A case study of particulate impacts on the Grand Canyon from northwestern Mexico
The concentrations of sulfate measured at Meadview, a remote monitoring site just west of the Grand Canyon National Park, on September 1 and 2, 1992 were the highest concentrations reported at this site in six years of monitoring. During this period, the concentrations of SO{sub 2} at Meadview were also high and about three times the sulfate concentrations. In addition, the concentrations of sulfate and SO{sub 2} were also comparably high between Meadview and the southernmost sampling sites near the Mexican border. Based on ambient atmospheric conditions, emissions from the Mohave Power Project (MPP) 110 km upwind of Meadview could not have been responsible for the majority of the regionally observed sulfur oxides. The geographical distribution of SO{sub 2} and sulfate suggest that northwestern Mexico was a significant source of the unusually high observed sulfur oxides. A CMB model developed during Project MOHAVE was used to apportion sulfur oxides at Meadview and other sampling sites throughout the study region for August 31--September 2, 1992. The results indicate that the contribution of MPP to sulfate at Meadview was typical. However, transport of SO{sub x} from northwestern Mexico was elevated throughout much of the region during this time period. This lead to the large increase in sulfate concentrations at Meadview on September 1 and 2. These results indicate that emissions from Mexico can be a significant source of sulfate in the Grand Canyon.
- Research Organization:
- Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20002069
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990608--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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