Atmospheric Sciences Commons^™

A Comparative Study Characterizing Traffic Related Air Pollutant Concentrations At Near-Road Communities In El Paso, Texas, Adan Rangel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the influence of traffic related air pollution at near-road communities and the associated health risks for these populations. This study uses on-site air quality monitors to characterize air pollutants at near-road schools in El Paso, TX to understand children's exposure to traffic-related air pollutants. Ambient air monitoring stations were installed at Coldwell Elementary, Bliss Elementary, and a residential house located in close proximity to major inter-state roadways. In this study, air quality data for PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and O3 was collected over a period of nine weeks in Fall 2018. The spatial and temporal variability …

Mls Measurements Of Stratospheric Hydrogen Cyanide During The 2015-2016 El Niño Event, Hugh C. Pumphrey, Norbert Glatthor, Peter F. Bernath, Christopher D. Boone, James W. Hannigan, Ivan Ortega, Nathaniel J. Livesey, William G. Read

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

It is known from ground-based measurements made during the 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 El Niño events that atmospheric hydrogen cyanide (HCN) tends to be higher during such years than at other times. The Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Aura satellite has been measuring HCN mixing ratios since launch in 2004; the measurements are ongoing at the time of writing. The winter of 2015- 2016 saw the largest El Niño event since 1997-1998. We present MLS measurements of HCN in the lower stratosphere for the Aura mission to date, comparing the 2015- 2016 El Niño period to the rest of the …

Stratospheric Ozone And Hcl Trends (2000-2016): How Significant Is Recent Growth In Chlorinated Very Short-Lived Substances, Ryan Hossaini, Martyn Chipperfield, Peter Bernath, Anton Fernando, Sandip Dhomse, Wuhu Feng

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Chlorinated very short-lived substances (VSLS), such as dichloromethane (CH₂CL₂), chloroform (CHCl₃₎ and perchloroethylene (C₂Cl₄) constitute a small, but growing source of stratospheric chlorine (e.g. WMO, 2014). High-altitude aircraft observations provide some constraint on the stratospheric source gas injection of chlorine from these compounds, though product gas injection - from VSLS-derived phosgene and HCl produced in the troposphere - is uncertain. Furthermore, in addition to an overall paucity of atmospheric VSLS observations, the impact of VSLS growth on stratospheric composition trends in the recent past (e.g. ozone, HCl) remains poorly constrained.

Analysis Of The Red And Green Optical Absorption Spectrum Of Gas Phase Ammonia, Nikolai F. Zobov, Phillip A. Coles, Roman I. Ovsyannikov, Aleksandra A. Kyuberis, Robert J. Hargreaves, Peter F. Bernath, Jonathan Tennyson, Sergei N. Yurchenko, Oleg L. Polyansky

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Room temperature NH₃ absorption spectra recorded at the Kitt Peak National Solar Observatory in 1980 are analyzed. The spectra cover two regions in the visible: 15,200 - 15,700 cm^-1 and 17,950 - 18,250 cm^-1. These high overtone rotation-vibration spectra are analyzed using both combination differences and variational line lists. Two variational line lists were computed using the TROVE nuclear motion program: one is based on an ab initio potential energy surface (PES) while the other used a semi-empirical PES. Ab initio dipole moment surfaces are used in both cases. 95 energy levels with J = 1 …

Abrupt Changes In Wind Conditions At The Memphis International Airport, Nicholas E. Johnson

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Effects Of Storm Depth On Tds Height Interpretation In Tornado Intensity Estimation, Andrew Lee

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Record Setting: The Origins Of Extreme Hail On 19 March 2018 During Vortex-Se, Dean Meyer

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Advances In The Hyperspectral Imaging Microscope Spectrometer Method, And Application For Measuring The Spectral Reflectance Of Light Absorbing Aerosols From The South Cascades, Colorado Rockies, And Iceland, Melanie Swick

All Master's Theses

Snow and glaciers are receding at a global scale. Warming temperatures are often identified as the dominant cause of this decline; however, deposition of light absorbing aerosols (LAA), including black carbon, mineral dust and organics onto snow and glacier surfaces can be an even larger driver of melt in some regions (Skiles et al., 2012). Attempts to partition the relative contribution of different types of LAA to snow and glacier melt has been limited by the uncertainties in the LAA optical properties (Kaspari et al., 2014). A new hyperspectral imaging microscope spectrometer (HIMS) method was recently developed to measure LAA …

