P1.36
Weather’s effect on trace gases in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states
Dennis O’Donnel, Millersville University, Millersville, PA; and E. Lowery, D. Brewer, D. Rabatin, and R. D. Clark
Pollution today has become both an important social and economic factor in every American’s life. It has been linked to both illness and ecological disaster. Yet, little is known about how emissions spreading across the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states, are affected by the weather they encounter. For instance, do areas having normally higher levels of CO2, SO2, and NOX coincide with areas of increased precipitation, health problems, and ecological disasters? In order to discover answers to these and other questions, data from a combination of API analyzers, small balloon soundings, historical regional emissions data, National Weather Service observations and model output, back trajectories, and advanced modeling software (ArcGIS) were integrated to study haze and pollution events in Philadelphia. HYSPLIT back trajectories were mapped up to 48 hours in advance of the event in hourly intervals, giving the location of air parcels at three specific heights. Combined with (EPA) emission data, GIS was used to display an air parcel on its way to Philadelphia traveling through weak and intense concentrations of CO2, NO2, and NOX. Our research focuses on the path the air parcel travels through these regions of varying trace gas concentrations, and their affect on the local concentrations observed in Philadelphia. Future plans include the incorporation of precipitation totals at each of the emissions plants and population demographics to help us further understand the effect of meteorology on pollution concentrations.
Poster Session 1, Poster Session
Sunday, 11 January 2004, 5:30 PM-7:00 PM, Room 608/609
Previous paper