A study of correlation among solar energy, atmospheric turbidity and pollutants in urban area

Abstract

The objective of this paper was the study of relationships between solar radiation trends and pollution situations recorded in the downtown area of a large industrial city in southern Europe (Turin, Italy). Two pollution indices (one of them based only on gas and particulate pollution load and the other one including the meteorological parameters which are most relevant to atmospheric dispersion) have been defined in order to attempt to quantify the phenomenon. Good correlations between the above indices and solar radiation levels have been observed. An estimation of the atmospheric turbidity in the urban area has then been assessed with different methods, in order to set up an empirical approach to the description of connections existing among solar radiation data, air pollution and atmospheric conditions.