Use of hourly Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) fire emissions in a Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model for improving surface particulate matter predictions

Abstract. This study examines the uncertainties on air quality modeling associated with the integration of wildfire emissions in chemistry-transport models (CTMs). To do so, aerosol concentrations during the summer 2007, which was marked by severe fire episodes in the Euro-Mediterranean region especially in Balkan (20–31 July 2007, 24–30 August 2007) and Greece (24–30 August 2007), are analysed. Through comparisons to observations from surface networks and satellite remote sensing, we evaluate the abilities of two CTMs, Polyphemus/Polair3D and CHIMERE, to simulate the impact of fires on the regional particulate matter (PM) concentrations and optical properties. During the two main fire events, fire emissions may contribute up to 90 % of surface PM2.5 concentrations, with a significant regional impact associated with long-range transport. Good general performances of the models and a clear improvement of PM2.5 and aerosol optical depth (AOD) are shown when fires are taken into account in the models with high correlation coefficients. Two sources of uncertainties are specifically analysed in terms of surface PM concentrations and AOD using sensitivity simulations: secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from intermediate and semi-volatile organic compounds (I/S-VOCs) and emissions' injection heights. The analysis highlights that surface PM2.5 concentrations are highly sensitive to injection heights (with a sensitivity that can be as high as 50 % compared to the sensitivity for I/S-VOCs emissions which is lower than 30 %). However, AOD which is vertically integrated is less sensitive to the injection heights (mostly below 20 %), but highly sensitive to I/S-VOCs emissions (with sensitivity that can be as high as 40 %). The maximum dispersion, which quantifies uncertainties related to fire emissions modeling, is up to 75 % for PM2.5 in Balkan and Greece, and varies between 36 and 45 % for AOD above fire regions. The simulated number of daily exceedance of World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for PM2.5 over the considered region reaches 30 days in regions affected by fires and ∼ 10 days in fire plumes which is slightly underestimated compared to available observations. The maximum dispersion (σ) on this indicator is also large (with σ reaching 15 days), showing the need for better understanding of the transport and evolution of fire plumes in addition to fire emissions.

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Top-Down Estimation of Particulate Matter Emissions from Extreme Tropical Peatland Fires Using Geostationary Satellite Fire Radiative Power Observations

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s20247075 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (24) ◽

pp. 7075

Author(s):

Daniel Fisher ◽

Martin J. Wooster ◽

Weidong Xu ◽

Gareth Thomas ◽

Puji Lestari

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

El Niño ◽

El Nino ◽

Top Down ◽

Fire Emissions ◽

Se Asia ◽

Particulate Matter Emissions ◽

Radiative Power ◽

Fire Radiative Power

Extreme fires in the peatlands of South East (SE) Asia are arguably the world’s greatest biomass burning events, resulting in some of the worst ambient air pollution ever recorded (PM10 > 3000 µg·m−3). The worst of these fires coincide with El Niño related droughts, and include huge areas of smouldering combustion that can persist for months. However, areas of flaming surface vegetation combustion atop peat are also seen, and we show that the largest of these latter fires appear to be the most radiant and intensely smoke-emitting areas of combustion present in such extreme fire episodes. Fire emissions inventories and early warning of the air quality impacts of landscape fire are increasingly based on the fire radiative power (FRP) approach to fire emissions estimation, including for these SE Asia peatland fires. “Top-down” methods estimate total particulate matter emissions directly from FRP observations using so-called “smoke emission coefficients” [Ce; g·MJ−1], but currently no discrimination is made between fire types during such calculations. We show that for a subset of some of the most thermally radiant peatland fires seen during the 2015 El Niño, the most appropriate Ce is around a factor of three lower than currently assumed (~16.8 ± 1.6 g·MJ−1 vs. 52.4 g·MJ−1). Analysis indicates that this difference stems from these highly radiant fires containing areas of substantial flaming combustion, which changes the amount of particulate matter emitted per unit of observable fire radiative heat release in comparison to more smouldering dominated events. We also show that even a single one of these most radiant fires is responsible for almost 10% of the overall particulate matter released during the 2015 fire event, highlighting the importance of this fire type to overall emission totals. Discriminating these different fires types in ways demonstrated herein should thus ultimately improve the accuracy of SE Asian fire emissions estimates derived using the FRP approach, and the air quality modelling which they support.

