Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductions
Air quality measurements at Look Rock, Tennessee – on the western edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – were begun in 1980 and expanded during the 1980s to a National Park Service (NPS) IMPROVE network station. Measurements were expanded again by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, 1999...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2015-09-01
|
| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/9781/2015/acp-15-9781-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818022056030109696 |
|---|---|
| author | R. L. Tanner S. T. Bairai S. F. Mueller |
| author_facet | R. L. Tanner S. T. Bairai S. F. Mueller |
| author_sort | R. L. Tanner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Air quality measurements at Look Rock, Tennessee – on the western edge of
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – were begun in 1980 and expanded
during the 1980s to a National Park Service (NPS) IMPROVE network station.
Measurements were expanded again by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA,
1999–2007) to examine the effects of electric generating unit (EGU) emission
reductions of SO<sub>2</sub> and NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> on air quality at the station. Analysis
of temporal trends (1999–2013) has been conducted at the site in
collaboration with activities related to the 2013 Southeast Atmosphere Study
(SAS) at Look Rock and other southeastern US locations.
<br><br>
Key findings from these trend studies include the observation that primary
pollutant levels have consistently tracked emission reductions from EGUs
and other primary sources in the region, but reductions in secondary
pollutants such as particulate sulfate and, specifically, ozone have been
smaller compared to reductions in primary emissions. Organic carbonaceous
material (OM) remains a major contributor (30–40 % in the period
2009–2013) to fine particulate mass at the site, as confirmed by ACSM
measurements at the site in 2013. A large portion (65–85 %) of carbon
in OM derives from modern carbon sources based on <sup>14</sup>C measurements.
Important parameters affecting ozone levels, fine mass, and visibility also
include the specific diurnal meteorology at this ridge-top site, its
location in a predominantly mixed-deciduous forest, and the presence of
primary sources of precursors at distances of 50–500 km from the site in all
directions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T08:27:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b7c342ff7d99440a99c7ce950bbcd357 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T08:27:20Z |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-b7c342ff7d99440a99c7ce950bbcd3572022-12-22T02:04:01ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242015-09-0115179781979710.5194/acp-15-9781-2015Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductionsR. L. Tanner0S. T. Bairai1S. F. Mueller2Tennessee Valley Authority, P.O. Box 1010, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USATennessee Valley Authority, P.O. Box 1010, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USATennessee Valley Authority, P.O. Box 1010, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USAAir quality measurements at Look Rock, Tennessee – on the western edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – were begun in 1980 and expanded during the 1980s to a National Park Service (NPS) IMPROVE network station. Measurements were expanded again by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA, 1999–2007) to examine the effects of electric generating unit (EGU) emission reductions of SO<sub>2</sub> and NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> on air quality at the station. Analysis of temporal trends (1999–2013) has been conducted at the site in collaboration with activities related to the 2013 Southeast Atmosphere Study (SAS) at Look Rock and other southeastern US locations. <br><br> Key findings from these trend studies include the observation that primary pollutant levels have consistently tracked emission reductions from EGUs and other primary sources in the region, but reductions in secondary pollutants such as particulate sulfate and, specifically, ozone have been smaller compared to reductions in primary emissions. Organic carbonaceous material (OM) remains a major contributor (30–40 % in the period 2009–2013) to fine particulate mass at the site, as confirmed by ACSM measurements at the site in 2013. A large portion (65–85 %) of carbon in OM derives from modern carbon sources based on <sup>14</sup>C measurements. Important parameters affecting ozone levels, fine mass, and visibility also include the specific diurnal meteorology at this ridge-top site, its location in a predominantly mixed-deciduous forest, and the presence of primary sources of precursors at distances of 50–500 km from the site in all directions.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/9781/2015/acp-15-9781-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. L. Tanner S. T. Bairai S. F. Mueller Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductions Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductions |
| title_full | Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductions |
| title_fullStr | Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductions |
| title_short | Trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern Tennessee as related to primary emission reductions |
| title_sort | trends in concentrations of atmospheric gaseous and particulate species in rural eastern tennessee as related to primary emission reductions |
| url | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/15/9781/2015/acp-15-9781-2015.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rltanner trendsinconcentrationsofatmosphericgaseousandparticulatespeciesinruraleasterntennesseeasrelatedtoprimaryemissionreductions AT stbairai trendsinconcentrationsofatmosphericgaseousandparticulatespeciesinruraleasterntennesseeasrelatedtoprimaryemissionreductions AT sfmueller trendsinconcentrationsofatmosphericgaseousandparticulatespeciesinruraleasterntennesseeasrelatedtoprimaryemissionreductions |