Meteorologically adjusted urban air quality trends in the Southwestern United States

摘要: Abstract Cities in the Southwestern United States (Southwest) are often close to violating tropospheric ozone (ozone) and particulate matter (PM) federal air quality standards, local climate weather conditions play a large part determining whether or not pollutant levels exceed federally mandated limits by what magnitude. The Kolmogorov–Zurbenko (KZ) filter method has been used number of studies Eastern determine meteorological controls on concentrations separate out those effects order examine underlying trends. Southwest, however, experiences different regime than other parts country, atmospheric region have examined this manner. This paper determines which variables most influence PM Southwest examines patterns trends due emissions. Ozone data were analyzed over time period 1990–2003 for Southwest's five major metropolitan areas: Albuquerque, NM; El Paso, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Phoenix, AZ; Tucson, AZ. Results indicate that temperature mixing height strongly conditions, while moisture (particularly relative humidity) strongest predictors all cities examined. Meteorological variability typically accounts 40–70% 20–50% variability. Long-term highly variable, but records from stations increasing last decade. relatively flat contained coincident extremes unrelated meteorology.