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ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION MODELING OF EMISSIONS FROM GROUND ZERO
Citation:
Huber, A H. ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION MODELING OF EMISSIONS FROM GROUND ZERO. Presented at First World Congress on Risk, Brussels, Belgium, June 22-25, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
The goal of this research to develop models and computational tools to improve understanding of the functional relationships underlying human exposure to air toxics, and to reduce uncertainty in estimates of exposure to individuals and populations of concern. This goal will be met by addressing a number of key objectives in this task and include:
Model Research and Development: develop a multiroute/pathway/media human exposure and dose model for air toxics.
Model Application: apply model to an urban area (Houston, TX) to estimate human population exposure and dose.
Model Performance Evaluation: compare and evaluate exposure and dose estimates with independent model estimates or personal exposure measurements
Description:
Since September 11, 2001 the EPA National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) has applied meteorological measurements and modeling to support WTC recovery assessments. The local meteorology is observed to be a key factor in both the diurnal and day-to-day changes in the observed ambient air concentration levels. Local wind patterns observed in lower Manhattan are somewhat modified by the local urban building environments. General patterns of plume transport and dispersion have been analyzed in comparison with mapped spatial distributions of measured particulate matter (PM) air concentrations. While emissions from the recovery site are unknown the temporal and spatial patterns of measurements are found to be strongly associated with the PM measurements and presently modeled pollution plume. A local scale CFD model simulation is being developed to better characterize emission sources and transport from ground zero to support the April 2003 assessment. The extent of travel of emissions and the effect of building influences, is broadening the understanding of exposure to residents and office workers near the WTC. This work has supported EPA's initial exposure and risk assessments to date. The development of refined modeling is ongoing with collaborators to support future EPA exposure and risk assessments.
This work has been funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. It has been subjected to agency review and approved for publication.