An Evaluation of the Wind Erosion Module in DUSTRAN
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed a dust transport model (DUSTRAN), which calculates atmospheric dust concentrations that result from both natural and human activity. DUSTRAN is a comprehensive dispersion modeling system, consisting of a dust-emissions module, a diagnostic meteorological model, and dispersion models that are integrated seamlessly into GIS software. DUSTRAN functions as a console application and allows the user to interactively create a release scenario and run the underlying models. We have recently had the opportunity to compare dust concentrations calculated by DUSTRAN with observations of wind erosion made on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in southeastern Washington. In this paper we describe both DUSTRAN’s algorithm for predicting the source strength of windblown dust and the comparison of simulated dust concentrations with data. The comparisons use observations of PM10 concentrations for three separate dust events on the Hanford Site in 2001. The dust measurements were made as part of an effort to monitor site recovery following a large range fire that occurred on the Hanford Site in 2000. The comparisons have provided both encouragement as to the practical value of the wind erosion module in DUSTRAN and examples of occasions when the simulations and observations diverge. In general, the maximum dust concentrations from the simulations and the observations for each dust event agreed closely. Because of the lack of soil moisture information, the model was run in a “dry” mode. However, some discrepancies between the observations and the model suggest that accounting for soil moisture should be done where possible. For low dust concentrations, DUSTRAN tends to overestimate PM10 levels. This may be a weakness in the simple form of the dust flux parameterization. It could also be a reflection of deviations of the threshold friction velocity from our nominal value of 20 cm s-1. Overall, however, we have shown DUSTRAN to be an effective tool for simulating dust events due to wind erosion.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 924362
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-55201; 400403209
- Journal Information:
- Atmospheric Environment, 42(8):1907-1921, Journal Name: Atmospheric Environment, 42(8):1907-1921
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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