Scientists from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków have conducted research on the impact of meteorological factors, topography, pollution sources for smog in Krakow. Their results were published in Scientific Reports.
As part of the research conducted during the pandemic, scientists from the Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection of AGH collected data from dozens of sensors located in Krakow and its vicinity. The most important conclusions from the research concern the unequivocal relationship between Kraków’s location and air pollutants, which are largely transported from neighboring communes.
Wind speed and azimuth were found to be the dominant factors favoring the migration of pollutants to the city. Atmospheric pressure played the greatest role in trapping pollutants.
Researchers from AGH also claim that the complicated morphology of the area and the location of the city in the valley is a key factor influencing the transport and retention of pollutants, and the tendency to form fogs in Krakow additionally slows down the outflow of pollutants.
