Particulate Matter during New Year’s Eve 2012/13

This year it somehow seemed like there were fewer fireworks than often before.

The weather was quite good over New Year’s Eve, 5 m/s approaching midnight, but around 2-3 m/s at and just after midnight.

Measurements of PM10 in Reykjavik (GRE, FHG and FAR) show that the concentration didn’t last very long this year, although the maximum values were quite high. Difficult to say whether some fireworks were close to FAR, but at least know that no being shot next to the instruments at GRE and FHG. The maximum has often been higher, for instance once over 2300 µg/m3 (in 2005/6).

We did try to measure fine- and ultra-fine PM. I will tell about the results soon, haven’t collected the data yet – but certainly hope they worked.

Finally, just for fun, one can just about make out some of the major bonfires from satellite thermal images (taken at 22:20 on 31 Dec 2012). They show up as black dots on the images.

NOAA via VÍ

Happy New Year !