HPP PROJECT DESCRIPTION

PROJECT NUMBER:

02109

PROJECT TITLE:

Aerial Measurement of Ozone Migration in Alabama

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Derek G. Williamson, Ph.D.

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The University of Alabama

Box 870205

Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0205

Ph: 205-348-9931, Fax: 205-348-0783

Email: dwilliamson@coe.eng.ua.edu

Robert Pitt, P.E., Ph.D., DEE

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The University of Alabama

Box 870205

Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0205

Ph: 205-348-2684, Fax 205-348-0783

Email: rpitt@coe.eng.ua.edu

PROJECT OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this work is to demonstrate a low-cost methodology for determining if urban ozone is migrating into surrounding rural areas. Compliance with national air quality standards is a critical aspect of transportation system management, especially as non-compliance can jeopardize federal funds and local economic development plans. Aerial ozone measurements will be used to map ground-level ozone plumes in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area and surrounding counties. With such data, ALDOT and ADEM will be able to better define appropriate non-attainment areas, as opposed to the federal preference of creating larger regulated zones in the absence of ozone data.

PROJECT ABSTRACT:

Designation of non-attainment with national ozone air quality standards creates massive regulatory burdens and economic development limitations on an area. The ozone standard is becoming more stringent and the number of non-attainment areas (NAA) in Alabama (and throughout the Southeast) is expected to increase tremendously (from 1 to at least 4 in Alabama). Adjacent and downwind counties may also be included in NAA. To better define NAA, limit arbitrary expansion, and hence, limit the associated economic and regulatory burden, ground-level ozone data is needed. Unfortunately, many states (including Alabama) do not have an adequate monitoring network. The research proposed here would demonstrate an aerial ozone-tracking methodology. An ozone monitor would be placed in a small rental aircraft and used to map ozone concentrations on a real-time basis. Data will be collected detailing ground-level ozone movement from Birmingham into down-wind areas (such as Clay County). In addition, this methodology will be used to determine if ozone from upwind sources (such as Tuscaloosa) contributes to the ozone being measured from permanent monitors in Birmingham. The goal is to better define NAA and, hence, contain the associated regulatory and economic burden to the transportation industry to a minimum area.

PROJECT TASK DESCRIPTIONS:

Task 1 Preparing the Monitoring System In this task, the ozone monitoring and data collection system will be assembled, packaged for flight, and tested.

Task 2 Matching the Monitoring System with the Aircraft A Cessna 172 will be rented for this project. In task 2, the monitoring system and methodology will be tested in a preliminary flight.

Task 3 Flight Planning During this task, the exact matrix of flights will be planned out.

Task 4 Data Collection Utilizing the methods developed in Tasks 1 and 2 and the plans in Task 3, data will be collected during this task.

Task 5 Data Evaluation The ozone data will be plotted using the synchronous GPS positioning data.

MILESTONES AND DATES:

Project start January 1, 2002

Monitoring system assembly January – March

Initial flight planning February – March

Data collection test flight April

Main data flights May – September

Off season flight October

Data plotting and evaluation June – November

Final report preparation November – December

Project end December 31, 2002

TOTAL BUDGET:

One-year project: UTCA $53,667.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT:

A Masters student will be supported by this project and will write a thesis based upon it.

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER RESEARCH PROJECTS:

This research extends the emissions modeling work supported by ALDOT and UTCA and fills the research gap between interpretations of sparse ground-level ozone data and

comprehensive aerial ozone chemistry research.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACTIVITIES:

The results of this research will be transferred to ADEM, ALDOT and concerned Alabama MPOs through a series of informal meetings, written communications, and the UTCA final report. The results of this research will be relayed to a wider audience through submission to TRB and an environmental peer-reviewed journal.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT:

This project fills several transportation planning needs imposed by air quality regulations. The major potential benefits derive from the development and demonstration of a low-cost method of acquiring real-time ozone data. Such data may prove invaluable in defining NAA as narrowly as possible and thereby avoiding severe constraints on local road building and industrial growth. The particular data set developed may prove very useful to the Birmingham Planning Commission and Clay and Tuscaloosa County planners as the new ozone standard is implemented.

TRB KEYWORDS:

Air Quality, Conformity Assessment, Transportation Planning