Ag. Paliatsos, THE SEASONAL AND DIURNAL-VARIATION OF SULFUR-DIOXIDE IN GREATER ATHENS AREA, GREECE, Fresenius environmental bulletin, 7(9-10), 1998, pp. 539-550
Hourly sulphur dioxide concentrations obtained by the Athens air pollu
tion monitoring system for a eight-year period started in 1989 were an
alysed. The analysis showed a strong seasonal variation, with maximum
during the cold period of the year and a minimum during the warm perio
d. The diurnal variation of sulphur dioxide concentrations for the win
ter season, has a double peak structure. The morning peak is observed
between 08:00 and 12:00 LST and the night peak from 20:00 until 23:00
LST. During summer period the dominant peak is observed between 09:00
- 11:00 LST. Maximum sulphur dioxide concentrations are observed at ce
ntral-city residential stations (downtown Athens and Piraeus) during t
he cold period of the year, while at stations located in industrial ar
eas the seasonal variation has a very small amplitude. Auto-correlatio
n technique is applied to the sulphur dioxide concentrations for winte
r and summer seasons, for all stations. It is found that in all statio
ns exhibit a well defined oscillatory behaviour because of their diurn
al peaks in both seasons.