are presented. The 3D location result shows that the PBP of a − CG flash initiates at an altitude of ~ 6 km and propagates downward to ~ 3 km with a vertical speed of 5.9 × 10 5 m/s. The initial 10 ms of an IC flash is found to start at ~ 7.2 km and develop upward to ~ 10 km. The vertical propagation speed is estimated to be 4.8 × 10 5 m/s during the first 6 ms. A PBP with relatively clear branched 3D structure is presented and discussed in the end of the paper. The average 3D propagation speed of two branches is estimated to be 2.1 × 10 6 m/s and 2.6 × 10 6 m/s, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a decrease in fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) due to the implementation of air pollution prevention-control measures, ozone (O 3) has risen in China especially in urban areas recently. It becomes more and more important to control air combined pollution with high concentration of PM 2.5 and O 3. We analyzed the characteristics of air combined pollution in Beijing from 2014 to 2019 in this paper. Results indicated that the trough O 3 showed an upward trend of 4.5 μg m−3 yr−1, while the peak decreased by −1.1 μg m−3 yr−1. There were three typical atmospheric chemical stages in the interaction between O 3 and PM 2.5 in summer through observations. The first was an intense photochemical stage with the synchronous and rapid growth of O 3 and PM 2.5. The O 3 concentration varied from 68 μg m−3 to 206 μg m−3 when PM 2.5 ≤ 35 μg m−3. While secondary inorganic ions (SNA) ranged from 2 to 21 μg m−3 especially SO 4 2− (0.8–12 μg m−3). The second was an aerosol chemical generation stage with the rapid increase of PM 2.5 and SNA under high O 3 concentration. O 3 was maintained at a high concentration between 198 μg m−3 and 241 μg m−3 when PM 2.5 was within the range of 35–125 μg m−3. SNA increased from 12 μg m−3 to 96 μg m−3. The third was a high PM 2.5 pollution stage suppressing the generation of O 3 when PM 2.5 ≥ 125 μg m−3. O 3 began to decline with the growth of PM 2.5 and decreased from 224 μg m−3 to 130 μg m−3. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) decreased from 13 MJ m−3 in the first to 8 MJ m−3 in this stage. [Display omitted] • The O 3 trough increased by 4.5 μg/m3 and the peak decreased by −1.1 μg/m3 per year in Beijing. • There were three typical processes in the interaction between O 3 and PM 2.5 in summer day. • The photochemical process was intense in dry-sunny days with the synchronous growth of O 3 and PM 2.5. • Aerosol chemical process intensified with a rapid growth of PM 2.5 and SNA in high O 3. • O 3 began to decline with the growth of PM 2.5 when PM 2.5 attenuated UV in a high level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-satellite sensors are capable of monitoring transport and characteristics of dust storms and changes in atmospheric parameters along their transport. The present paper discusses aerosol optical properties and meteorological parameters during major dust storm events occurred in the period 2005–2010 over Beijing, China. The back trajectory model shows that the dust is transported from the Inner Mongolia and Mongolia arid regions to Beijing. High aerosol optical depth (AOD) at the wavelength 675 nm and low Ångström exponent (AE) values in the wavelength 440–870 nm are observed during dusty days. The aerosol size distribution (ASD) in coarse mode shows a large increase in the volume during dusty days. The single scattering albedo (SSA) increases with higher wavelength on dusty days, and is generally found to be higher compared to the days prior to and after the dust events, indicating the presence of high concentrations of scattering particles due to dust storm events. The physico-chemical properties of aerosols during dusty and non dusty days show distinct characteristics as reflected from the changes in the real and imaginary parts of refractive index (RI). In addition, the CO volume mixing ratio (COVMR) from Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) shows a pronounced decrease on dusty days, while the H 2 O mass mixing ratio (H 2 OMMR) shows enhanced signal. Furthermore, enhanced level of water vapor (WV) using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data is also observed in and around Beijing over the dust storms track. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lidar is a powerful active remote sensing technique to monitor the planetary boundary layer (PBL), and there have already been many algorithms to retrieve the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) using aerosol lidars. However, the algorithm suitable for all atmospheric conditions doesn't exist. This study evaluates the capability of nine lidar algorithms under different pollution scenarios in terms of the instantaneous performance and the diurnal evolution, which are derived from classical theories and expressed as GM, LGM, CRGM, IPM, VAR, VGM, WCT, WCTD, and POLARIS in this paper. Based on the nine algorithms, the continuous PBLHs are obtained from the observation dataset of a Beijing urban site in 2017. In order to verify the lidar results, the statical comparison analysis with radiosonde is also presented. On the premise of the inversion hypothesis, such as sufficient mixing in the PBL, the consistency of lidar results was the best, with the difference being not more than 200 m. And what's different from our cognition is that the concentration of pollutants near the ground under the light pollution condition makes the lidar results tend to be consistent. In fact, LGM prefers to get higher PBLHs because of filtering the information near the ground, whereas POLARIS is apt to underestimate unless the actual morphology can be captured by the depolarization ratio. VAR and IPM are more vulnerable to the conspicuous stratification. GM, CRGM, and