The contribution of large-scale atmospheric patterns to pollution with
PM10: the new Saharan Oscillation Index
Abstract
PM10 has natural and anthropogenic sources, it is an urban air pollutant
from desertic areas or emitted by industry and traffic activities, it
reduces visibility and threatens human wellbeing mainly in big cities.
Casablanca concentrates many industrial units and a large vehicle fleet.
The rate of urbanization in the metropolis and the population density
are the highest in Morocco. Marrakech is one of the most populated
cities in the country where the motorization rate has increased during
recent years. The present work is based on PM10 daily measurements
between 2013 and 2016. The main objective is to assess the
concentrations of PM10 in Casablanca and Marrakech and study their
relationship with the atmospheric circulation. First, we assessed PM10
correlations with climate indexes (NAO and MO), then we characterized
the contribution of large-scale atmospheric patterns related to PM10
extreme events. The novelty of this research is the creation of a new
climate index to characterize the oscillation, in the country’s southern
desert, between the Saharan depression and the Azores high. The time
series of the new Saharan Oscillation Index (SaOI) were calculated. This
study has demonstrated the relationship between MO and PM10 averages and
has shown that particulate pollution in the study area is partly induced
by continental northeasterly to southwesterly flow. This flow is
triggered by the Saharan trough and managed by the high-pressure area in
the north. The assessed correlations related to the SaOI confirm the
relationship between this index, PM10 averages, and MO and NAO indexes
mainly in winter. The Saharan Oscillation is the new relevant key to
understand worldwide pollution by fine particles.