Morphology And Mixing State Of Soot And Tar Balls: Implications For Optical Properties And Climate, Janarjan Bhandari

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Soot particles form during incomplete combustion of carbonaceous materials. These particles strongly absorb light and directly affect Earth’s climate by warming our atmosphere. When freshly emitted, soot particles have a fractal-like morphology consisting of aggregates of carbon spherules. During atmospheric processing, soot aggregates interact with other materials present in our atmosphere (i.e., other aerosol or condensable vapors) and these interactions can result in the formation of coated, mixed or compacted soot particles with different morphologies. Any process that alters the morphology (shape, size and internal structure) and mixing state of soot also affects its optical properties, which in turn affect …

Investigation Of Microphysical Properties Of Laboratory And Atmospheric Clouds Using Digital In-Line Holography, Neel Desai

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In this study, we attempt to perform in-cloud measurements, both in the laboratory using the Michigan Tech $\Pi$-chamber and in the atmosphere via the CSET field campaign. Atmospheric turbulence is believed to play a critical role in the growth, development and dissipation of clouds and it is important to study its effect in order to better understand and predict cloud properties such as albedo and lifetime. We use digital in-line holography to measure the effect of turbulence on cloud microphysical properties such as variations in droplet number concentration and droplet or ice particle size. In the first half, we study …

Wildfire Emissions In The Context Of Global Change And The Implications For Mercury Pollution, Aditya Kumar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Wildfires are episodic disturbances that exert a significant influence on the Earth system. They emit substantial amounts of atmospheric pollutants, which can impact atmospheric chemistry/composition and the Earth’s climate at the global and regional scales. This work presents a collection of studies aimed at better estimating wildfire emissions of atmospheric pollutants, quantifying their impacts on remote ecosystems and determining the implications of 2000s-2050s global environmental change (land use/land cover, climate) for wildfire emissions following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A1B socioeconomic scenario.

A global fire emissions model is developed to compile global wildfire emission inventories for major atmospheric …

Understanding The Food Water Nexus: Characterizing The Impact Of Climatological Anomalies On Agrosystems, Patrick M. Wurster Jr.

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Climate variability at global and regional scales is escalating with increased atmospheric carbon and is expected to magnify the intensity and duration of meteorological extremes, especially droughts. From the many environmental stresses that diminish crop production (e.g., soil salinity, frost, soil erosion) drought is one of the most prevalent. This study focuses on the sensitivity of three key crops produced in the northwestern United States to climatological anomalies, while controlling for attribution using anomalies in price. The study differs from similar studies in that we focus on variability in production which captures both yield (tonnes/ha) and cropping area (ha), as …

Long-Term Changes In Extreme Air Pollution Meteorology And Implications For Air Quality, Pei Hou

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Extreme air pollution meteorology, such as heat waves, temperature inversions, and atmospheric stagnation episodes, can significantly affect air quality. In this study, we analyze their long-term trends and the potential impacts on air quality. The significant increasing trends for the occurrences of extreme meteorological events in 1951-2010 are identified with the reanalysis data, especially over the continental regions. A statistical analysis combining air quality data and meteorological data indicates strong sensitivities of air quality, including both average air pollutant concentrations and high pollution episodes, to extreme meteorological events. Results also show significant seasonal and spatial variations in the sensitivity of …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Current Atmospheric Refraction Models In Predicting Sunrise And Sunset Times, Teresa Wilson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The standard value for atmospheric refraction on the horizon of 34', used in all publicly available sunrise and sunset calculators, is found to be inadequate. The assumptions behind atmospheric models that predict this value fail to account for real meteorological conditions. The result is an uncertainty of one to five minutes in sunrise and sunset predictions at mid-latitudes (0° - 55° N/S). A sunrise/set calculator that interchanges the refraction component by varying the refraction model was developed. Two atmospheric refraction models of increasing complexity were tested along with the standard value. The predictions were compared with data sets of observed …

