Article about particulate matter pollution during New-year’s Eve in the next issue of Náttúrufræðingurinn

In the next volume of Náttúrufræðingurinn there will be an article by me, and co-authors Þorsteinn Jóhannsson, Sigurður B. Finnsson and Anna R. Böðvarsdóttir about PM10 pollution during New-year’s Eve celebrations in Reykjavík.


Abstract.
The airborne particulate matter pollution (PM10) around New-years Eve in Reykjavik, Iceland, reaches values that are many times greater (up to 2374 µg/m3, 30 min value) than the typical daily peak values (~100 µg/m3, 30 min value).
Strong winds (and precipitation) are efficient in reducing the peak concentration, and changes in the wind direction, even for relatively calm winds, can complicate the time series.
Although the  concentration reaches high values, these pollution events are of short duration.

Poor air quality at Vik 20100717

Daily average quite high at Vik on 17 July 2010, good at Hvolsvöllur and not measured at Raufarfell (broken instrument possibly).

PM10 in the ash fallout zone on 2010-07-16

Quite a lot of PM10 at Raufarfell on 16 July 2010, close to 300 micro-g/m3 the 24-h average, while at Vík it was close to 70 micro-g/m3, but at Hvolsvöllur it was good, just around 10 micro-g/m3.

Soon after midnight on 17 July there is a large, and sudden, increase in PM10 at Vik, so we expect higher average for 17 July than the day before.

This increase is probably due to increased wind speed in the surrounding area, or higher in the atmosphere (top of Eyjafjallajökull), since no increase was measured in wind speed at Vik.

Icebergs brake off quickly, NE Greenland

Icebergs brake off quickly.
The pair of images below, one day apart, show a large chunk of ice breaking off in NE Greenland. Images are from 13 and 14 July 2010.

 
Images courtesy of NASA Rapifire.

Rain and no wind equals good air quality in the ash fallout zone on 2010-07-10

Measurements of PM10 at Raufarfell (red lines) and Hvolsvöll (blue line). Also shown wind speed (WS) and relative humidity (RH) at Raufarfell.

Rain in the area on 10 July, and almost no wind.

Therefore, air quality very good. Around 9 micro-g/m3 at Hvolsvöllur and 5 micro-g/m3 at Raufarfell.

Below health limit at Hvolsvöllur and Raufarfell on 2010-07-09

Low winds made for good air quality on 9 July 2010 in the ash fallout zone. The 24-h average was just under 50 micro-g/m3 at Raufarfell, and  33 micro-g/m3 at Hvolsvöllur.

High values of PM10 at Raufarfell 2010-07-08

According to the new instrument at Raufarfell there was a lot of Particulate Matter in the air on 8 July 2010 (24-h average 424 micro-g/m3 and highest 10-min value1071 micro-g/m3).

Not much at Hvolsvöllur, different from the day before.

The instrument at Vik still out of order.

Looking at the measurements it seems that northerly wind directions are the most effective in increasing PM10, if the wind speed is above ~5 m/s.

Some small amount of rain in the area on 8 July, and the relative humidity at Raufarfell changed from very dry to more moist around noon.

Lots of PM10 in the ash fallout zone 2010-07-07

Very high at PM10 at Hvolsvöllur (almost 350 micro-g/m3), high at Raufarfell (168 micro-g/m3), but Vík was broken.

The day started off nice enough, but then, with increasing wind speed, resuspended ash (and possibly dust) increased.

This is the wind speed at Raufarfell.

Generally good air quality on 2010-07-05

Similar as yesterday on 5. July 2010.

Expecting heavy winds today, although no increase yet at 14:30.

Rain and no wind, no re-suspended ash 2010-07-04

A little rain, no wind, yielded good air quality. Vík though a little high, but still the minimum is worrisome, never went below 48 micro-g/m3. Either lots of PM blowing around always, or instrument with a wrong lower limit.

Good air quality at Hvolsvöllur and at Vík 2010-07-03

What a difference a day makes. On 2 July the average was over 200 micro-g/m3 at Hvolsvöllur, but the following day, 3 July, it was just 12 micro-g/m3. Still similar at Vik, 77 micro-g/m3. There was some precipitation in the area that helped, and the winds were calm.

Visibility due to PM - Skyggni miðað við styrk svifryks

Short summary about the visibility due to Particulate Matter pollution near Hvolsvöllur.

Made by the wonderful people at:

The Environment Agency of Iceland

Visibility due to PM - Skyggni miðað við styrk svifryks

Short summary about the visibility due to Particulate Matter pollution near Hvolsvöllur.

Made by the wonderful people at:

The Environment Agency of Iceland

Lots of PM10 at Hvolsvöllur and Heimaland broken on 2010-07-02

High levels of PM10 around noon at Hvolsvöllur on 2 July 2010, highest level about 1774 micro-g/m3, but more stable at Vík (between 40 and 115 micro-g/m3).

Actually it never goes below 40 micro-g/m3 at Vík, which raises some concern.

The instrument at Heimaland seems to have given up completely, either due to the load on 1 July, or perhaps even those measurements were in error ?

2010-07-01 Öskubylur undir Eyjafjöllum

This was in the news about resuspended ash near Heimaland on 1 July 2010 - see previous blog (http://turdusjardvisindi.blogspot.com/2010/07/very-high-levels-of-pm10-and-25-at.html)

Öskubylur undir Eyjafjöllum: "
Öskubylur er nú undir Eyjafjöllum svo vart sést á milli bæja. Ólafur Eggertsson, bóndi á Þorvaldseyri, segir að vindur hafi farið í 42 metra á sekúndu í hviðum við Steina."

Very high levels of PM10 (and 2.5) at Heimaland, Hvolsvöllur high, Vik better on 2010-07-01

Very high levels of PM10 at Heimaland (631 micro-g/m3), high at Hvolsvöllur (224 micro-g/m3), but quite good at Vík (58 micro-g/m3) the 24-hour averages. Health limit as before 50 micro-g/m3.

Measured PM over the day on 1 July 2010. Quite windy from about 6 in the morning, and not wet enough at Heimaland.

For Heimaland I show both the PM10 values (red solid line), and the PM2.5 values (red dashed line). It is confusing that PM2.5 values are higher than PM10, since PM2.5 are included in the PM10 category. So, either some error in PM2.5 measurements, or PM10 is underestimated (quite badly).

Lots of Particulate Matter in the east on 2010-06-30

Considerable PM10 was in the east (the ash fallout zone) yesterday, 30 June 2010. At Hvolsvöllur the 24-hour mean was ~340 micro-g/m3, at Vik it was 169 and Heimaland 152 (always micro-g/m3).

Some of this seems to have blown in over the Reykajvik area. Stations around the greater Reykajvik area measured increased levels of PM10 from about 16:00.