Particulate Matter: Source and Concentrations
A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Quality".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 September 2026 | Viewed by 1012
Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Particulate matter (PM), a complex mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air, is a critical air pollutant with profound impacts on human health, climate, and ecosystems. Its sources are diverse, ranging from direct emissions (e.g., combustion, dust, industrial processes) to secondary formation in the atmosphere through chemical reactions involving precursor gases. The concentration of PM in the atmosphere is governed by a dynamic interplay between emissions, atmospheric transport, chemical transformation, and removal processes such as deposition. Understanding the intricate pathways from source to ambient concentration remains a significant scientific challenge, particularly due to the multiscale nature of these processes and the multiphysics interactions involving chemistry, turbulence, radiation, and cloud microphysics.
This Special Issue aims to collate original research that advances the mechanistic understanding of particulate matter sources and the physical and dynamical processes controlling their atmospheric concentrations. We seek studies that elucidate the links between emissions, atmospheric processing, and the resulting spatiotemporal distribution of PM, with a focus on bridging scales and integrating physical and chemical phenomena. The goal is to improve predictive capabilities for air quality management and exposure assessment. We welcome theoretical, modeling, observational, and experimental contributions. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Characterization and quantification of primary PM emissions;
- Formation and aging mechanisms of secondary PM;
- Source apportionment techniques and studies;
- Multiscale modeling and measurement of PM dispersion and evolution;
- Interactions between PM dynamics and meteorology/climate;
- Long-range transport and transboundary pollution.
Prof. Dr. Lina Zheng
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- particulate matter
- source apportionment techniques
- long-range transport
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