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U.S. Department of Energy
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Cross-Appalachian tracer experiment (CAPTEX '83). Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5695021

The Cross-Appalachian Tracer Experiment (CAPTEX '83) was a major field study using a perfluorocarbon tracer to simulate the long-range transport and diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere. The experiment consisted of 7 tracer releases, 5 from Dayton, Ohio, and 2 from Sudbury, Ontario, during mid-September through October 1983. Automatic, sequential ground-level samplers were operated at 80 sites in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada at distances of 300 to 1100 km from the release sites. About 3000 3- and 6-hour-long samples were collected in the sampling network during CAPTEX. To determine the vertical distribution of tracer, seven aircraft collected over 1600 samples at various plume transects from 200 to 900 km from the releases. The regular rawinsonde observations in the CAPTEX sampling area were increased to 4 times daily following each release, and 10 additional rawinsonde stations were established to fill spacial gaps in the regular network while operating on a similar time schedule.

Research Organization:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD (USA). Air Resources Lab.
OSTI ID:
5695021
Report Number(s):
PB-86-167855/XAB; NOAA-TM-ERL-ARL-142
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English