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Emerging research on real-time air pollution sensing with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development
Citation:
Thoma, E. Emerging research on real-time air pollution sensing with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. Duke IGERT WISeNet, Durham, NC, September 05, 2012.
Impact/Purpose:
The purpose of this presentation is to introduce leading-edge air pollution measurement research in EPA ORD and help guide potential collaborations between EPA staff and the new Duke program in Wireless Intelligent Sensor Networks (WISeNet). NRMRL/APPCD has an existing MOU with this program.
Description:
Abstract: Air pollution research ranges broadly at the US EPA and includes the characterization of pollutant emissions from a wide array of sources, studying post-emission transport and transformation in the atmosphere, and evaluating the linkages between air pollution and adverse impacts to human health and welfare. Characterizing these dynamic processes has pushed air pollution measurements and data utilization along multiple development trajectories. Example developments include: 1) geospatial measurement of air pollution - the use of instrumented mobile platforms to estimate emissions from challenging source types (e.g., oil and gas wells) or characterize the spatial variability of air quality indicators in areas located nearby sources (e.g., near-rail yard or near-highway), 2) balloon-borne sampling to study emissions plumes in challenging environments (e.g., burning of BP oil spill), and 3) coupling high time resolution data from air pollution sensors and inverse modeling approaches to pinpoint emission locations and characterize their contributions in complex urban environments. These and additional research areas to be discussed may be fruitful areas for collaboration with WISeNet program participants.
