Aerosol Optical Properties over Beijing during the World Athletics Championships and Victory Day Military Parade in August and September 2015

A special period in Beijing from 6 August to 17 September 2015, during which the World Athletics Championships and Victory Day military parade took place, and which involved measures to restrict traffic and reduce factory emissions, was selected to analyze the aerosol optical properties and the impact of meteorological conditions on pollution levels. The study was based on AERONET observational and retrieval data, particulate matter measurements (TEOM 1405), meteorological data, and then the HYSPLIT model was used to analyze the pollution sources. The study period was divided into three sub-periods according to the different stages of implementation of the control measures, and the main conclusions can be summarized as follows. During the period in which the restrictive measures were applied, the air quality improved significantly, with the average value of the AOD being 0.34 ± 0.20, about 69% less than before. Meanwhile, the average Ångström exponent was about 9.5% higher than before, with an average value of 1.38 ± 0.25, indicating that the main pollutants were fine particles. Single scattering albedo decreased as wavelength increased, being higher than in the other two stages (mean value of 0.944 ± 0.045). This showed that the strong scattering capacity and absorption aerosol optical depth was at its lowest, at about 0.008 ± 0.009. The peaks of aerosol volume concentration in the fine and coarse mode were significantly reduced. Meteorological conditions also had a certain effect on the aerosol optical properties, with the blowing of clean and dry wind and the occurrence of precipitation contributing to the overall improvement in air quality