Cleansing of the atmosphere in the athens area by means of rainfall and wind

In this paper we attempt to describe, using direct solar radiation measurements, the ability of the atmosphere to cleanse itself by means of rainfall and wind in the major area of Athens, which is notable for its ground relief and increasing pollution. Our results may be summarized as follows: rainfall in amounts greater than 5.0 mm, with a mean intensity of more than 2.0 mm/h has a significant cleansing effect on the atmosphere lasting for about one day. On the other hand, ground relief and the distribution of sources of pollution in the area under study do not always contribute to atmospheric cleansing.