WCTD have better consistency with radiosonde and capture the evolution characteristic no matter in clean or polluted days. Compared with the clean days, PBLH from lidar algorithms under the polluted condition reduced about 500 m overall, as well as the standard deviation. Generally speaking, the comprehensive comparison provides a reference to choose the proper lidar algorithm when retrieving the PBLH. GM is appropriate for the detection of clean days, while CRGM is robust for polluted days. WCTD is more suitable for the judgment of PBLH in the morning and evening and will underestimate at noon. As to the situation with cloud, WCTD is also the best choice. • The nine algorithms are compared both internally and with radiosonde. • The difference of lidar results with sufficient mixing is not more than 200 m. • GM, WCT and WCTD are robust to meet the retrieval requirements. • WCTD is much better for the inversion of residual layer height at night. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial mitigation of air pollutants emissions has been performed since 2013 around Beijing, and changes in the atmospheric characteristics have been expected over the downstream area of Beijing. In this study, both WRF-Chem simulation and on-site measurements were utilized for the Baengnyeong (island) supersite, one of the representative regional background sites located in the Yellow Sea, the entrance area of the long-range transport process in Korea. The changes in the chemical compositions of inorganic aerosols were examined for spring-time during the Chinese emission mitigation period from 2014 to 2016. The measured ratio of ionic species to PM 2.5 at the Baengnyeong supersite showed changes in aerosol inorganic chemical compositions from sulfate in 2014 to nitrate in 2015–2016. The modeling results also showed that nitrate was low in 2014 and significantly increased in 2015 and 2016, and the acidic aerosol condition had also changed toward a more neutralized status in both the simulation and the observations. The WRF-Chem modeling study further indicated that the sulfur was not neutralized in 2014. However, in 2015 and 2016, SO 2 was more sufficiently neutralized as sulfur emissions were substantially reduced in China, while at the same time nitrate had begun to increase in such a 'SO 2 –poor' condition in Beijing area in China, and thus approaching more enhanced neutralization over the Yellow Sea area. The causes of the higher nitrate based on the modeled characteristics of the ammonia-sulfate-nitrate aerosol formation in response to the SO 2 emissions reduction in China are also discussed in this paper. Inorganic composition is changing from sulfate to nitrate, and aerosol acidity is approaching more enhanced neutralization over regional background area in Northeast Asia. Unlabelled Image • Inorganic components were examined over background area during Beijing's emission reduction. • Observations showed significant change in decreased sulfate and opposite trend in nitrate. • Aerosol acidity changed to enhanced nitrate neutralization through the emission reduction period. • More enhanced nitrate was also simulated by WRF-Chem mainly due to Beijing's emission mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the characteristics of rain drop size distributions (DSDs) and vertical profiles of hydrometeors for a severe rainstorm event that occurred in Beijing, northern China, from 19 to 21 July 2016 using in situ measurements from two disdrometers (OTT-Parsivel2 and 2D-Video-Distrometer) and remote sensing data collected by a second-generation Micro Rain Radar (MRR2). This rainstorm was characterized by stratiform precipitation with embedded strong convection on 19 July and widespread, intense mixed convective-stratified rainfall resulting in persistent rainfall between 20 and 21 July. The temporal and spatial variations in rainfall rate R , liquid water content W , reflectivity Z , DSDs and the gamma DSD parameters in different precipitation episodes of this event are derived and compared between two meteorological stations in Beijing. Rainfall throughout the entire event was characterized by large concentrations of small- to medium-sized raindrops (diameters between 2 and 4 mm) and few larger particles (D > 4 mm), resulting in small values of reflectivity Z (<40 dBZ) and liquid water content W (<1.0 g m−3). In addition, the log 10 N w -D m scatter pairs recorded during the convective phase of this rainstorm indicate maritime-like convection. The time evolution of DSDs shows that most single peak DSDs occurred during stratiform rainfall, and bimodal DSDs were observed when the convective rainfall cells passed by and collisional breakups occurred. The gamma DSD model with a single peak in the stratiform phase of the storm and the bimodal DSD in the convective episode of the storm are quantitatively evaluated. In addition, in each precipitation episode, the differences in exponent b and coefficient A of the Z - R relationship between the two stations are smaller for stratiform rainfall than for convective rainfall due to the more evident variability of drop size and number concentration in convective rain. The physical nature of this relationship and the possible mechanisms leading to diverse characteristics in different phases of this heavy rainstorm are discussed. • The variations of DSD during a great rainstorm in northern China were investigated using 2DVD, Parsivel and MRR observation. • Most single-peak DSDs occurred in the stratiform rainfall, and the bimodal DSDs were observed in the convective rainfall. • The gamma distribution does not represent well the bimodal DSDs in higher rain rate (R >10 mm h-1). • The influence of the DSD characteristics on the Z -R relationships is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]