Wind Flow and Respiratory Mortality in Los Angeles

Abstract

As a preliminary part of a study of Los Angeles air pollution, a model of daytime wind flow over Los Angeles was constructed. The city was divided into five wind zones representing distance downwind along the path of air flow. Mortality from respiratory disease was found to increase in successive downwind zones. This increase was independent of different age, sex, and income characteristics of the populations of the five zones. This is consistent with an effect of air pollution or of some meteorological factor associated with wind flow.