ABSTRACT
Measurements of the concentrations of selected air pollutants and meteorological parameters, conducted in automatic air monitoring stations, are conducted in a continuous mode. Obtained data is averaged for mean one-hour periods and then stored in extensive monitoring databases. In this type of data, a daily cyclicity is observed (Seinfeld & Pandis 1998, Mayer 1999, Jasinski 2006). This phenomenon is associated mainly with cyclically recurring meteorological conditions (such as solar radiation intensity, relative humidity) and the pollutant emission intensity variation related to the daily human activity (Jasinski 2011). It has been noticed that the variability of air pollutant concentration levels, as observed in daily cycles, is not random but is well ordered in nature and carries the information about the occurrence of factors that determine it in the location of taking the measurements (Jasinski 2012). This variability can be defined using the profiles of daily air pollutant concentration variations. The shape of daily air pollutant concentration profiles depends on numerous factors including meteorological parameters, seasons, the measuring station’s location, the proximity of emission sources, etc. It has been found that in some specific, recurring conditions the daily variations of air pollutant concentrations have comparable profiles (shapes) (Mazzeo et al. 2005, Jasinski 2009).