Design Of A Small Scale Wind Generator For Low Wind Speed Areas, Ra Msuya, Rrm Kainkwa, Mi Mgwatu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Most small scale level wind turbine generators are directly driven system, variable speed, and partially connected power electronic converter system. Choice of such system is to avoid costs associated with gearbox. However, due to low wind speed in most of the tropical countries, synchronous generators with smaller or medium speed Permanent Magnet (PM) generator design found to be important and given high performance efficiency. In order to be able to harvest wind energy in off-grid population efficiently, there was a need to design a synchronous generator that can be able to operate under low wind speed, directly connected to the …

Prediction Of Rainfall In The Southern Highlands Of Tanzania, Pasvolo Mwinuka, Christian Uiso

Tanzania Journal of Science

Previous studies on the variability of March to May (MAM) and October to December (OND) rainfall in East Africa have mainly covered the whole region without considering the local climate zones such as the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Results from the regional studies have shown that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) have strong association with OND rainfall and weak one with MAM rainfall in East Africa. The present study was aimed at determining the potential predictors for the MAM and OND rainfall by considering IOD, El Ni o Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Quasi-biennial Oscillation (QBOu30 and …

Umphlett Qci Dec 2017, Natalie A. Umphlett

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Staff Publications

Highlights for the Basin

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies

Drought

Drought Continues to Cause Impacts

Large Butterfly Migration Across the Plains

High Winds Down Corn Across Nebraska

3-Month Precipitation and Temperature Outlooks

Soil Moisture Conditions

An Investigation Of Biological Carbon Sequestration At The Pea Ridge National Military Park, Dorine Reed Bower

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The direct correlation between increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 and global temperatures is now irrefutable. A 50% increase in atmospheric CO2 levels from a pre-industrial level of 270 ppm to a present-day level of 405 ppm, has resulted in documented record temperatures and a concomitant rising of sea levels from melting ice caps.

The ability of biological/terrestrial ecological systems to store atmospheric carbon is a viable option in the effort to mitigate the climate impacts of rising anthropogenically-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Components of the vegetation and soils in the Pea Ridge National Military Park (the Park) were examined for carbon …

President Broderick's Leadership In Sea Level Rise Initiative Featured In Nation's Top Higher Education Publication, Public Affairs & News Bureau, Old Dominion University

News Items

No abstract provided.

Community Invited To Discuss King Tide Event, Amy Matzke-Fawcett

News Items

No abstract provided.

Odu Sea Level Rise Initiative Featured In Premier Higher Education Publication, Public Affairs & News Bureau, Old Dominion University

News Items

No abstract provided.

Community Discussion: Catch The King Tide, Amy Matzke-Fawcett

News Items

No abstract provided.

Land Use Land Cover Change Effects On Southern Great Plains Precipitation, Alexandra Caruthers

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Great Plains land use has changed substantially over the last 160 years, altering the properties of the land through increased settlement and advances in irrigation. Changing the interface between the land and atmosphere has implications for the atmospheric boundary layer, the regional circulation, the local surface energy budget and resulting precipitation patterns. Land use land cover (LULC) changes are an important topic for this region due to its heavy dependence on agriculture. This study investigates differences in Southern Great Plains precipitation patterns between four LULC scenarios: the pre-settlement, 1920’s, Dust Bowl and present day eras. Using the Weather Research and …

No Evidence For Trace Metal Limitation On Anaerobic Carbon Mineralization In Three Peatland Soils, Jason K. Keller, Jillian Wade

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Peatlands store roughly one-third of the terrestrial soil carbon and release the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH₄) to the atmosphere, making these wetlands among the most important ecosystems in the global carbon cycle. Despite their importance, the controls of anaerobic decomposition of organic matter to carbon dioxide (CO₂) and CH₄ within peatlands are not well understood. It is known, however, that the enzymes responsible for CH₄ production require cobalt, iron and nickel, and there is a growing appreciation for the potential role of trace metal limitation in anaerobic decomposition. To explore the possibility of …

Assessing The Impact Of Land Use And Travel On Carbon Dioxide Emissions In Portland, Oregon, Zakari Mumuni

Dissertations and Theses

The negative consequences of sprawling metropolitan regions have attracted attention in both academia and in practice regarding how to better design settlements and alter travel behavior in a quest to curtail vehicle emissions. Studies that have attempted to understand the nexus between land use, travel and vehicle emissions have not been able to address the issue of self-selection in a satisfactory manner. Self-selection occurs when households choose their residential location based, in part, on expected travel behavior. This non-random experience makes the use of traditional regression frameworks that strongly rely on random sampling, unsuitable. This replication study's purpose was to …

Usu Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar 2014-2015 Nightly Temperatures, Leda Sox, Vincent B. Wickwar, Tao Yuan

Browse all Datasets

Temperatures from a collocated Rayleigh-scatter lidar (RSL) and sodium resonance lidar were compared night-by-night, at different altitude levels, and hour-by-hour.

