What is the meteorological term for the build-up of air pollutants in stable atmospheric conditions?

The phenomenon referred to as the build-up of air pollutants in stable atmospheric conditions is accurately described by the term 'temperature inversion.' In meteorology, a temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warm air traps cooler air and pollutants near the ground. This negatively influences air quality because the cooler air, which is denser, becomes trapped and can lead to a concentration of pollutants because they cannot disperse properly.

Temperature inversions are particularly common during winter months when nighttime cooling occurs, leading to a stable atmosphere. This stability inhibits vertical mixing of air and prevents pollutants from rising, thus allowing them to accumulate in the lower atmosphere. The knowledge of this phenomenon is crucial in understanding how air quality can degrade in certain weather conditions.

Air stagnation refers to periods when the air does not move due to a lack of winds, which can also lead to pollution issues, but it is not specifically tied to stable layers of temperature. Insolation involves solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface and does not pertain to pollutant build-up. Ground-level ozone is a pollutant itself that can form under certain atmospheric conditions but is not the term that describes the overall phenomenon of pollutants accumulating in stable air.