Assessment of the Potential for Photochemical Air Pollution in Athens: A Comparison of Emissions and Air-Pollutant Levels in Athens with Those in Los Angeles

Abstract

The average areal density of pollutant emissions in Athens is estimated to be two to six times greater than in the Los Angeles basin. Concentration levels of the primary air pollutants, CO and SO2, are several times larger in Athens than in Los Angeles. Concentrations of the photochemical pollutants, NO2 and O3, however, are greater at Los Angeles stations inland 20 or more kilometers from the coast. The relatively lower levels of photochemical pollution in Athens are partially explained by differences in the summer atmospheric-circulation systems and the scale of the basins. Also, the concentration of NO in central Athens is so great as to inhibit the formation of O3.