Transport of Atmospheric Aerosol by Gap Winds in the Columbia River Gorge

Abstract

Typical diurnal wind patterns and their relationship to transport of atmospheric aerosol in the Columbia River gorge of Oregon and Washington are addressed in this paper. The measurement program included measurements of light scattering by particles (bsp) with nephelometers, and wind speed and direction, temperature, and relative humidity at seven locations in the gorge. Winds are shown to respond to along-gorge pressure gradients, and five common patterns were identified: strong, moderate, and light westerly (west to east), light easterly, and winter easterly. The strong westerly and winter easterly patterns were the most common summer and winter patterns, respectively, and represented strong gap flow. The light westerly and light easterly patterns occurred most frequently in spring and autumn transition periods. Winter easterly had the highest light scattering and indicated sources east of the gorge mainly responsible for haze. During summer, as westerly winds increased diurnally, a pulse of hazy air from the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area is transported eastward into the gorge, arriving later with distance into the gorge. During light easterly flow impacts to haze from the city of The Dalles, Oregon, are noted as the wind shifts direction diurnally.