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Impact of wildfires on particulate matter in the Euro-Mediterranean in 2007: sensitivity to some parameterizations of emissions in air quality models

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-19-785-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 785-812 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Marwa Majdi ◽

Solene Turquety ◽

Karine Sartelet ◽

Carole Legorgeu ◽

Laurent Menut ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

World Health ◽

Voc Emissions ◽

Fire Emissions ◽

The Balkans ◽

Fire Plumes ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Statistical Dispersion ◽

The Impact

Abstract. This study examines the uncertainties on air quality modeling associated with the integration of wildfire emissions in chemistry-transport models (CTMs). To do so, aerosol concentrations during the summer of 2007, which was marked by severe fire episodes in the Euro-Mediterranean region especially in the Balkans (20–31 July, 24–30 August 2007) and Greece (24–30 August 2007), are analyzed. Through comparisons to observations from surface networks and satellite remote sensing, we evaluate the abilities of two CTMs, Polyphemus/Polair3D and CHIMERE, to simulate the impact of fires on the regional particulate matter (PM) concentrations and optical properties. During the two main fire events, fire emissions may contribute up to 90 % of surface PM2.5 concentrations in the fire regions (Balkans and Greece), with a significant regional impact associated with long-range transport. Good general performances of the models and a clear improvement of PM2.5 and aerosol optical depth (AOD) are shown when fires are taken into account in the models with high correlation coefficients. Two sources of uncertainties are specifically analyzed in terms of surface PM2.5 concentrations and AOD using sensitivity simulations: secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from intermediate and semi-volatile organic compounds (I/S-VOCs) and emissions' injection heights. The analysis highlights that surface PM2.5 concentrations are highly sensitive to injection heights (with a sensitivity that can be as high as 50 % compared to the sensitivity to I/S-VOC emissions which is lower than 30 %). However, AOD which is vertically integrated is less sensitive to the injection heights (mostly below 20 %) but highly sensitive to I/S-VOC emissions (with sensitivity that can be as high as 40 %). The maximum statistical dispersion, which quantifies uncertainties related to fire emission modeling, is up to 75 % for PM2.5 in the Balkans and Greece, and varies between 36 % and 45 % for AOD above fire regions. The simulated number of daily exceedance of World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for PM2.5 over the considered region reaches 30 days in regions affected by fires and ∼10 days in fire plumes, which is slightly underestimated compared to available observations. The maximum statistical dispersion (σ) on this indicator is also large (with σ reaching 15 days), showing the need for better understanding of the transport and evolution of fire plumes in addition to fire emissions.

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The impact of US wildland fires on ozone and particulate matter: a comparison of measurements and CMAQ model predictions from 2008 to 2012

International Journal of Wildland Fire ◽

10.1071/wf18053 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (10) ◽

pp. 684 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Joseph L. Wilkins ◽

George Pouliot ◽

Kristen Foley ◽

Wyat Appel ◽

Thomas Pierce

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Wildland Fire ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Model Performance ◽

Grid Cell ◽

Emissions Inventory ◽

Fire Emissions ◽

The Mean ◽

The Impact

Wildland fire emissions are routinely estimated in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Emissions Inventory, specifically for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and precursors to ozone (O3); however, there is a large amount of uncertainty in this sector. We employ a brute-force zero-out sensitivity method to estimate the impact of wildland fire emissions on air quality across the contiguous US using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modelling system. These simulations are designed to assess the importance of wildland fire emissions on CMAQ model performance and are not intended for regulatory assessments. CMAQ ver. 5.0.1 estimated that fires contributed 11% to the mean PM2.5 and less than 1% to the mean O3 concentrations during 2008–2012. Adding fires to CMAQ increases the number of ‘grid-cell days’ with PM2.5 above 35 µg m−3 by a factor of 4 and the number of grid-cell days with maximum daily 8-h average O3 above 70 ppb by 14%. Although CMAQ simulations of specific fires have improved with the latest model version (e.g. for the 2008 California wildfire episode, the correlation r = 0.82 with CMAQ ver. 5.0.1 v. r = 0.68 for CMAQ ver. 4.7.1), the model still exhibits a low bias at higher observed concentrations and a high bias at lower observed concentrations. Given the large impact of wildland fire emissions on simulated concentrations of elevated PM2.5 and O3, improvements are recommended on how these emissions are characterised and distributed vertically in the model.

