Title: Texas urban vegetation BVOC emission source inventory
Institution(s) Represented: Ramboll US Corporation - Tehas Shah, Wildland Solutions - Keith Guenther
Lead PI: Tehas Shah, Keith Guenther
AQRP Project Manager: Elena McDonald-Buller
TCEQ Project Liaison: Miranda Kosty
Awarded Amount: $70,000.00
Abstract
The overall goal of this project is to improve numerical predictions of regional ozone and aerosol distributions in Texas by using more accurate estimates of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions in Texas urban areas. Isoprene and other BVOC strongly influence atmospheric chemistry in urban Texas urban areas and can dominate the total VOC reactivity of at least some Texas urban locations (Anderson et al. 2019). Although there have been significant advancements in the models used to simulate BVOC emissions, there are still major uncertainties limiting predictability of Texas air quality simulations. Urban areas are the most challenging for BVOC emissions estimation, due to heterogeneity and a lack of vegetation information, and yet they continue to be the least studied. Recent ground surveys of urban tree inventories and increasingly higher resolution remote sensing data products have substantially improved the potential for characterizing the landcover inputs required for biogenic emission models. Therefore, we propose to improve both the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN, Guenther et al., 2012) and the Biogenic Emission Inventory System (BEIS, Geron et al. 1994) frameworks for estimating BVOC emissions in Texas urban areas. To accomplish this, we will use urban tree inventories and aerial and satellite imagery to develop a high spatial resolution (~1 km) gridded inventory of time-varying Leaf Area Index (LAI), total vegetation cover, and the relative abundance of high BVOC emitting trees (e.g., live oaks, deciduous oaks, sweetgum, palms, pines, juniper) and other vegetation cover types for three Texas urban areas: Austin, Houston, San Antonio.
The primary deliverable will be more accurate landcover inputs for biogenic VOC emission models for estimating BVOC emissions for the urban and suburban areas. Outcomes will include improved biogenic emission estimates and a better understanding of the current uncertainties in urban biogenic emission model simulations. The overall benefit of this project will be more accurate VOC emission estimates for the Texas air quality simulations that are critical for scientific understanding and the development of regulatory control strategies that will enhance efforts to improve and maintain clean air.
Work Plan: projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 Scope.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Jul 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Aug 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Sep 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Oct 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Nov 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Dec 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Jan 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Feb 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Mar 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Apr 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR May 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Jun 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Jun 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 MTR Aug 2021.pdf
QAPP: projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 QAPP.pdf
Final Report: projectinfoFY20_21\20-007\20-007 Final Report.pdf
