Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
seo-qna
SearchIcon
banner

What is the nature of London Smog?

Answer
VerifiedVerified
491.4k+ views
Hint: The Great Smog of London, also known as the Great Smog of 1952, was a significant air pollution event that occurred in December 1952 in London, England. Anticyclone and windless circumstances combined with exceptionally chilly temperatures gathered airborne pollutants—mostly from the usage of coal—to produce a dense blanket of haze over the city. It took place from Friday, December 5th, through Tuesday, December 9th, 1952, and then dispersed fast as the weather changed.

Complete answer:
Smog reduction refers to bouts of air pollution marked by high levels of sulphur dioxide and smoke (or particulate aerosols). Because of notable instances that happened in that city during the 1950s, reducing smog is frequently referred to as London-type smog. Smog reduction became popular when industrialisation and the burning of coal produced significant sulphur dioxide and soot pollution in European towns. The problem of air pollution grew more serious in the nineteenth century, when it was discovered that it was causing harm to human health, buildings, and plants.
Fog Formation — The main pollutant is $S{O_2}$, which is accompanied by smoking. Because of its oxidising nature,$S{O_2}$ produces a chemically reducing environment. The process begins in the early morning and appears to intensify shortly after dawn (24 C), possibly as a result of photolytic and catalytic driven oxidation of $S{O_2}$ into $S{O_3}$, which is then combined with moisture to produce acidic aerosol. The condensation nucleation sites on which fog droplets condense are particulates of smoke from coal burning. The catalytic oxidation of $S{O_2}$ is aided by their high surface areas. Conduction really cools the air near the ground.

Note:
However, decreasing smogs in fast industrialising countries such as eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, China, India, and others remains a significant challenge. The societal emphasis in many locations is to seek quick economic expansion, even if this means sacrificing environmental quality. As a result, pollution regulation is not extremely strict, and eliminating smogs remains a regular concern.