INFLUENCE OF LOCAL ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ON POLLUTANTS TRANSPORT IN A COASTAL TOURIST AREA

ABSTRACT

Air quality is a challenging environmental issue in coastal areas where population and economic activities such as tourism, industry, ship and port activities are heavily concentrated.
Air pollution levels vary depending on the emission sources (traffic, industry, energy production etc.) and on the atmospheric processes. Depending on their source and interactions with other components of the air, they can have different chemical compositions and health impacts. The understanding of the relationship of the pollutants’ transport with the synoptic and local circulation patterns is of significant importance for the forecasting of air pollution episodes.
In this study, the atmospheric conditions during the pollutants transport over a coastal tourist area are examined, based on wind data, mean sea level and lower and middle troposphere pressure maps, thermal maps and approximate soundings. The presence of pollutants was an isolated event that occurred in summer as a consequence of a fire on the platform of a petrochemical refinery, located close to a Romanian beach area.
Wind conditions in the boundary layer during this one day event are presented as well as the wind frequency and speed in summer months, calculated for a 10-year period. This statistic is based on wind data recorded from 10 to 20 m above sea level by four weather stations located in different topographic conditions in the north (low shore) and south area (cliff shore) of the Romanian Black Sea coast.

Keywords: air pollution, coastal area, atmospheric circulation, wind profile