Title: Improving Estimates of Wind-Blown Dust from Natural and Agricultural Sources
Institution(s) Represented: Ramboll US Corporation
Lead PI: Chris Emery
AQRP Project Manager: Elena McDonald-Buller
TCEQ Project Liaison: Barry Exum
Awarded Amount: $113,615.00
Abstract
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is addressing visibility degradation at protected areas, such as national parks, using a regional air quality model as required by the federal Regional Haze Rule. Visibility impairment is caused by particulate matter in fine (smaller than 2.5 microns) and coarse (greater than 2.5 microns) size ranges. Most coarse particles are direct emissions of crustal material (dust) from sources that include vehicle activity on unpaved roads, agriculture, mining, construction and episodic wind-blown dust (WBD) from exposed soil. Dust emissions from all sources are especially difficult to estimate given the variety of mechanisms and environmental conditions that lead to high spatial and temporal variability. This project directly addresses an AQRP priority research area to improve WBD emission estimates for air quality modeling. We will critically compare and evaluate current WBD emission formulations and develop more refined, locally specific datasets for vegetation, soil and activities that lead to WBD emission. The emission estimates will include key crustal elements such as calcium, iron and manganese, that influence chemistry in the atmosphere and also enable more refined model evaluation because they are explicitly monitored. The effects of emission updates will be assessed in air quality modeling by comparing simulated particulate matter concentrations to monitoring data available from a network of sites in the south-central US.
Work Plan: projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 Scope.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Jul 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Aug 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Sep 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Oct 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Nov 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Dec 2020.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Jan 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Feb 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Mar 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Apr 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR May 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Jun 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Jul 2021.pdf
Technical Report(s): projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 MTR Aug 2021.pdf
QAPP: projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 QAPP.pdf
Final Report: projectinfoFY20_21\20-011\20-011 Final Report.pdf
