Variation of sulphate source regions affecting sulphate concentrations in the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Çevre Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2014

Öğrenci: ZEYNEP MALKAZ

Danışman: SÜLEYMAN GÜRDAL TUNCEL

Özet:

Mediterranean atmosphere, particularly Eastern Mediterranean is one of the most complex air bodies around the world. The region is under strong influence of natural sources located at North Africa and Middle East, and anthropogenic sources located at the north of the basin. Sulphate anomaly is one of the peculiarities of the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere. SO42- concentrations in aerosol and rain water is among the highest recorded in the Europe and North America. Sulphate concentrations measured by various researchers in the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere varies between 5 and 12 µg/m3. Although very high SO42- concentrations in the Eastern Mediterranean is well documented in literature, the reason for such high levels is not clear. In this study variation of SO42- source regions affecting SO42- concentrations in the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere between 1990 and 2006 was investigated using source and receptor oriented trajectory statistics approaches. Back trajectories were calculated for every day for Antalya and Çubuk, which are two locations in Turkey where long-term SO42- data are available. The source regions affecting these locations were determined using Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF). Because of PSCF depends on measurement data and can be applied for the periods where SO42- measurement results are available. A different method which bases on distribution of SO2 emission in Europe and transport of pollutants and called Region of Influence, RoI was also used. RoI is applied at locations where measurement results are not available. Weighing of RoI results based on height of trajectory segment were attempted.