Three zipped files are provided.

USU RSL 2014-2015 [O] Corrected Temperatures.zip contains 36 files, one per night and hour, in RSLHourlyTemperaturesYYYYMMDDhour#.txt filename format.

USU RSL 2014-2015 Hourly Temperatures.zip contains 36 files, one per night and hour, in RSLHourlyTemperaturesYYYYMMDDhour#.txt filename format.

USU RSL 2014-2015 Nightly Temperatures.zip contains 19 files, one per night, in RSLTemperaturesYYYYMMDD.txt filename format.

Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction Using Coral Microatolls (Sp. Siderastrea Siderea) From The Gulf Of Gonâve, Haiti, Gilman Reno Ouellette Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Natural and anthropogenic climate changes present unique and serious risks to society. In order to plan and implement adaptation and mitigation strategies successfully, regional manifestations of broad-scale climate changes must be understood robustly. The Caribbean region contains part of the Western Hemisphere Warm Pool (WHWP), a major sea surface temperature (SST) feature that plays a key role in North Atlantic climate. Climate variability in the Caribbean is captured poorly by climate models, due in part to a lack of continuous, multidecadal instrumental climate records from the region. I explored three research questions in this dissertation: Does non-systematic bias exist in …

Evolution Of Multispectral Aerosol Absorption Properties In A Biogenically-Influenced Urban Environment During The Cares Campaign, Madhu Gyawali, W. Patrick Arnott, Rahul A. Zaveri, Chen Song, Bradley Flowers, Manvendra K. Dubey, Swarup China, Claudio Mazzoleni, Kyle Gorkowski, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

We present the evolution of multispectral optical properties through urban aerosols that have aged and interacted with biogenic emissions, resulting in stronger short wavelength absorption and the formation of moderately brown secondary organic aerosols. Ground-based aerosol measurements were made in June 2010 within the Sacramento urban area (site T0) and at a 40-km downwind location (site T1) in the forested Sierra Nevada foothills area. Data on black carbon (BC) and non-refractory aerosol mass and composition were collected at both sites. In addition, photoacoustic (PA) instruments with integrating nephelometers were used to measure spectral absorption and scattering coefficients for wavelengths ranging …

Apathy And Concern Over The Future Habitability Of Earth: An Introductory College Assignment Of Forecasting Co2 In The Earth’S Atmosphere, Benjamin J. Burger

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Non-science, first year regional undergraduate students from rural Utah communities participated in an online introductory geology course and were asked to forecast the rise of CO₂ in the Earth’s atmosphere. The majority of students predicted catastrophic rise to 5,000-ppm sometime over the next 3,100 years, resulting in an atmosphere nearly uninhabitable to human life. However, the level of concern the students exhibited in their answers was not directly proportional with their timing in their forecasted rise of CO₂. This study showcases the importance of presenting students with actual data and using data to develop student forecasted models. …

Does Strong Tropospheric Forcing Cause Large-Amplitude Mesospheric Gravity Waves? A Deepwave Case Study, Martina Bramberger, Andreas Dörnbrack, Katrina Bossert, Benedikt Ehard, David C. Fritts, Bernd Kaifler, Christian Mallaun, Andrew Orr, Pierre-Dominique Pautet, Markus Rapp, Michael J. Taylor, Simon Vosper, Bifford P. Williams, Benjamin Witschas

Publications

On 4 July 2014, during the Deep Propagating Gravity Wave Experiment (DEEPWAVE), strong low-level horizontal winds of up to 35 m s⁻¹ over the Southern Alps, New Zealand, caused the excitation of gravity waves having the largest vertical energy fluxes of the whole campaign (38 W m⁻²). At the same time, large-amplitude mesospheric gravity waves were detected by the Temperature Lidar for Middle Atmospheric Research (TELMA) located at Lauder (45.0°S, 169.7°E), New Zealand. The coincidence of these two events leads to the question of whether the mesospheric gravity waves were generated by the strong tropospheric forcing. To …