You are here:
THE ATLANTA SUPERSITE PROJECT
Citation:
Solomon, P A., W. L. Chameides, E. S. Edgerton, R. D. Scheffe, AND M. Pitchford. THE ATLANTA SUPERSITE PROJECT. Presented at PM 2000 AWMA Conference, Charleston, SC, January 24-28, 2000.
Impact/Purpose:
The PM Supersites Program is an ambient monitoring program intended to address the scientific uncertainties associated with fine particulate matter. The main objectives of the Supersites Program are as follows: 1) characterize particulate matter in a way that contributes to the understanding of source-receptor relationships and supports development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs), 2) develop and test advanced measurement methods for potential use in national monitoring networks, and 3) support health and exposure studies by providing detailed chemical and physical data at one or more central monitoring sites.
The specific objectives of this task are to provide scientific review and coordination of the technical aspects of the Supersites Program. This includes coordination among all Supersites projects and other projects which support Supersites objectives, overseeing of the data management, and coordinating the communication of data analysis and modeling results to the scientific community and other stakeholders. Products include a number of peer-reviewed journal articles (approaching 200 or more), final reports from each project, a relational database than includes not only Supersites data, but most aerometric data collected in the continental US and SE Canada during the period July 2001 to August 2002, and a policy relevant findings synthesis entitled Key and Policy Relevant Findings from the Supersites Program and Related Studies. Also supporting the synthesis is a major international conference where results will be presented from air quality methods, measurements, modeling, and data analysis studies with similar objectives to the Supersites program and during the time period of the Supersites Program, i.e., the last 5-7 years.
Description:
The Atlanta Supersites project is the first of two Supersites projects to be established during Phase I of EPA's Supersites Program; Phase 11 is being established through a Request for Assistance. The other initial project is in Fresno, California. The Supersites Program is part of EPA's National PM2.5 network, which consists of about 1100 sites four PM2.5 mass measured by the FRM and about 250-300 sites where the major components of PM2.5 will be determined. The objectives of the Supersites Program are to obtain information on atmospheric processes and provide information to assist states with State Implementation Plans (SIPS) for PM2.5, to support health effects related studies, and to evaluate measurement methods four particulate matter (PM) and PM precursors. The Atlanta Supersites project is focused on the last of these objectives, but meets the other objectives through leveraging with ongoing studies, including the Southeastern Aerosol Research Characterization Study (SEARCH), Aerosol Research Inhalation Epidemiological Study (ARIES), Southern Center For the Integrated Study of Secondary Air Pollutants (SCISSAP), and others. Specifically, evaluations at Atlanta focused on state-of-the-science measurement methods for PM and PM precursors and related species. Methods evaluated as part of the Atlanta Supersite project included four single particle mass spectrometer type methods, a series of semi-continuous methods for mass, sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, gas phase counter parts and other related species, and integrated filter/denuder based methods for PM2.5 mass and the chemical components of mass. Sampling occurred over a 28 day period during the month of August at a SEARCH/AREIS site located in NE Atlanta. This paper will describe the objectives and design of the Atlanta Supersite project and present preliminary results, where available.
This work has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through internal funding. It has been subjected to Agency review and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.