Global Warming Increases the Incidence of Haze Days in China

Abstract

Both wind strength and anthropogenic emissions have been assumed to be the dominant factors in determining the occurrence of hazy weather in China. However, few records are available with sufficient temporal length and resolution, which enable the two signals to be separated, and hence address the dynamics of haze days and the global impact of the anthropogenic emissions in China, particularly in the context of global warming. Here we present the first long‐term (last ~180 years) lake sediment records of changes in wind strength and atmospheric loading of anthropogenic emissions in China. Our results show that the atmospheric loading of anthropogenic emissions and haze formation are closely related to the changes in wind strength associated with temperature changes, which are likely forced by tropical sea surface temperature. Comparison of our results with Pb isotope records from Japan and with the record of Pb concentrations in Greenland ice core indicates that the anthropogenic pollutants emitted in China stagnate mainly over the source area and neighboring regions, which thus favors haze formation under a warming climate. However, they would be transported worldwide under conditions of strong winds and decreased temperature. Climatic warming, together with the periodic changes in temperature, has caused unprecedented heavy haze days in recent decades in China. The observed pattern of periodic temperature variations suggests that in the next ~30 years, wind strength will increase and thus reduce the incidence of haze days. However, this reduction may be attenuated by continued climatic warming as anthropogenic greenhouse gases emissions continue.