SPATIOTEMPORAL PATTERNS OF MICROPARTICLE MASS CONCENTRATION IN THE MOSCOW AIR BASIN

We study the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PM2.5 mass concentrations in Moscow and the surrounding region using data from a sensor network and the Center for Geophysical Monitoring in Moscow of the Sadovsky Institute of Geospheres Dynamics of Russian Academy of Sciences. An analysis of hourly averages and first differences in PM2.5 concentrations revealed that PM2.5 concentrations in Moscow are generally determined by a combination of the general urban/regional background and local anomalies. Hierarchical clustering of observation points revealed that clusters of local anomalies only partially coincide with regional groups identified by the geographic location of the points relative to central Moscow. The weekend effect was found not to be the dominant factor in shaping the diurnal variations in PM2.5 concentrations in Moscow›s urban environment. The diurnal variation in PM2.5 concentrations, both for the geographically defined regions and for the clusters identified through cluster analysis, is generally similar and consistent with the daily variation in PM2.5 concentrations typical for the Moscow region for fair weather. An analysis of the concentration of microfine particles in the Moscow atmosphere depending on the season showed that concentrations are higher in winter than in summer.