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Origin of air masses in four Colombian cities using HYSPLIT model
The objective of this research it was to identify the origins of air masses in four cities in Colombia (Bogota, Cartagena de Indias, Pasto and Leticia) that have the potential to affect the urban air quality when transporting particulated material long distances from different geographic locations. Methodologically information provided was used by the Hysplit model version 4, with which retro-trajectories were measured for a period of analysis of a year (from January 01 to December 31, 2012). The calculation of retro-trajectories is very useful to determine the area of departure of the air masses that arrive at a particular time, in a specific place, and at a defined height. In this way daily retro-trajectories were obtained, registered at 12:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), with calculations at intervals of six hours, representing the carriage performed by the mass of air the past five days (120 h). The isentropic heights considered were 750, 1500 and 2500 m measures from the ground level. According to the results obtained, the origin of air masses more frequent in Cartagena de Indias during 2012 was Caribbean (45 % ), followed by Continental (36 % ). In Bogotá, it was Continental (77 %), followed by Eastern Atlantic (19 % ). In Pasto, it was Pacific (72 %), followed by Continental (23 %). And in Leticia, it was Continental (99 %) followed by the origin, east Atlantic (1 %).