stapelingsmogelijkheden

Stapelingsmoge is a coined term in urban environmental science describing the vertical stacking of airborne pollutants in densely built-up areas. It refers to a smog phenomenon characterized by layered concentrations of particulate matter and gases that can persist at different altitudes within the urban canopy, rather than a uniform pollutant mix. The term combines stapeling (Dutch for stacking) and smoge, a historic spelling of smog, and was introduced in discussions among researchers in the Benelux and northern Europe in the early 2010s to describe layered air quality conditions observed in tall-city canyons.

The mechanism involves emissions from traffic and industry that are transported by urban wind patterns and become partly trapped by temperature inversions and the urban heat island effect. The geometry of streets and buildings creates recirculating air pockets and barriers to vertical mixing, allowing some layers to stay stagnant while others rise or disperse. Diurnal and seasonal meteorology determine the strength and position of each layer, leading to a dynamic vertical profile of pollutants and different chemical compositions at different heights.

Implications include challenges for air quality monitoring and exposure assessment, which often rely on a single ground-level sensor. Stapelingsmoge can cause over- or under-estimation of exposure for residents at different facades or floors. Effective monitoring with multi-level sensors and vertical profiling helps characterize the full distribution of pollutants. Mitigation strategies focus on reducing emissions nearby, enhancing ventilation through urban design, increasing vegetation and open space to promote mixing, and aligning traffic patterns with prevailing winds where possible.

See also: smog, urban climatology, air quality monitoring, pollutant dispersion.