Sensitivity of coastal meteorology and air quality to urban surface characteristics
- Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States)
Surface characteristics play an important role in shaping the local meteorological conditions in urban areas, and subsequently affect the generation and transport of pollutants. A basic understanding of this relationship in urban climates has led researchers to explore surface modification strategies for cooling cities, saving energy, and reducing pollution. These strategies include planting of urban vegetation and increasing urban albedo, both of which represent a significant modification to the urban surface. The air temperature reductions resulting from enhanced evapotranspiration (from increasing vegetation), and reduced solar gain (from increasing albedo) have positive energy use and air quality implications. Research has shown that decreasing air temperature by 1{degrees}C in the Los Angeles Basin could save consumers $50,000 per hour in avoided energy use and reduce peak ozone levels by 5 to 10 parts per billion. Driven by these figures, this study is part of a larger research effort focusing on air quality in the Los Angeles Basin. Prior to conducting full three-dimensional meteorological simulations and the corresponding photochemical smog simulations, two-dimensional simulations were designed to isolate each surface characteristic and examine its role in a developing mesoscale coastal flow. The air temperature and mixing height impacts, having the most air quality significance, were then investigated through a preliminary photochemical sensitivity study.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 28759
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940115-; TRN: 95:002816-0050
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 8. Joint conference on applications of air pollution meterology. 74. American Meteorological Society annual meeting, Nashville, TN (United States), 23-28 Jan 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Eighth joint conference on applications of air pollution meteorology with A & WMA; PB: 359 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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