Santa Ana Winds of Southern California Impact PM2.5 With and Without Smoke From Wildfires.

ABSTRACT: Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) raises human health concerns since it can deeply penetrate the respiratory system and enter the bloodstream, thus potentially impacting vital organs. Strong winds transport and disperse PM2.5, which can travel over long distances. Smoke from wildfires is a major episodic and seasonal hazard in Southern California (SoCal), where the onset of Santa Ana winds (SAWs) in early fall before the first rains of winter is associated with the region's most damaging wildfires. However, SAWs also tend to improve visibility as they sweep haze particles from highly polluted areas far out to sea. Previous studies characterizing PM2.5 in the region are limited in time span and spatial extent, and have either addressed only a single event in time or short time series at a lim

SUBMITTER: Aguilera R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7007151 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature