Atmospheric electricity as a proxy for air quality: Relationship between potential gradient and pollutant gases in an urban environment

H.G. Silva, R. Conceição , Anwar Khan, James Matthews, Matthew Wright, M. Collares-Pereira , Dudley Shallcross

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)
380 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A relationship between Trace Gases (TG), NOx, SO2, O3, and the Atmospheric Electric Potential Gradient (PG), through Ion/Particulate Matter (PM) interaction, is established in the urban environment of the city of Lisbon (Portugal). Analysis was restricted to 1988–1990, when simultaneous measurements of PG and TG were taken. Reasonable linear relationships between PG and TG concentrations have been found. A formulation relating PG with TG concentrations allows the estimation of constants of proportionally between TG-PM to be ∼50 cm−3 ppb−1; which are similar to the values found in direct TG-PM measurements in UK cities, validating the present results.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)32-41
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Electrostatics
Volume84
Early online date17 Sept 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2016

Keywords

  • Atmospheric electric potential gradient
  • Air pollution
  • Trace gases
  • Particulate matter

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Atmospheric electricity as a proxy for air quality: Relationship between potential gradient and pollutant gases in an urban environment'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this