Haze is an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other pollutant particles obscure the normal clarity of the sky. It occurs when dust and smoke particles accumulate in relatively dry air. When weather conditions block the dispersal of smoke and other pollutants they concentrate and form a usually low-hanging shroud that impairs visibility and may become a respiratory health threat. Industrial pollution can result in dense haze, which is known as smog. It has been suggested that Pollutant be merged into this article or section. ... Air pollution is a chemical, physical (e. ... The term acid rain also known as acid precipitation is commonly used to mean the deposition of acidic components in rain, snow, dew, or dry particles. ... An air quality measurement station in Edinburgh, Scotland The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized index of the air quality in a given location, given in parts per billion. ... An air quality measurement station in Edinburgh, Scotland The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized indicator of the air quality in a given location. ... Atmospheric dispersion modeling is performed with computer programs that use mathematical equations and algorithms to simulate how pollutants in the ambient atmosphere disperse in the atmosphere. ... Tetrafluoroethane (a haloalkane) is a clear liquid which boils well below room temperature (as seen here) and can be extracted from common canned air canisters by simply inverting them during use. ... Eastern China -- Dozens of fires burning on the surface (red dots) and a thick pall of smoke and haze (greyish pixels) filling the skies overhead. ... 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Sources for haze particles include farming (ploughing in dry weather), traffic, industry, forest fires and peat field fire.

Seen from afar (e.g. approaching airplane), haze is brownish, while mist is bluish-grey. While haze formation takes place in relatively dryish air, mist formation is in humid air. However, one complication is that haze particles can act as condensation nuclei for mist droplets. Dramatic morning mist Mist is a phenomenon of a liquid in small droplets floating through air. ...

Haze in Southeast Asia

Haze is a regular problem in Southeast Asia caused by land and forest fires in Indonesia, especially Sumatra and Kalimantan. Farmers and plantation owners are usually responsible for the fires, which they use to clear tracts of land for further plantings. Those fires mainly affect Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, and occasionally Guam and Saipan[1] [2] The economic losses of the fires in 1997 have been estimated at US$9.3 billion [3]. This includes damages in agriculture production, destruction of forest lands, health, transportation, tourism, and other economic endeavours. Not included are social, environmental, and psychological problems and long-term health effects. The latest bout of haze to occur in Malaysia, Singapore and the Malacca Straits is in October 2006, and was caused by smoke from fires in Indonesia being blown across the Straits of Malacca by south-westerly winds. Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, peat fire (gambut in Indonesia), bushfire (in Australasia), or hill fire, is an uncontrolled fire that pops up fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources. ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470,000 km²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. ... Saipan seen from the air A map of Saipan, Tinian & Aquijan Saipan (IPA: in English) is the largest island and capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean (15°10... The 2006 Southeast Asian haze affects several countries in the Southeast Asian region and beyond. ... ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Singapore's Downtown Core on 7 October 2006, when it was affected by forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reacted and signed Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, formed a Regional Haze Action Plan (RHAP) and established a co-ordination and support unit (CSU). RHAP, with the help of Canada, established a monitoring and warning system for forest/vegetation fires and implemented a Fire Danger Rating System (FDRS). The Malaysian Meteorological Service (MMS) [4] has issued a daily rating since September 2003. The Indonesians have been ineffective at enforcing legal policies on errant farmers. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 338 KB) Summary Downtown Core, Singapore. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 338 KB) Summary Downtown Core, Singapore. ... The Downtown Core is technically an urban planning area in the city-state of Singapore which surrounds the mouth of the Singapore River, and is part of the Central Area, Singapores central business district. ... A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, peat fire (gambut in Indonesia), bushfire (in Australasia), or hill fire, is an uncontrolled fire that pops up fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources. ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470,000 km²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... Bold textLink titleWRONG // The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN - pronounced AH-SEE-AHN) is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia. ... Severe haze affecting Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August 2005 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution is an environmental agreement signed in 2002 between ASEAN nations to bring haze pollution under control in Southeast Asia. ...

Pollution index

Los Angeles skyline, showing haze.

The severity of haze is often measured using automated optical instruments such as Nephelometers, as haze is associated with visibility and traffic control in ports. Haze however can also be an indication of poor air quality though this is often better reflected using accurate purpose built air indexes such as the American Air Quality Index, the Malaysian API (Air Pollution Index) and the Singaporean Pollutant Standards Index. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (768x1024, 144 KB)Los Angeles skyline, showing haze. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (768x1024, 144 KB)Los Angeles skyline, showing haze. ... A nephelometer is an instrument for measuring suspended particulates in a liquid. ... An air quality measurement station in Edinburgh, Scotland The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized indicator of the air quality in a given location. ... The Pollutant Standards Index, or PSI, provides a uniform system of measuring pollution levels for the major air pollutants. ...

In hazy conditions, it is likely that the index will report the suspended particulate level. The disclosure of the responsible pollutant is mandated in some jurisdictions.

The American AQI is divided into six color coded categories. Technically AQI runs only from 0 to 500. The 301 to 500 range is categorised as hazardous and colored maroon. [5] Maroon is a color related to dark red. ...

The Malaysian API does not have a capped value; hence its most hazardous readings can go above 500. Above 500, a state of emergency is declared in the affected area. Usually, this means that non-essential government services are suspended, and all ports in the affected area are closed. There may also be prohibitions on private sector commercial and industrial activities in the affected area excluding the food sector. So far, state of emergency rulings due to hazardous API levels were applied to the Malaysian towns of Port Klang, Kuala Selangor and the state of Sarawak during the 2005 Malaysian haze and the 1997 Southeast Asian haze. Wikinews has news related to this article: Haze crisis over Malaysia prompts talks with Indonesia The 2005 Malaysian haze is a week-long choking smog-like haze over Malaysia that has prompted crisis talks with Indonesia and has caused widespread inconvenience. ... The 1997 Southeast Asian haze occured in the second half of 1997, and its after effects caused widespread inconvenience especially visibility and health problems within Southeast Asia. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Haze

• Smog
• Calima
• Air Quality Index
• Pollutant Standards Index
• 2005 Malaysian haze
• 2006 Southeast Asian haze
• 1997 Southeast Asian haze

Haze over Kuala Lumpur

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Victorian London was notorious for its thick smogs, or pea-soupers, a fact that is often recreated to add an air of mystery to a period costume drama. ... Fine dust/sand blown over the Atlantic Ocean from the Morroccan Sahara Desert to the Canary Islands. ... An air quality measurement station in Edinburgh, Scotland The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized indicator of the air quality in a given location. ... The Pollutant Standards Index, or PSI, provides a uniform system of measuring pollution levels for the major air pollutants. ... Wikinews has news related to this article: Haze crisis over Malaysia prompts talks with Indonesia The 2005 Malaysian haze is a week-long choking smog-like haze over Malaysia that has prompted crisis talks with Indonesia and has caused widespread inconvenience. ... The 2006 Southeast Asian haze affects several countries in the Southeast Asian region and beyond. ... The 1997 Southeast Asian haze occured in the second half of 1997, and its after effects caused widespread inconvenience especially visibility and health problems within Southeast Asia. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 517 KB) Uploaded to Flickr on August 11, 2005 by servus under the Creative Commons license. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 517 KB) Uploaded to Flickr on August 11, 2005 by servus under the Creative Commons license. ...

External links

• National Pollutant Inventory - Particulate matter fact sheet