The impacts on various particle sizes and the air quality caused by a dust weather process in Spring 2011 in Liaoning
2011年春季辽宁一次沙尘天气过程及其对不同粒径颗粒物和空气质量的影响

Using data of a dust weather process in Liaoning during 11th~12th May 2011, the impacts on various particle sizes and the air quality caused by the dust weather and the cause of this dust weather process were analyzed. The results showed that the concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 were quite different before and after the dust weather process. When the dust weather occurred, the hourly maximum mass concentration of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 increased 1.5~20 times in the 4 cities of Shenyang, Anshan, Benxi and Dandong.The number concentrations of the coarse particles PM(2.5~10) increased 30~41 times and the quality concentrations increased 27~30 times. The number of concentrations of the fine particles PM(1~2.5) increased 27~30 times, and the mass concentrations increased 15~30 times. In addition, the number concentration and mass concentration of the ultrafine particle of PM1 in each city were also different. The number concentrations of the ultrafine particles PM1 increased 3 times, and the mass concentrations increased 5 times in Shenyang. But the number concentrations of the ultrafine particles PM1 decreased 50%, and the mass concentrations decreased 10% in Anshan. Moreover, influenced by Mongolia Cyclone, the weather of Inner Mongolia became blustery and temperature dropped. The dust in Inner Mongolia was brought by the wind to high altitude and transported to Liaoning by westerlies. As surface wind speed in Liaoning was weak, floating dust influenced most parts of Liaoning, and the air quality in Liaoning was seriously affected. Except Dandong, air quality in the other 13 cities in Liaoning all reached the mild to serious pollution level. The air pollution index was more than 300 in Tieling, Fuxin, Shenyang and Fushun. Thus, air quality reached serious pollution level.