Download or read book A Case Study on the Local Wind Circulation and Its Role on Ozone Concentrations in the Houston Galveston Area written by Monica Patel and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Urban Remote Sensing written by Xiaojun Yang and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-03-23 with total page 627 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban Remote Sensing is designed for upper level undergraduates, graduates, researchers and practitioners, and has a clear focus on the development of remote sensing technology for monitoring, synthesis and modeling in the urban environment. It covers four major areas: the use of high-resolution satellite imagery or alternative sources of image date (such as high-resolution SAR and LIDAR) for urban feature extraction; the development of improved image processing algorithms and techniques for deriving accurate and consistent information on urban attributes from remote sensor data; the development of analytical techniques and methods for deriving indicators of socioeconomic and environmental conditions that prevail within urban landscape; and the development of remote sensing and spatial analytical techniques for urban growth simulation and predictive modeling.
Download or read book The Effect of Variability in Industrial Emissions on Ozone Formation in Houston Texas written by Mort David Webster and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ambient observations have indicated that high concentrations of ozone observed in the Houston/Galveston area are associated with plumes of highly reactive hydrocarbons, mixed with NOx, from industrial facilities. Ambient observations and industrial process data, such as mass flow rates for industrial flares, indicate that the VOCs associated with these industrial emissions can have significant temporal variability. To characterize the effect of this variability in emissions on ozone formation in Houston, data were collected on the temporal variability of industrial emissions or emission surrogates (e.g., mass flow rates to flares). The observed emissions variability was then used to construct region-wide emission inventories with variable industrial emissions, and the impacts of the variability on ozone formation were examined for two types of meteorological conditions, both of which lead to high ozone concentrations in Houston. The air quality simulations indicate that variability in industrial emissions has the potential to cause increases and decreases of 10-52 ppb (13-316%), or more, in ozone concentration. The largest of these differences are restricted to regions of 10-20 km2, but the variability also has the potential to increase region wide maxima in ozone concentrations by up to 12 ppb. Keywords: Photochemical Grid Model, highly reactive volatile organic compounds (HRVOC), ozone, uncertainty analysis, Monte Carlo simulation.
Download or read book Report for Consultation on the Houston Gavelston sic Intrastate Air Quality Control Region Texas written by United States. National Air Pollution Control Administration and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Historical Emission and Ozone Trends in the Houston Area written by Marilyn Davis and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Impact of Variable Emissions on Ozone Formation in the Houston Area written by Radovan Thomas Pavlovic and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 590 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ground level ozone is one of the most ubiquitous air pollutants in urban areas, and is generated by photochemical reactions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The effectiveness of emission reduction strategies for ozone precursors is typically evaluated using gridded, photochemical air quality models. One of the underlying assumptions in these models is that industrial emissions are nearly constant, since many industrial facilities operate continuously at a constant rate of output. However, recent studies performed in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area indicate that some industrial emission sources exhibit high temporal emission variability that can lead to very rapid ozone formation, especially when emissions are composed of highly reactive volatile organic compounds. This work evaluates the impact of variable emissions from industrial sources on ground-level ozone formation in Houston area, utilizing a unique hourly emission inventory, known as the 2006 Special Inventory, created as a part of the second Texas Air Quality Study. Comparison of the hourly emissions inventory data with ambient measurements indicated that the impact of the variability of industrial source emissions on ozone can be significant. Photochemical modeling predictions showed that the variability in industrial emissions can lead to differences in local ozone concentrations of as much as 27 ppb at individual ozone monitor locations. The hourly emissions inventory revealed that industrial source emissions are highly variable in nature with diverse temporal patterns and stochastic behavior. Petrochemical and chemical manufacturing flares, which represent the majority of emissions in the 2006 Special Inventory, were grouped into categories based on industrial process, chemical composition of the flared gas, and the temporal patterns of their emissions. Stochastic models were developed for each categorization of flare emissions with the goal of simulating the characterized temporal emission variability. The stochastic models provide representative temporal profiles for flares in the petrochemical manufacturing and chemical manufacturing sectors, and as such serve as more comprehensive input for photochemical air quality modeling.
Download or read book Ozone Formation in the Houston Galveston Area written by Wenfang Lei and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reductions in Ozone Concentrations Due to Controls on Variability in Industrial Flare Emissions in Houston Texas written by Junsang Nam and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: High concentrations of ozone in the Houston/Galveston area are associated with industrial plumes of highly reactive hydrocarbons, mixed with NOx. The emissions leading to these plumes can have significant temporal variability, and photochemical modeling indicates that the emissions variability can lead to increases and decreases of 10-50 ppb, or more, in ozone concentrations. Therefore, in regions with extensive industrial emissions, accounting for emission variability can be important in accurately predicting peak ozone concentrations, and in assessing the effectiveness of emission control strategies. This work compares the changes in ozone concentrations associated with two strategies for reducing flare emissions in Houston, Texas. One strategy eliminates the highest emission flow rates, that occur relatively infrequently, and a second strategy reduces emissions that occur at a nearly constant level. If emission variability is accounted for in air quality modeling, these control scenarios are predicted to be much more effective in reducing the expected value of daily maximum ozone concentrations than if similar reductions in the mass of emissions are made and constant emissions are assumed. The change in the expected value of daily maximum ozone concentration per ton of emissions reduced, when emissions variability is accounted for, is 5-10 times the change predicted when constant (deterministic) inventories are used. Keywords: Photochemical Grid Model, highly reactive volatile organic compounds (HRVOC), ozone, uncertainty analysis.
