Los Angeles is a major city where a lot of people drive their cars. An article in Discover Magazine shows how much pollution is contributed to the smog. “The Los Angeles metropolitan area, with nearly two cars per household, has the dubious distinction of having the highest vehicles-per-capita ratio in the world; more than 12 million cars travel on the extensive freeway system every day.” This amount of driving and travel emits extensive carbons into the atmosphere.
With this city in a valley area, there is no wind to move the carbons away from the city. There are a lot of health issues that come from this high amount of carbons that are released into the air. Asthma has developed in many of the people who live in the city for long periods of time. Respiratory issues have resulted from the pollution build up. A lack of plants prevents the carbons and nitrogen from being filtered out of the air around the city.
A study by NASA shows the importance of plants in regards to air quality. “spider plants were placed in closed chambers with 120-ppm carbon monoxide or 50-ppm nitrogen oxide (NO2). After 24 hours, spider plants removed 96 percent carbon monoxide and 99 percent nitrogen dioxide. After 24 hours, Golden pothos removed 75 percent of the carbon monoxide.” The purification of these plants shows that there is a possible solution to the problem. Keeping plants around and maintaining them would change the health risks of the population.
Another contributing factor towards the smog issue is the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL). This layer during certain times will trap the evaporation under it causing fog. The effects of MABL are best described by John Askins in an article about the Los Angeles Basin. “The presence of a MABL inversion is also a key ingredient for the creation of stagnant air pollution (smog) in the Los Angeles basin.” He further explains that this stagnant air has added millions and billions of dollars to health care costs.
The things that affect the MABL are explained by the American Meteorological Society. “Momentum and scalar transport in the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) is driven by a turbulent mix of winds, buoyancy, and surface gravity waves.” There are factors that change the fog and weather conditions over the city. With the mountains around the city the way they are, the wind does not move the air like it is needed. As these articles show, the air remains stagnant and builds up the carbon and nitrogen.
Cells develop within the MABL due to the way the air is affected. This affect is explained by Todd Sikora and Susan Ufermann in an article regarding Cellular Convection. “Cells in the MABL can form under relatively light wind conditions over those regions of the ocean that have a negative air-sea temperature difference (i.e. where the sea surface temperature is higher than the air temperature directly above the ocean). These cells separate the airflow causing the wind on one side to be higher than the other. One of these cells over Los Angeles could assist in keeping the air stagnant.
Air Pollution in the House
| Source | Type of Pollutant | Solution |
| Pets | Pet Dander | Keep the house vacuumed, and groom the pets occasionally |
| Furnace | Carbon Monoxide and Propane | Keep the monoxide monitor operational, keep windows open on occasion and maintain the furnace periodically. |
| Cleaning Solvents | VOCs, various chemicals | Keep windows open, do not use the chemicals excessively and keep the containers sealed. |
| Computers | VOCs | Only use the computers as necessary. Turn them off when they are not being used. |
| Floor Ceiling and walls | Asbestos | Keep the floor and walls covered to protect from the asbestos. Do not tear down the walls without proper protection. |
References
American Meteorological Society (Unkown) Large-Eddy Simulation of Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layers above a Spectrum of Moving Waves (NPG.) retrieved from: http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/JAS-D-14-0095.1
Greenthoughtscience (December 27, 2010) Brief Not On Los Angeles Anthropogenic Air Pollutions (NPG.) retrieved from: https://greenthoughtscience.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/brief-not-on-los-angeles-anthropogenic-air-pollutions/
Askins, John (unknown) The Marine Layer, Coastal Fog, and the Los Angeles Basin (NPG.: PP. 6) retrieved from: http://www.theweatherprediction.com/weatherpapers/109/index.html
Marsa, Linda (June 7, 2013) California’s Air Pollution Causes Asthma, Allergies and Premature births; Discover Magazine (NPG.; PP.7) retrieved from: http://discovermagazine.com/2013/julyaug/19-californias-air-pollution-causes-asthma-allergies-and-premature-births
Sikora, Todd, Ufermann, Susanne (unkown) Chapter 14. Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer Cellular Convection and Longitudinal Roll Vortices (P. 322:PP. 1) retrieved from: http://www.sarusersmanual.com/ManualPDF/NOAASARManual_CH14_pg321-330.pdf
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