Andris Skromulis Rezekne Higher Education Institution Rezekne, LATVIA andris.skromulis@gmail

1. Research of Changes of Ionization and Meteorological Factors of Atmospheric Air in Rezekne City, Latvia Andris Skromulis Rezekne Higher Education Institution Rezekne, LATVIA andris.skromulis@gmail.com

2. Introduction Air quality is one of the most important factors to ensure valuable human’s life. Nowadays there are a lot of discussions about the chemical and mechanical air pollution. Such parameters like concentrations of CO2, SO2, NOx, O3, benzene, toluene, dust particles, etc. are often monitored. Actually the air quality concept can not be formulated only as a presence of various substances in the air. The air is environment wherein different kinds of energetic fields are also present, the source of which may be located out of the analyzed air volume, for example, the air ionization phenomena.

3. Theoretical concepts Air ionization is a process wherein the positive and negative air ions form in atmosphere in a result of impact of natural or artificial, anthropogenic effects Sources of ionization: • Radioactive background of the earth’s crust, • Cosmic radiation, • Friction of water droplets (Hydroaeroionisation), • Friction of air mass’s movement, • Magnetic storms, • Open flame, • Hot surfaces, • Artifical ionization

4. The problem of environmental importance of air ions involves two subjects: air ions as an environmental factor and as an environmental indicator. Air ions play an important role in electrical processes and aerosol particle formation in the atmosphere as well as in other processes. Air ion effects on human performance Importance of air ions Unipolarity factor

5. Classification of air ions

6. The object of the study is the air ionization level in the Rezekne city and its changes over time and space. Performed measurements Four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter 8 measure points Thrice per day: from 7:00 to 10:00, from 12:00 to 14:00, from 16:30 to 18:00. Study area K 0,4 cm2/V*s

7. Measure points

8. Obtained results Summer

9. Obtained results Winter

10. Conclusions • Ionization rate of atmospheric air in Rezekne is average. (From the literature analysis, the air ionization rate characteristic for urban territories is from 100 to 500 ions per cm3). Measurements carried out at different seasons showed that concentration of the negative air ions was ranging from 135 ions per cm3 on Latgale Street during spring to 554 ions per cm3 at Rezekne Secondary School #5 in autumn. The concentration of positive ions varies from 188 ions per cm3 on Latgales Street during spring to 453 ions per cm3 at Rezekne Secondary School #5 in autumn. • Concentration of negative air ions at some test points and during separate hours of day tends to exceed 1000 ions per cm3, for example, on Miera Street, but it is insufficient indicator to consider any part of the city as resort area. • Overall, the average daily values of air ions concentration in spring and winter are lower than during summer and autumn period.

11. Conclusions • In summer air ion concentrations really depend on daytime. Mostly, the peaks of concentration of air ions of both polarities are observed in the morning, but in the noon and evening it tends to decrease. It is supposed, it happens due to increasing air pollution, as light air ions, thanks to their charge, promote the coagulation and settlement of pollution particles. Such regularity is not typical in autumn and spring but in winter it is nonexistent. • During the summer was detected that ratio of unipolarity tends to rise towards evening. In the morning it is typically less than 1, but in the evening sometimes exceeds 1 due to increasing pollution during the day. Such regularity was not typical in other seasons. • During spring period in most cases the value of unipolarity factor in the morning is greater than in the evening. • The average value of unipolarity coefficient K during all measurement period is greater than 1 at Rezekne Meat processing factory, on Latgale Street, and at the factory “REBIR”. At rail-way station Rezekne II, unipolarity coefficient’s average is very close to 1. That confirms the dominance of positive ions over negative ones in areas with relatively high air pollution. It is likely that for the neutralization of pollution primarily negative ions are “consumed”. • In the following measurements it is necessary to expand ion spectra to be measured, including also determination of heavy ion concentration, since it helps understand better the interdependence of air ions and air polluting aerosols.

12. Thank You for attention! ESF projekts “Atbalsts doktora studiju programmu īstenošanai Rēzeknes Augstskolā” Vienošanās Nr.2009/0161/1DP/1.1.2.1.2/09/IPIA/VIAA/007