Download or read book Air Quality Reference Guide for the Houston Galveston Area written by Houston-Galveston Area Council. Regional Air Quality Planning Committee and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Modelin the Transport and Chemical Evolution of Onshore and Offshore Emissions and Their Impact on Local and Regional Air Quality Using a Variable Grid Resolution Air Quality Model written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The overall objective of this research project was to develop an innovative modeling technique to adequately model the offshore/onshore transport of pollutants. The variable-grid modeling approach that was developed alleviates many of the shortcomings of the traditionally used nested regular-grid modeling approach, in particular related to biases near boundaries and the excessive computational requirements when using nested grids. The Gulf of Mexico region contiguous to the Houston-Galveston area and southern Louisiana was chosen as a test bed for the variable-grid modeling approach. In addition to the onshore high pollution emissions from various sources in those areas, emissions from on-shore and off-shore oil and gas exploration and production are additional sources of air pollution. We identified case studies for which to perform meteorological and air quality model simulations. Our approach included developing and evaluating the meteorological, emissions, and chemistry-transport modeling components for the variable-grid applications, with special focus on the geographic areas where the finest grid resolution was used. We evaluated the performance of two atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) schemes, and identified the best-performing scheme for simulating mesoscale circulations for different grid resolutions. Use of a newly developed surface data assimilation scheme resulted in improved meteorological model simulations. We also successfully ingested satellite-derived sea surface temperatures (SSTs) into the meteorological model simulations, leading to further improvements in simulated wind, temperature, and moisture fields. These improved meteorological fields were important for variable-grid simulations, especially related to capturing the land-sea breeze circulations that are critical for modeling offshore/onshore transport of pollutants in the Gulf region. We developed SMOKE-VGR, the variable-grid version of the SMOKE emissions processing model, and tested and evaluated this new system. We completed the development of our variable-grid-resolution air quality model (MAQSIP-VGR) and performed various diagnostic tests related to an enhanced cloud parameterization scheme. We also developed an important tool for variable-grid graphics using Google Earth. We ran the MAQSIP-VGR for the Houston-Galveston and southern Louisiana domains for an August 23 to September 2, 2002, episode. Results of the modeling simulations highlighted the usefulness of the variable-grid modeling approach when simulating complex terrain processes related to land and sea close to an urban area. Our results showed that realistic SST patterns based on remote sensing are critical to capturing the land-sea breeze, in particular the inland intrusion of the reversed mesoscale circulation that is critical for simulating air pollution over urban areas near coastal regions. Besides capturing the correct horizontal gradient between land and sea surface temperatures, it is important to use an adequate ABL scheme in order to quantify correctly the vertical profiles of various parameters. The ABL scheme should capture the dynamics of the marine boundary layer, which is not often considered in a typical simulation over land. Our results further showed the effect of using satellite-derived SSTs on the horizontal and vertical extent of the modeled pollution pattern, and the increase in hourly ozone concentrations associated with changes in ABL characteristics resulting from the enhanced mesoscale circulation in the lower troposphere.
Download or read book Midtropospheric Influences on Boundary Layer Evolution in the Mexico City Basin written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mexico City lies in a horseshoe-shaped basin at 2250 m AGL. These authors have simulated the effects of thermally-forced local to regional-scale circulation patterns on the ozone distribution within the basin. On most of the case days studied a relationship could be found between the spatial and temporal evolution of wind patterns and ozone concentration, particularly in the southwestern part of the basin. In this paper, the authors focus upon defining the relationship between the vertical structure of the atmosphere, by examining stability and wind shear, and the near surface pollution. This work was prompted by the need to better understand the role of midtropospheric flow in contributing to, or alleviating, the pollution problem in the basin. The role of vertical exchange processes in this locale has so far been only peripherally explored. From this investigation the authors hope to assess the importance of upper level winds in contributing to ventilation of pollutants out of the basin above the mountaintop level, in flushing the polluted airmass out of the basin, and in the development of basin-wide recirculation patterns. The results of preliminary data analyses are described.
Download or read book A Study of Meteorological Conditions Causing High Ozone Episodes in the Houston Galveston Area with Land Surface Modeling written by Fang-Yi Cheng and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book An Institutional Assessment of the Implementation and Enforcement of the Clean Air Act written by Mark Stoler and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mesoscale Meteorology in Midlatitudes written by Paul Markowski and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-09-20 with total page 435 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mesoscale Meteorology in Mid-Latitudes presents the dynamics of mesoscale meteorological phenomena in a highly accessible, student-friendly manner. The book's clear mathematical treatments are complemented by high-quality photographs and illustrations. Comprehensive coverage of subjects including boundary layer mesoscale phenomena, orographic phenomena and deep convection is brought together with the latest developments in the field to provide an invaluable resource for mesoscale meteorology students. Mesoscale Meteorology in Mid-Latitudes functions as a comprehensive, easy-to-use undergraduate textbook while also providing a useful reference for graduate students, research scientists and weather industry professionals. Illustrated in full colour throughout Covers the latest developments and research in the field Comprehensive coverage of deep convection and its initiation Uses real life examples of phenomena taken from broad geographical areas to demonstrate the practical aspects of the science
Download or read book Air Quality Reference Guide for the Houston Galveston Area written by Houston-Galveston Area Council. Regional Air Quality Planning Committee. Reference Guide Consensus Group and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Air Quality Reference Guide for the Houston Galveston Area written by Houston-Galveston Area Council. Regional Air Quality Planning Committee. Reference Guide Consensus Group and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Characterization of Ozone Concentrations Inside and Outside a Houston Area Academic Building written by Numsen M. Hail and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
