Abstract: In recent years,the atmospheric environmental pollution in Shaanxi Province,China has been more and more serious due to its complex terrain and fast urbanization.Therefore,it is meaningful to improve air quality,promote coordinated development between economy and environment through comprehensively understanding the bearing capacity of atmospheric environment in Shaanxi Province.Based on the observed meteorological data from 98 meteorological stations,this study took the annual average emissions of SO₂ and PM₁₀ as evaluation objectives from 2010 to 2013 in Shaanxi Province.The study also analyzed the spatial and temporal distributions of the environmental capacity coefficient (A) and bearing capacities of atmospheric environment for SO₂ and PM₁₀ through plume footprint analysis approach based on the analysis of ecological footprint.The results were shown as follows:(1) The varied magnitude of environmental capacity coefficient (A) was large,and the average value of environmental capacity coefficient (A) in the whole Shaanxi Province was ranged from 1 to 5.The largest value of environmental capacity coefficient (A) occurred in Yulin City which is located in the north of Shaanxi Province,and its corresponding values were ranged from 4 to 5.The second largest value of environmental capacity coefficient (A) appeared in Tongchuan City which is located in central Shaanxi Province,and the varied range of its corresponding values was from 3 to 4.The lowest value of environmental capacity coefficient (A) was in Hanzhong City which is located in the south of Shaanxi Province,and the corresponding values were from 1 to 1.5.In particular,the environmental capacity coefficients (A) of Xi'an,Baoji,and Weinan cities were gradually decreased from 2010 to 2013. (2) The bearing capacities of SO₂ across Shaanxi Province were larger than critical values during 2010-2013,and the values of bearing capacities of SO₂ were negative and ranged from -148 578.04 km² to -189 149.59 km² which indicated that there was not enough space for bearing SO₂ in these four years.Moreover,the bearing capacities of SO₂ in Weinan and Xi'an cities were severely larger than critical values and were obviously in descendant trend from 2010 to 2013.Compared with Weinan and Xi'an cities,the bearing capacities of SO₂ in Yan'an,Yulin,Ankang,and Shangluo cities were better whose annual average values were positive during these four years. (3) The bearing capacities of PM₁₀ across Shaanxi Province were less than critical values from 2010 to 2013,and the values of bearing capacities of PM₁₀ were positive and ranged from 12 701.47 km² to 44 511.02 km² which suggested that there was still space for bearing PM₁₀ in these four years.The environmental capacity coefficient (A) in Weinan City was low and the emitted amount of PM₁₀ was significantly increased in 2013 which revealed that plume footprint was over than bearing area.Particularly,the bearing capacities of PM₁₀ in all cities were lower than critical values from 2010 to 2013 except Weinan and Tongchuan cities,and the bearing capacities of PM₁₀ across Shaanxi Province was in descendant trends.

Key words: environmental capacity coefficient, bearing capacity of atmospheric environment, plume footprint analysis, Shaanxi Province