interpolations of ambient air pollution concentrations in austin and houston heather simon
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Interpolations of Ambient Air Pollution Concentrations in Austin and Houston
Heather Simon
Importance of Air Pollution Monitors
Show compliance with EPA standards Alert communities if pollutant concentrations
reach a level that poses an immediate risk Provide valuable data to scientists studying
air pollution chemistry
TCEQ Monitoring System 212 monitors in Texas 63 monitors in
Houston/Galveston region Measure meteorological
conditions Wind speed Wind direction Solar flux Temperature
Measure pollutant concentrations NOx ozone PM2.5 CO SO2
View of Monitoring Stations
Objectives
1. Map pollutant concentrations for a specific air pollution episode (June 2, 2005)
Show where pollution concentrations are good/moderate/dangerous
Compare Houston to Austin Discuss sources of pollution
2. Interpolate pollution data to visualize concentrations in areas other than at monitoring locations
3. Determine where more monitors are most needed Locations of highest uncertainty Locations where high uncertainties overlap for
multiple pollutants Locations where air quality is bad
Imported Data Layers
Pollution Data
Ozone Air Quality Index
Air Quality Index
Concentration (ppb)
Recommendations
Good 0-80
Moderate 81-120 Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
121-160 Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.
Unhealthy 161-200 Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors. Everyone else, especially children, should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.
Very Unhealthy 201-400 Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion. Everyone else, especially children, should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.
Hazardous Greater than 400 Everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors.
Ozone Concentrations
Wind Data
TCEQ emissions plume animation
Interpolations
Uncertainties
Masks for Low Pollutant Areas
Conclusions
Ozone did reach levels of concern in Houston Mapping and interpolation allowed us to see a clear
spatial trend in ozone concentrations Wind data showed that most ozone in Houston
originated from the industrial areas, not the urban core
Based on uncertainty in ozone interpolations, monitors should be placed to the north and southwest of the city
Since ozone concentrations are low to the southwest, first priority should be put on the northern monitors
Note of caution: conclusions drawn from a single day of data may not be universally applicable
Data Sources County, city, urban area, highway, and monitoring point
layers were obtained from the Texas Natural Resource Information System.
http://www.tnris.state.tx.us/DigitalData/data_cat.htm Pollutant concentrations and meteorological data were
obtained from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/cgi- bin/compliance/monops/daily_summary
Air Trajectories were obtained from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/open/hysplit4.html Air Quality Index information was obtained from the United
States Environmental Protection Agency.http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=static.publications
Acknowledgements
Dr. Maidment GIS classmates
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