Air Quality and Health and Welfare
2.3 Particulate Matter
2.3.4 Visibility/Regional Haze
Visibility impairment is the haze that obscures what we see, and is caused by the presence of tiny particles in the air. These particles cause light to be scattered or absorbed, thereby reducing visibility. Visibility impairment, also called regional haze, is a complex problem that relates to natural conditions and also several pollutants. Visibility in our national parks and monuments, and many urban areas of the country, continues to be obscured by regional and local haze.
The principle cause of visibility impairment is fine particles, primarily sulfates, but also nitrates, organics, and elemental carbon and crustal matter. Particles between 0.1 and one micrometers in size are most effective at scattering light, in addition to being of greatest concern for human health. Of the pollutant gases, only NO2 absorbs significant amounts of light; it is partly responsible for the brownish cast of polluted skies. However, it is responsible for less than ten percent of visibility reduction.
In the eastern U.S., reduced visibility is mainly attributable to secondary particles, particularly those less than a few micrometers in diameter. Based on data collected by the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network for visibility monitoring, sulfate particles account for about 50-70 percent of annual average light extinction in eastern locations. Sulfate plays a particularly significant role in the humid summer months, most notably in the Appalachian, northeast, and mid-south regions. Nitrates, organic carbon, and elemental carbon each account for between 10–15 percent of total light extinction in most eastern locations. Rural areas in the eastern U.S. generally have higher levels of impairment than most remote sites in the western U.S., generally due to the eastern U.S.’s higher levels of man-made pollution, higher estimated background levels of fine particles, and higher average relative humidity levels.
The relative contribution of individual pollutants to visibility impairment vary geographically. While secondary particles still dominate in the West, direct particulate emissions from sources such as woodsmoke contribute a larger percentage of the total particulate load than in the East. In the rural western U.S., sulfates also play a significant role, accounting for about 25–40 percent of estimated total light extinction in most regions. In some areas, such as the Cascades region of Oregon, sulfates are estimated to account for over 50 percent of annual average light extinction. Organic carbon typically is estimated to be responsible for 15–35 percent of total light extinction in the rural western U.S. and elemental carbon (absorption) accounts for about 15–25 percent, so the total carbonaceous contribution is between 30 and 60 percent. Soil dust (coarse PM) accounts for about 10–20 percent. Nitrates typically account for less than 10 percent of visibility impairment (“National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report”, 1998).
Visibility is greatly affected by ambient PM2.5 concentration, with PM2.5 concentrations below the NAAQS being sufficient to impair visibility. Black elemental carbon particles are a dominant light adsorbing species in the atmosphere, and a major component of diesel exhaust (Gray & Cass, 1998).
The principle cause of visibility impairment is fine particles, primarily sulfates, but also nitrates, organics, and elemental carbon and crustal matter. Particles between 0.1 and one micrometers in size are most effective at scattering light, in addition to being of greatest concern for human health. Of the pollutant gases, only NO2 absorbs significant amounts of light; it is partly responsible for the brownish cast of polluted skies. However, it is responsible for less than ten percent of visibility reduction.
In the eastern U.S., reduced visibility is mainly attributable to secondary particles, particularly those less than a few micrometers in diameter. Based on data collected by the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network for visibility monitoring, sulfate particles account for about 50-70 percent of annual average light extinction in eastern locations. Sulfate plays a particularly significant role in the humid summer months, most notably in the Appalachian, northeast, and mid-south regions. Nitrates, organic carbon, and elemental carbon each account for between 10–15 percent of total light extinction in most eastern locations. Rural areas in the eastern U.S. generally have higher levels of impairment than most remote sites in the western U.S., generally due to the eastern U.S.’s higher levels of man-made pollution, higher estimated background levels of fine particles, and higher average relative humidity levels.
The relative contribution of individual pollutants to visibility impairment vary geographically. While secondary particles still dominate in the West, direct particulate emissions from sources such as woodsmoke contribute a larger percentage of the total particulate load than in the East. In the rural western U.S., sulfates also play a significant role, accounting for about 25–40 percent of estimated total light extinction in most regions. In some areas, such as the Cascades region of Oregon, sulfates are estimated to account for over 50 percent of annual average light extinction. Organic carbon typically is estimated to be responsible for 15–35 percent of total light extinction in the rural western U.S. and elemental carbon (absorption) accounts for about 15–25 percent, so the total carbonaceous contribution is between 30 and 60 percent. Soil dust (coarse PM) accounts for about 10–20 percent. Nitrates typically account for less than 10 percent of visibility impairment (“National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report”, 1998).
Visibility is greatly affected by ambient PM2.5 concentration, with PM2.5 concentrations below the NAAQS being sufficient to impair visibility. Black elemental carbon particles are a dominant light adsorbing species in the atmosphere, and a major component of diesel exhaust (Gray & Cass, 1998).
