Grantee Research Project Results
2013 Progress Report: Impacts of Climate-induced Changes in Extreme Events on Ozone and Particulate Matter Air Quality
EPA Grant Number: R835189Title: Impacts of Climate-induced Changes in Extreme Events on Ozone and Particulate Matter Air Quality
Investigators: Wu, Shiliang , Owen, R. Chris , McCarty, Jessica
Current Investigators: Wu, Shiliang , McCarty, Jessica
Institution: Michigan Technological University , University of Louisville
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2015 (Extended to May 31, 2017)
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 1, 2013 through May 31,2014
Project Amount: $374,960
RFA: Extreme Event Impacts on Air Quality and Water Quality with a Changing Global Climate (2011) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Water Quality , Climate Change , Air , Water
Objective:
This study aims at improving our understanding and quantification of the potential effects of climate change on extreme meteorological events and air quality. Climate-induced changes in the following extreme events and their consequences for ozone and particulate matter (PM) air quality will be investigated: (a) heat waves; (b) temperature inversion; (c) atmospheric stagnation; (d) lightning activities; and (e) associated wildfires.
Progress Summary:
Major accomplishments in year 2 (this report period) include:
- We continued our studies on the long-term evolution of extreme air pollution meteorology. In addition to the trends of heat waves and temperature inversion events investigated in year 1, we also examined the long-term changes in atmospheric stagnation. Our results indicate that the atmospheric stagnation occurrences in the past decades have increased significantly in most continents except for the Antarctic region.
- Based on the Air Quality System (AQS) database, we have retrieved air quality data for the past decade for multiple pollutants including ozone (O3), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and monoxide carbon (CO). These data are processed into appropriate spatial and temporal resolution to facilitate further modeling analysis.
- We have analyzed and quantified the impacts of extreme meteorology (temperature inversion, atmospheric stagnation, and heat wave) on concentrations of air pollutants (including ozone, CO, and PM2.5) for the past decade (ca. 2001-2010).
- We have carried out preliminary model simulations for the future climate and atmospheric composition. Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 was employed in CESM as future scenario to simulate future global climate. We are in the process of evaluating and interpreting the model results.
- We have prepared the FARSITE model for future fire growth modeling based on predicted lightning strikes.
Future Activities:
- We will continue model evaluation by comparing model simulated meteorology (focusing on extreme air pollution meteorology) and air quality against observations;
- Simulate the changes in climate and air quality for the future decades and identify any long-term trends;
- Further quantify the impacts of extreme air pollution meteorological events on air quality in the context of global change. We will examine various metrics such as the daily and monthly mean concentrations for various pollutants, their cumulative probability distributions, as well as their seasonal and spatial variations, etc.;
- Investigate the perturbations to wildfires and the consequences for air quality in the context of global change; and
- Continue our efforts in widely distributing project findings and sharing data generated from this project through i) peer-reviewed publications; ii) national and international conferences and workshops; and iii) collaboration with other research groups on related topics and research questions.
Journal Articles on this Report : 5 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 31 publications | 15 publications in selected types | All 15 journal articles |
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Kumar A, Wu S, Weise MF, Honrath R, Owen RC, Helmig D, Kramer L, Val Martin M, Li Q. Free-troposphere ozone and carbon monoxide over the North Atlantic for 2001-2011. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2013;13(24):12537-12547. |
R835189 (2012) R835189 (2013) R835189 (2015) R835189 (Final) |
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Thelen B, French NHF, Koziol BW, Billmire M, Owen RC, Johnson J, Ginsberg M, Loboda T, Wu SL. Modeling acute respiratory illness during the 2007 San Diego wildland fires using a coupled emissions-transport system and generalized additive modeling. Environmental Health 2013;12:94 (22 pp.). |
R835189 (2012) R835189 (2013) R835189 (2015) R835189 (Final) |
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Wai KM, Wu S, Kumar A, Liao H. Seasonal variability and long-term evolution of tropospheric composition in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2014;14(10):4859-4874. |
R835189 (2012) R835189 (2013) R835189 (2015) R835189 (Final) |
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Zhang B, Owen RC, Perlinger JA, Kumar A, Wu S, Val Martin M, Kramer L, Helmig D, Honrath RE. A semi-Lagrangian view of ozone production tendency in North American outflow in the summers of 2009 and 2010. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2014;14(5):2267-2287. |
R835189 (2012) R835189 (2013) R835189 (2015) R835189 (Final) |
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Zhang H, Wu S, Huang Y, Wang Y. Effects of stratospheric ozone recovery on photochemistry and ozone air quality in the troposphere. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 2014;14(8):4079-4086. |
R835189 (2013) R835189 (2015) R834286 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Climate change, air pollution meteorology, air quality, ozone, particulate matter, extreme eventsProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.