Impact of near-surface turbulence on PM_2.5 concentration in Chengdu during the COVID-19 pandemic

The role of meteorological conditions has long been recognized in modulating regional air quality. The impact of near-surface turbulence, nevertheless, remains poorly understood. To curb the spread of COVID-19, a variety of lockdown measures were implemented, providing us an unprecedented opportunity to examine the joint impact of emission control and meteorology on regional air quality. Here we examined the variations of planetary boundary layer (PBL) height, PM_2.5 concentrations, turbulence kinetic energy (TKE), vertical wind shear, and their associations in Chengdu, Sichuan province in Southwest China between January 13 and February 24, 2020, by synergistically using micro pulse lidar, ground-level meteorological and PM_2.5 measurements, as well as ultrasonic anemometer observations. During the study period, Sichuan basin was primarily regulated by the straight west wind, with an averaged wind speed of 2–3 m/s at 850 hPa, indicative of a relatively stable atmospheric dispersion condition. TKE was positively correlated with PBL height but negatively correlated with PM_2.5. The PM_2.5 concentration varied dramatically during pre- and post-lockdown periods but remained near constant at a relatively low level during the lockdown period. Meanwhile, the negative correlation between TKE and PM_2.5 was much stronger during the lockdown and post-lockdown periods, when aerosol emissions were significantly reduced. Moreover, the correlation between TKE and PM_2.5 exhibited large diurnal variability, with the strongest correlation observed during the daytime when solar radiation and turbulent mixing generally reached their peaks. Overall, the observational results in Chengdu underscore the non-negligible impact of turbulence on regional PM_2.5 concentrations, which could help better understand the variation of regional air pollution events.