Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2235
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2235
07 Oct 2024
 | 07 Oct 2024

Measurement report: Wintertime aerosol characterization at an urban traffic site in Helsinki Finland

Kimmo Teinilä, Sanna Saarikoski, Henna Lintusaari, Teemu Lepistö, Petteri Marjanen, Minna Aurela, Heidi Hellén, Toni Tykkä, Markus Lampimäki, Janne Lampilahti, Luis Barreira, Timo Mäkelä, Leena Kangas, Juha Hatakka, Sami Harni, Joel Kuula, Jarkko V. Niemi, Harri Portin, Jaakko Yli-Ojanperä, Ville Niemelä, Milja Jäppi, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Joonas Vanhanen, Liisa Pirjola, Hanna E. Manninen, Tuukka Petäjä, Topi Rönkkö, and Hilkka Timonen

Abstract. Physical and chemical properties of particulate matter and concentrations of trace gases were measured at an urban site in Helsinki, Finland for five-weeks to investigate the effect of wintertime conditions on pollutants. The measurement took place in a street canyon (Traffic Supersite) in January–February 2022. In addition, measurements were conducted in an urban background station (UB Supersite, SMEAR III, located approx. 0.9 km from the Traffic Supersite) and with a mobile laboratory in the adjacent side streets as well as by driving back and forth along the street along the Traffic Supersite. A source apportionment was performed for the SP-AMS measurements to identify organic factors connected to different particulate sources. Particle number concentration time series and the pollution detection algorithm (PDA) were used to compare local pollution level differences between the sites.

During the campaign three different pollution events were observed with increased pollutant concentrations. The increased concentration during these episodes were due to both trapping of local pollutants near the boundary layer and long-range and regional transport of pollutants to Helsinki metropolitan area. The local road vehicle emissions increased the particle number concentrations, especially sub-10 nm particles, and long-range and regional transported aged particles increased the PM mass and particle size.

Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Physical and chemical properties of particulate matter and concentrations of trace gases were...
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