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Air quality. Determination of the PM10 fraction of suspended particulate matter. Reference method and field test procedure to demonstrate reference equivalence of measurement methods

10.3403/01603131u ◽

2015 ◽

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Field Test ◽

Suspended Particulate Matter ◽

Test Procedure ◽

Reference Method ◽

Measurement Methods ◽

Suspended Particulate

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The impact of measures to reduce ambient air PM<sub>10</sub> concentrations originating from road dust, evaluated for a street canyon in Helsinki

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-19-11199-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (17) ◽

pp. 11199-11212 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ana Stojiljkovic ◽

Mari Kauhaniemi ◽

Jaakko Kukkonen ◽

Kaarle Kupiainen ◽

Ari Karppinen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Street Canyon ◽

Dust Emission ◽

Road Dust ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Air Quality Measurements ◽

Emission Models ◽

The Impact ◽

Quality Measurements

Abstract. We have numerically evaluated how effective selected potential measures would be for reducing the impact of road dust on ambient air particulate matter (PM10). The selected measures included a reduction of the use of studded tyres on light-duty vehicles and a reduction of the use of salt or sand for traction control. We have evaluated these measures for a street canyon located in central Helsinki for four years (2007–2009 and 2014). Air quality measurements were conducted in the street canyon for two years, 2009 and 2014. Two road dust emission models, NORTRIP (NOn-exhaust Road TRaffic Induced Particle emissions) and FORE (Forecasting Of Road dust Emissions), were applied in combination with the Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM), a street canyon dispersion model, to compute the street increments of PM10 (i.e. the fraction of PM10 concentration originating from traffic emissions at the street level) within the street canyon. The predicted concentrations were compared with the air quality measurements. Both road dust emission models reproduced the seasonal variability of the PM10 concentrations fairly well but under-predicted the annual mean values. It was found that the largest reductions of concentrations could potentially be achieved by reducing the fraction of vehicles that use studded tyres. For instance, a 30 % decrease in the number of vehicles using studded tyres would result in an average decrease in the non-exhaust street increment of PM10 from 10 % to 22 %, depending on the model used and the year considered. Modelled contributions of traction sand and salt to the annual mean non-exhaust street increment of PM10 ranged from 4 % to 20 % for the traction sand and from 0.1 % to 4 % for the traction salt. The results presented here can be used to support the development of optimal strategies for reducing high springtime particulate matter concentrations originating from road dust.

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Spatial Analysis (Measurements at Heights of 10 m and 20 m above Ground Level) of the Concentrations of Particulate Matter (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0) and Gaseous Pollutants (H2S) on the University Campus: A Case Study

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12010062 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 62

Author(s):

Robert Cichowicz ◽

Maciej Dobrzański

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Hydrogen Sulfide ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Spatial Analysis ◽

Ground Level ◽

Leeward Side ◽

High Concentration ◽

Above Ground Level ◽

High Concentrations

Spatial analysis of the distribution of particulate matter PM10, PM2.5, PM1.0, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas pollution was performed in the area around a university library building. The reasons for the subject matter were reports related to the perceptible odor characteristic of hydrogen sulfide and a general poor assessment of air quality by employees and students. Due to the area of analysis, it was decided to perform measurements at two heights, 10 m and 20 m above ground level, using measuring equipment attached to a DJI Matrice 600 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The aim of the measurements was air quality assessment and investigate the convergence of the theory of air flow around the building with the spatial distribution of air pollutants. Considerable differences of up to 63% were observed in the concentrations of pollutants measured around the building, especially between opposite sides, depending on the direction of the wind. To explain these differences, the theory of aerodynamics was applied to visualize the probable airflow in the direction of the wind. A strong convergence was observed between the aerodynamic model and the spatial distribution of pollutants. This was evidenced by the high concentrations of dust in the areas of strong turbulence at the edges of the building and on the leeward side. The accumulation of pollutants was also clearly noticeable in these locations. A high concentration of H2S was recorded around the library building on the side of the car park. On the other hand, the air turbulence around the building dispersed the gas pollution, causing the concentration of H2S to drop on the leeward side. It was confirmed that in some analyzed areas the permissible concentration of H2S was exceeded.

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The Diamond League athletic series: does the air quality sparkle?

