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NOAA EPA Near-Roadway Sound Barrier Atmospheric Tracer Study 2008
Citation:
Clawson, K. L., D. Finn, R. G. Carter, J. D. Rich, R. M. Eckman, S. G. PERRY, V. ISAKOV, D. HEIST, AND T. E. PIERCE. NOAA EPA Near-Roadway Sound Barrier Atmospheric Tracer Study 2008. Chapter 1, Douw G Steyn, S. T. Rao (ed.), Air Pollution Modeling and its Applications XX . Springer Netherlands, , Netherlands, C(1.15):27-31, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
The National Exposure Research Laboratory′s (NERL′s) Atmospheric Modeling and Analysis Division (AMAD) conducts research in support of EPA′s mission to protect human health and the environment. AMAD′s research program is engaged in developing and evaluating predictive atmospheric models on all spatial and temporal scales for forecasting the Nation′s air quality and for assessing changes in air quality and air pollutant exposures, as affected by changes in ecosystem management and regulatory decisions. AMAD is responsible for providing a sound scientific and technical basis for regulatory policies based on air quality models to improve ambient air quality. The models developed by AMAD are being used by EPA, NOAA, and the air pollution community in understanding and forecasting not only the magnitude of the air pollution problem, but also in developing emission control policies and regulations for air quality improvements.
Description:
A roadway toxics dispersion study was conducted at the Idaho National Laboratory to document the effects on concentrations of roadway emissions behind a roadside sound barrier in various conditions of atmospheric stability. The key finding was that reduced concentrations were measured behind the barrier in all stability conditions. It was also found that the magnitude of the concentration footprint behind the barrier was tied to atmospheric stability and that the roadway tended to trap high concentrations during light wind speed conditions.