Localized measurements of atmospheric pollutants and meteorological variables: The second law of thermodynamics

Abstract

Time series of pollutants such as fine and coarse particulate matter and carbon monoxide are analyzed from a chaos theory perspective, along with the meteorological variables, relative humidity, wind speed and temperature. The series arise from measurements in six monitoring stations located in Santiago, Chile, of which two were selected, for a period of 3.25 years. Applying the second law of thermodynamics, which is a general principle that imposes restrictions on the direction of heat transfer, and the possible efficiency of the so-called thermal machine (natural and artificial), anthropogenic activity is studied and its connection with the atmospheric meteorological dynamics. The correlation entropies allow explaining this connectivity as well as the effect of geographical proximity in the diffusion process of the pollutants.