Concentration and deposition of sulfur oxides in the northeastern United States: a comparison of Airsox model results with monitoring data for July 1978

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6413526

Kleinman, L I

Atmospheric concentrations of sulfur dioxide and sulfate and wet deposition of total sulfur have been calculated for July 1978 in the eastern US and adjoining Canadian areas using the long-range transport model, AIRSOX (Atmospheric Impact of Residual Sulfur Oxide). Air concentrations have been compared with the observed values of SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 4/ at stations of the SURE (Sulfate Regional Experiment in the Northeastern US) network. Wet deposition of sulfur has been compared with measurements made at the MAP3S (Multistate Atmospheric Power Production Pollution Study) precipitation chemistry stations. The averaging period of the calculation encompasses the atmospheric residence time of pollutants emitted between July 1 and July 26, 1978. Observations have been averaged between July 6 and July 31, 1978, as this time span approximates the period of impact of the emissions. This study was initiated as part of a MAP3S program in which modelers at Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), and Pacific Northwest Laboratory performed similar air and deposition quality calculations. A common data base consisting of emissions, upper air winds and temperatures, precipitation, ambient SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 4/ concentrations, and precipitation composition was made available at the three laboratories participating in the model comparison. The manner in which the data were used was left to each modeler's judgment. Standardized plotting and statistical routines were made available to each modeling group. The manner in which the data were presented and analyzed was, except for certain guidelines, also left to each modeler's discretion. The model comparison was undertaken to assess the progress that has been made in long-range transport calculations under the MAP3S program.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6413526
• Report Number(s): BNL-29855; ON: DE81028328
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CANADA
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
USA
WIND