International Journal of Biometeorology ◽

10.1007/s00484-021-02114-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

James R. Hodgson ◽

Lee Chapman ◽

Francis D. Pope

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Performance Metrics ◽

Urban Air Pollution ◽

Quality Data ◽

Performance Variation ◽

Short And Long Term ◽

Respiratory Conditions ◽

Race Performance

AbstractUrban air pollution can have negative short- and long-term impacts on health, including cardiovascular, neurological, immune system and developmental damage. The irritant qualities of pollutants such as ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) can cause respiratory and cardiovascular distress, which can be heightened during physical activity and particularly so for those with respiratory conditions such as asthma. Previously, research has only examined marathon run outcomes or running under laboratory settings. This study focuses on elite 5-km athletes performing in international events at nine locations. Local meteorological and air quality data are used in conjunction with race performance metrics from the Diamond League Athletics series to determine the extent to which elite competitors are influenced during maximal sustained efforts in real-world conditions. The findings from this study suggest that local meteorological variables (temperature, wind speed and relative humidity) and air quality (ozone and particulate matter) have an impact on athletic performance. Variation between finishing times at different race locations can also be explained by the local meteorology and air quality conditions seen during races.

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Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Environmental Air Quality and Its Relationship with Seasonal Climatic Conditions in Eastern China during 2015–2018

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094524 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4524

Author(s):

Zhiyuan Wang ◽

Xiaoyi Shi ◽

Chunhua Pan ◽

Sisi Wang

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Large Scale ◽

Asian Summer Monsoon ◽

Eastern China ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Uniform Structure ◽

Concentration Limit ◽

Environmental Air

Exploring the relationship between environmental air quality (EAQ) and climatic conditions on a large scale can help better understand the main distribution characteristics and the mechanisms of EAQ in China, which is significant for the implementation of policies of joint prevention and control of regional air pollution. In this study, we used the concentrations of six conventional air pollutants, i.e., carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), coarse particulate matter (PM10), and ozone (O3), derived from about 1300 monitoring sites in eastern China (EC) from January 2015 to December 2018. Exploiting the grading concentration limit (GB3095-2012) of various pollutants in China, we also calculated the monthly average air quality index (AQI) in EC. The results show that, generally, the EAQ has improved in all seasons in EC from 2015 to 2018. In particular, the concentrations of conventional air pollutants, such as CO, SO2, and NO2, have been decreasing year by year. However, the concentrations of particulate matter, such as PM2.5 and PM10, have changed little, and the O3 concentration increased from 2015 to 2018. Empirical mode decomposition (EOF) was used to analyze the major patterns of AQI in EC. The first mode (EOF1) was characterized by a uniform structure in AQI over EC. These phenomena are due to the precipitation variability associated with the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM), referred to as the “summer–winter” pattern. The second EOF mode (EOF2) showed that the AQI over EC is a north–south dipole pattern, which is bound by the Qinling Mountains and Huaihe River (about 35° N). The EOF2 is mainly caused by seasonal variations of the mixed concentration of PM2.5 and O3. Associated with EOF2, the Mongolia–Siberian High influences the AQI variation over northern EC by dominating the low-level winds (10 m and 850 hPa) in autumn and winter, and precipitation affects the AQI variation over southern EC in spring and summer.

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Performance Evaluation of Particulate Matter and Indoor Microclimate Monitors in University Classrooms under COVID-19 Restrictions

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147363 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7363

Author(s):

Laurentiu Predescu ◽

Daniel Dunea

Keyword(s):

Performance Evaluation ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Environment ◽

Indoor Environments ◽

University Campus ◽

Particle Counter ◽

Thermal Environments ◽

University Classrooms ◽

Academic Personnel

Optical monitors have proven their versatility into the studies of air quality in the workplace and indoor environments. The current study aimed to perform a screening of the indoor environment regarding the presence of various fractions of particulate matter (PM) and the specific thermal microclimate in a classroom occupied with students in March 2019 (before COVID-19 pandemic) and in March 2021 (during pandemic) at Valahia University Campus, Targoviste, Romania. The objectives were to assess the potential exposure of students and academic personnel to PM and to observe the performances of various sensors and monitors (particle counter, PM monitors, and indoor microclimate sensors). PM1 ranged between 29 and 41 μg m−3 and PM10 ranged between 30 and 42 μg m−3. It was observed that the particles belonged mostly to fine and submicrometric fractions in acceptable thermal environments according to the PPD and PMV indices. The particle counter recorded preponderantly 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 micron categories. The average acute dose rate was estimated as 6.58 × 10−4 mg/kg-day (CV = 14.3%) for the 20–40 years range. Wearing masks may influence the indoor microclimate and PM levels but additional experiments should be performed at a finer scale.

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