Atmospheric dispersion of airborne pollen evidenced by near-surface and columnar measurements in Barcelona, Spain

Hourly measurements of pollen near-surface concentration and lidar-derived profiles of particle backscatter coefficients and of volume and particle depolarization ratios during a 5-day pollination event observed in Barcelona, Spain, between 27 – 31 March, 2015, are presented. Maximum hourly pollen concentrations of 4700 and 1200 m-3 h-1 were found for Platanus and Pinus, respectively, which represented together more than 80 % of the total pollen. Everyday a clear diurnal cycle caused by the vertical transport of the airborne pollen was visible on the lidar-derived profiles of the backscatter coefficient with maxima usually reached between 12 and 15 UT. A method based on the lidar polarization capabilities was used to retrieve the contribution of the pollen to the total signal. On average the diurnal (9 – 17 UT) pollen aerosol optical depth (AOD) was 0.05 which represented 29 % of the total AOD, the volume and particle depolarization ratios in the pollen plume were 0.08 and 0.14, respectively, and the diurnal mean of the height of the pollen plume was found at 1.24 km. The dispersion of the Platanus and Pinus in the atmosphere was simulated with the Nonhydrostatic Multiscale Meteorological Model on the B grid at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center with a newly developed Chemical Transport Model (NMMB/BSC-CTM). Model near-surface daily concentrations were compared to our observations at two sites: in Barcelona and Bellaterra (12 km NE of Barcelona). Model hourly concentrations were compared to our observations in Barcelona.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Modelling of pollen dispersion in the atmosphere: evaluation with a continuous 1ß+1d lidar

Pollen allergenicity plays an important role on human health and wellness. It is thus of large public interest to increase our knowledge of pollen grain behavior in the atmosphere (source, emission, processes involved during their transport, etc.) at fine temporal and spatial scales. First simulations with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center NMMB/BSC-CTM model of Platanus and Pinus dispersion in the atmosphere were performed during a 5-day pollination event observed in Barcelona, Spain, between 27 – 31 March, 2015. The simulations are compared to vertical profiles measured with the continuous Barcelona Micro Pulse Lidar system. First results show that the vertical distribution is well reproduced by the model in shape, but not in intensity, the model largely underestimating in the afternoon. Guidelines are proposed to improve the dispersion of airborne pollen by numerical prediction models.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Modelling of pollen dispersion in the atmosphere: evaluation with a continuous 1ß+1d lidar

Pollen allergenicity plays an important role on human health and wellness. It is thus of large public interest to increase our knowledge of pollen grain behavior in the atmosphere (source, emission, processes involved during their transport, etc.) at fine temporal and spatial scales. First simulations with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center NMMB/BSC-CTM model of Platanus and Pinus dispersion in the atmosphere were performed during a 5-day pollination event observed in Barcelona, Spain, between 27 – 31 March, 2015. The simulations are compared to vertical profiles measured with the continuous Barcelona Micro Pulse Lidar system. First results show that the vertical distribution is well reproduced by the model in shape, but not in intensity, the model largely underestimating in the afternoon. Guidelines are proposed to improve the dispersion of airborne pollen by numerical prediction models.Peer Reviewe