The effect of Boundary Layer Meteorology in GHGs concentrations –The case study over 3 European cities using an aerial platform

In the frame of an EC Horizon2020 project named “ICARUS” (Integrated Climate forcing and Air pollution reduction in Urban Systems), a newly constructed N.A.S.A Awarded light aircraft equipped with high-tech scientific instrumentation was used to perform an aerial mapping over Athens, Thessaloniki and Ljubljana greater Area. The main goal of the current study was to evaluate the effect of atmospheric boundary layer (BL) on Green House Gases (GHGs) concentrations over three different areas of the cities. Sampling took place during winter time over a rural, an urban background and an urban area of the cities. Detailed meteorological parameters were provided by both the aircrafts instrumentation, the wind profile available from radiosonde data as well as the regional models available from the Atmospheric Modelling group of University of Athens. The estimation of the mixing height of the ABL was based on the synoptic scale atmospheric circulation and the prevailing background wind. It was found that the northerly wind in winter forms higher mixing layer, of about 1000 m in winter contributing to the ventilation of the lower troposphere. On the contrary, under southern sector winds the mixing height is lower (of 500-600 m) and favours the accumulation of GHCs.