Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value Theory

Abstract We use extreme value theory to develop point process statistical models relating the probability of extreme winter particulate pollution events in Beijing (“winter haze”) to local meteorological variables. The models are trained with the 2009–2017 record of fine particulate matter concentra...

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Main Authors: D. C. Pendergrass, L. Shen, D. J. Jacob, L. J. Mickley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-02-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080102
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author D. C. Pendergrass
L. Shen
D. J. Jacob
L. J. Mickley
author_facet D. C. Pendergrass
L. Shen
D. J. Jacob
L. J. Mickley
author_sort D. C. Pendergrass
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We use extreme value theory to develop point process statistical models relating the probability of extreme winter particulate pollution events in Beijing (“winter haze”) to local meteorological variables. The models are trained with the 2009–2017 record of fine particulate matter concentrations (PM2.5) from the U.S. embassy. We find that 850‐hPa meridional wind velocity (V850) and relative humidity successfully predict the probability for 24‐hr average PM2.5 to exceed 300 μg/m3 (95th percentile of the frequency distribution) as well as higher thresholds. We apply the point process models to mid‐21st century climate projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 model ensemble under two radiative forcing scenarios (RCP8.5 and RCP4.5). We conclude that 21st century climate change alone is unlikely to increase the frequency of severe PM2.5 pollution events (PM2.5 > 300 μg/m3) in Beijing and is more likely to marginally decrease the probability of such events.
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-e24cfe7d63aa4c0fbcf7a0a520e024372025-08-20T03:09:45ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072019-02-014631824183010.1029/2018GL080102Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value TheoryD. C. Pendergrass0L. Shen1D. J. Jacob2L. J. Mickley3Harvard College Cambridge MA USASchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA USASchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA USASchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA USAAbstract We use extreme value theory to develop point process statistical models relating the probability of extreme winter particulate pollution events in Beijing (“winter haze”) to local meteorological variables. The models are trained with the 2009–2017 record of fine particulate matter concentrations (PM2.5) from the U.S. embassy. We find that 850‐hPa meridional wind velocity (V850) and relative humidity successfully predict the probability for 24‐hr average PM2.5 to exceed 300 μg/m3 (95th percentile of the frequency distribution) as well as higher thresholds. We apply the point process models to mid‐21st century climate projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 model ensemble under two radiative forcing scenarios (RCP8.5 and RCP4.5). We conclude that 21st century climate change alone is unlikely to increase the frequency of severe PM2.5 pollution events (PM2.5 > 300 μg/m3) in Beijing and is more likely to marginally decrease the probability of such events.https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080102extreme value theoryparticulate matterBeijingclimate changesmogwinter haze
spellingShingle D. C. Pendergrass
L. Shen
D. J. Jacob
L. J. Mickley
Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value Theory
Geophysical Research Letters
extreme value theory
particulate matter
Beijing
climate change
smog
winter haze
title Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value Theory
title_full Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value Theory
title_fullStr Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value Theory
title_full_unstemmed Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value Theory
title_short Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Severe Wintertime Particulate Pollution Events in Beijing Using Extreme Value Theory
title_sort predicting the impact of climate change on severe wintertime particulate pollution events in beijing using extreme value theory
topic extreme value theory
particulate matter
Beijing
climate change
smog
winter haze
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080102
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AT djjacob predictingtheimpactofclimatechangeonseverewintertimeparticulatepollutioneventsinbeijingusingextremevaluetheory
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