AIRMAP - University of New Hampshire

AIRMAP: A UNH Air Quality and Climate
Program
Robert Talbot
Climate Change Research Center
Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, & Space
University of New Hampshire
The six world-class Atmospheric Observatories
in the AIRMAP network.
Farmington Tower
New Observatory at Thompson Farm
Unequalled facility and measurements
for atmospheric sciences.
Application of Innovative Technologies: Wind
Turbine on Appledore Island, ME
Multi-Year Records of Continuous High Time Resolution Data
Allow Documentation of U.S. Emission Trends
Regional Emissions
Ethane
N. New England
(ME, NH, VT)
Santiago,
Chile
Propane Flux Rate
(molecules cm-2 s-1)
1.1 x 1010
2 x 1012
Land Area (km2)
135,000
525
Daily Propane Emission
(tons d-1)
90
80
Ethane (pptv)
3000+
2750 to 3000
2500 to 2750
2250 to 2500
2000 to 2250
1750 to 2000
1500 to 1750
1250 to 1500
1000 to 1250
750 to 1000
500 to 750
Propane
Latitude
Longitude
Propane (pptv)
4000+
3600 to 4000
3200 to 3600
2800 to 3200
2400 to 2800
2000 to 2400
1600 to 2000
1200 to 1600
800 to 1200
400 to 800
0 to 400
Latitude
Longitude
Newly Discovered Biogenic Sources of Methyl Iodide
and Toluene are Significant in their Regional Budgets
Greenhouse Gases are Always Above the Hemispheric Background
in New England
500
480
460
440
2
420
05_06
03_04
04_05
02_03
01_02
400
380
360
200
400
600
CO, ppbv
800
1000
1200
AIRMAP has the most complete record of atmospheric mercury in the
U.S. and are using it to identify the key controls on its distribution.
Our Unique Mercury Study Tools:
• 3 sites of long-term (greater than 5 years) continuous measurements
(Heavily Forested  Marine)
• 1 Tall tower site at 200 m elevation (the only one in the U.S.)
Mercury
• Continuous monitoring 1 km downwind of the Pembroke power plant in the
Merrimack Valley.
• Planned expansion to the summit of Mt. Washington (2 km).
Multi-Year
Seasonal & Diurnal
Cycles
Seasonal Cycle is
Similar to CO
(importance of
combustion sources)
Correlation with Marine
Tracer Demonstrates
Natural Marine Source
Nighttime Data
Demonstrates
Dry Depositional
Loss of Hgo
Regional Haze
AIRMAP has Demonstrated Nucleation of New Particles in the
New England Atmosphere.
Science and Modeling Approach
(Long-term goal: Regional Air Quality Assessment)
Present Climate
(Global Climate
Model)
Future Climate
(Global Climate
Model)
Regional Climate Model
(Atmosphere-Soil-Vegetation)
Present Regional
Climate
Model
Evaluation and
Uncertainties
Future Regional
Climate
Regional
Climate Change
Emission Model
Emission Data
for the present
Emission Data
for the future
IPCC A1
Emissions
(rapid and successful economic development)
Scientific Issues:
• Interannual variability in
regional climate and its
impact on air quality.
• Impact of land use/cover
change on VOC emissions.
• Changes in reactive
anthropogenic and biogenic
emissions, distribution, and
speciation impact on
chemistry and PM2.5
concentrations.
Future Air Quality
Assessment
Air Quality Model
Evaluation
Regional
Photochemical
Model
Air Quality Results:
Seasonal Mean Daily Maximum 8h-O3 Levels
Tracking Air Quality in New England:
Satellites, Planes, Balloons, Ships and Towers
ICARTT 2004: AIRMAP Hosted the
World’s Largest Air Quality/Climate
Campaign.
Wintertime in the Northeast
is Synonymous with Poor
Air Quality!
AIRMAP is the only Program
Studying this Problem.
January 2006 Pollution Events (Thompson Farm)
14000
propane
propene
10000
800
8000
6000
400
4000
propene (pptv)
propane (pptv)
12000
1200
Propane = leakage &
combustion
Propene = combustion
2000
0
1/1/06
0
1/3/06
1/5/06
1/7/06
1/9/06
1/11/06
UTC
2500
200
ethyne
C2Cl4
1500
120
1000
80
500
40
0
1/1/06
0
1/3/06
1/5/06
1/7/06
UTC
Ethyne = combustion
160
1/9/06
1/11/06
C2Cl4 (pptv)
ethyne (pptv)
2000
C2Cl4 = dry cleaning
solvent